UPSC History Optional Map Solution 2015

UPSC History Optional Map Solution 2015

History Optional Mapping PYQs Solution: Map Based Questions with Solution – 2015 History Optional Mains Examination.

Q. Identify the following places marked on the map supplied to you and write a short note of about 30 words on each of them in your Question-cum-Answer Booklet. Locational hints for each of the places marked on the map are given below seriatim:

• I. A Neolithic site
• II. A Neolithic site
• III. A Harappan site
• IV. A Megalithic site
• V. A Harappan site
• VI. A painted-Grey-ware site
• VII. An inscriptional site
• VIII. An important ancient city
• IX. An ancient port
• X. A site of ancient cave-paintings
• XI. A Buddhist site
• XII. An educational centre
• XIII. Brahroadeya village
• XIV. An ancient capital
• XV. An ancient capital
• XVI. A temple site
• XVII. An ancient capital
• XVIII. An ancient sea-port
• XIX. An archaeological temple site
• XX. Harappan site

Solution:

1. A Neolithic site: Burzahom
2. A Neolithic site: Mehrgarh
3. A Harappan site: Kalibangan
4. A Megalithic site: Adichanallur
5. A Harappan site: Surkotada
6. A Painted-Grey-ware site: Hastinapur
7. An inscriptional site: Junagarh / Girnar
8. An important ancient city: Vidisha or Besnagar
9. An ancient port: Tamralipti
10. A site of ancient cave-painting: Sittanavasal
11. A Buddhist site: Amaravati
12. An educational centre: Vikramashila / Nalanda
13. Brahmadeya village: Uttaramerur
14. An ancient capital: Badami or Aihole
15. An ancient capital: Kampilya / Ahichhatra
16. A temple site: Bhubaneshwar
17. An ancient capital: Halebidu/ Dwarasamudra
18. An ancient sea-port: Muchiris/Muziris
19. An archaeological temple site: Dah Parbatiya
20. A Harappan site: Rakhigarhi / Ropar or Banawali

(1) A Neolithic site

Burzahom:

• In northeast of Srinagar, J&K.
• First Neolithic site of Kashmir.
• Megalithic culture followed Neolithic culture.
• Certain features differentiate it from other Neolithic cultures:
  • For example: people were not acquainted with agriculture and followed hunting and fishing economy.
• Other important feature:
• Use of a large number of well-polished bone and stone tools.
• Large number of bone tools in form of harpoons, needles, arrowheads etc. is found.
• Human and animal burials found.
  • Humans were buried both primarily and secondarily in pits, mostly dug into the house 􀃞oors. In secondary burials skulls and long bones were preferred.=
  • Pet animals (e.g. dog) were buried along their masters.
• Dwelling pits and storage pits are found.
• Pottery:
  • The early pottery:- crude and handmade.
  • Later pottery:- wheel-made.

(2) A Neolithic site

Mehrgarh:

• In Baluchistan, Pakistan.
• A Neolithic and Calcolithic site.
• Neolithic:
  • Small farming and pastoralist village:
  • Planned ancient farm villages.
  • mud brick house (later sun-dried brick)
  • bone tools,
  • a-ceramic.
• Precursor of IVC.
• It was later abandoned with Harappan urbanisation.
• One of the earliest sites with evidence of farming (wheat and barley), herding and metallurgy.
• One of the earliest cultivation of cotton.
• Evidence of 􀃝shing.
• Unique discovery:- Dental surgery and related medicinal activities.
• Figurines of terracotta found.

(3) A Harappan site

Kalibangan:

• In Hanumangarh district, Rajasthan, on bank of Ghaggar.
• Pre-Harappan and Harappan.
• Pre-Harappan:
  • used copper and produced pottery,
  • no writing system,
  • lack the orderly layout,
  • used sun dried bricks.
• Harappan:
  • Cemetery and a fortified citadel.
  • lower town also forti􀃝ed.
  • use of mud and burnt bricks
  • grid-pattern of town planning,
  • Burnt bricks were used in drains, wells, bathing platforms, 􀃝re-altar.
• Other feature and findings:
• Pottery:
  • for household, religious and burial purposes,
  • wheel made red pottery.
• Unique fire altars:- suggest 􀃝re worship
• Ploughed field
• Rectangular as well as cylindrical seals found.
• Terracotta bangles, bull etc. are found.
• Pit burial and urn burial has been found.

(4) A Megalithic site

Adichanallur:

• In Tuticorin District, Tamil Nadu.
• Urn burial site. Earthenware urns.
• Bronze objects, iron objects, potsherds.
• Skeletal remains inside the urns are in crouched position.
• Two examples of double burial.
• Pottery:
  • BRW, red ware and black ware.
  • Grafti on pottery.
• Iron implements:- arrowheads, spearheads and axe.
• Copper ornaments found.
• Rice husk and cloth impression on Iron sword.
• A potter’s kiln (industrial activity) found in habitational site.

(5) A Harappan site

Surkotda:

• In Kutch district, Gujarat.
• On the land route to Lothal.
• Mud brick and stone rubble used.
• Antiquities:
  • Terracotta seal with Harappan pictographic script but without animal,
  • beads of steatite and carnelian.
• Horse like skeleton found.
• Elephant bone also found.
• Coastal trade during Harappan time.

(6) A painted-Grey-ware site

Hastinapur:

• In Meerut district, UP.
• Capital of Kuru.
• Jaina tradition:
  • Place where Rishabha, the first tirthankara, lived.
  • Mahavira visited.
• OCP followed by PGW.
• Habitation:
  • Wattle-and-daub and mud huts.
  • Unbaked bricks.
• Chert and jasper weights found.
• Horse bones found.
• 2nd century BCE–3rd century CE: (Urbanisation)
  • Pottery:
    • Wheel-turned red ware.
    • Designs such as fish, leaves, flowers, svastikas, triratnas, loops, circles, and other geometric patterns.
  • Habitation:
    • Planed settlement.
    • Burnt brick, ring well found.
  • Artefacts:
    • Objects: iron, copper, ivory, terracotta figurines.
    • rings and beads
    • potsherds and seal
    • Coins– Yaudheyas and Kushana
  • Terracotta:
    • Humped bull
    • torso of the bodhisattva Maitreya.

(7) An inscriptional site

Girnar/Junagarh:

• Girnar Hill near Junagadh in Kathiawar of Gujarat.
• Major rock edicts of Ashoka:
  • On black granite
  • in Brahmi script
• On the same rock there are inscriptions in Sanskrit added around 150 CE by Rudradaman I, the Saka ruler of Malwa, a member of the Western Kshatrapas dynasty:
  • earliest Sanskrit inscription
  • mentions renovation of Sudarshana Lake which was originally built by Pusyagupta the provincial governor of Chandragupta.
• Another inscription dates from about 450 CE and refers to Skandagupta.
• Many Jain and Hindu temples are located in Girnar.

(8) An important ancient city

Vidisha (or Besnagar):

• Vidisha is an ancient city, situated near Bhopal.
• The city, originally called Besnagar and Bhilsa was capital of the Sunga dynasty.
• Besnagar figures significantly in Buddhist, Jain and Brahmanical literature.
• Heliodorus pillar/ Besnagar pillar/ Garuda pillar:
  • Monolithic free standing stone column
  • Erected around 113 BCE by Heliodorus, a Greek ambassador of the Indo-Greek king to the court of the Shunga king.
  • Surmounted by a sculpture of Garuda.
  • Inscription states that it was raised in honour of god Vasudeva by Heliodorous.
• The Udayagiri Caves are situated nearby, just south of Vidisha, is the ancient Buddhist complex of Sanchi.

(9) An ancient port

Tamralipti:

• In Tamluk near the mouth of the Ganges in Midnapur district of West Bengal.
• Emporium of trade.
• Connected to Taxila by land and river on one hand and with south-east Asia by sea on the other.
• Antiquities of Chalcolithic period and NBPW phase found.
• Discovery of Roulette ware and red polished ware of Roman type indicates the trade contact with Roman.
• Urban character is proved by discovery of terracotta 􀃝gurines, coins, beads or semi-precious stones etc.

(10) A site of ancient cave-painting

Sittanavasal:

• In Pudukkottai district, Tamilnadu.
• Meghalithic and Jain Cave site.
• Burials:
  • Stone circles,
  • Cist burials
  • urn burials,
• Pottery, glass manufacturing site, iron objects,
• Sittanavasal Cave is a Jain caves with painting and sculptures.
  • Temple-cave dated to Pallava King Mahendravarman I (580–630 AD).
  • Painting:
  • Mural painting
  • Fresco-secco technique
  • Painting depicts:
    • lotus pond with lotus flowers,
    • people collecting lotuses from the pond,
    • dancing figures,
    • fish, buffaloes, elephants etc.

(11) A Buddhist site

Amaravati:

• In Guntur District, Andhra Pradesh.
• Meghalithic, BRW and NBPW site.
• Inscription in Maurya Brahmi found.
• Dhanyakataka – capital of Satavahanas.
• Buddhist stupa:
  • Buddhist Stupa and Mahachaityas with marble and limestone sculptures.
  • Its carved panels tell the story of Buddha.
• Chinese traveller Hiuen Tsang visited in 7 century.
• Ancient School of Arts:
  • Flourished for nearly six centuries commencing from 200-100 BC.
  • Patronized first by the Satavahanas and later by the Ikshvakus.
  • Some Buddhist sculptures with Greco-Roman in􀃞uence.

(12) An educational centre

Vikramsila (Other probability: Nalanda)

Vikramashila

• In Bhagalpur district, Bihar.
• Founded by King Dharmpal of Pala dynasty.
• Buddhist university:
  • Around hundred teachers and about one thousand students.
  • Produced eminent scholars like Dipankara, who propagated Buddhism in Tibet.
  • Most important branch of learning:- Tantrism.
  • Other subjects like theology, philosophy, grammar, metaphysics, logic etc. also taught.
  • Main stupa is a brick structure.
  • A rectangular structure identified as library.
• Antiquities:
  • Terracotta, metal, ivory, bone, shell antiquities.
  • Stone and bronze sculptures of Buddha, Bodhisattva, Avalokiteshwara, Maitreya, Manjusri, etc.

(13) Brahmadeya Village

Uttaramerur:

• In Kanchipuram district, Tamilnadu.
• Originally existed as a Brahmin settlement. Pallava king Nandivarman II (720–796 CE) established it as a brahamdeya village.
• Inscription on granite stones of the temple dedicated to Shiva (during rule of Parantaka Chola) throw light on the functioning of Chola’s village administration particularly Sabha, the assembly of Brahmin village and shows autonomy enjoyed by villages during Cholas.

(14) An ancient capital

Badami (or Aihole):

Badami

• In Bagalkot district, Karnataka.
• Capital of the Early Chalukyas.
• Founded in 540 AD by Pulakeshi I of Chalukyas.
• Pallavas under Narasimhavarma I destroyed Vatapi and called himself Vatapikonda.
• Temples:
  • Sandstone cave temples and structural temples.
  • Early styles of the southern Indian architecture.
  • Rock-cut Cave Temples:
    • Siva (with Parvati), Vishnu and Jains
    • Lord Nataraja in dancing poses.
  • Muktheeswara temple
  • Melagutti Sivalaya.
  • Bhutanatha group of temples and Mallikarjuna group of temples.
  • Paintings on the ceiling.
• Inscriptions:
• First Sanskrit inscription in old Kannada script dates back to 543 CE, from the period of Pulakeshi I.
• One inscription near the Bhuthanatha temple
• Inscriptions of 12th century in Jain rock-cut temple dedicated to Adinatha.

(15) An ancient capital

Kannauj (Other probability: Ahichhatra)

Kannauj:

• In Uttar Pradesh.
• Capital of the Maukharis and Harshavardhana.
• Chinese pilgrim Faxian and Xuanzang visited.
• Xuanzang described it as a large, prosperous city with many Buddhist monasteries during the reign of Harsha.
• After the death of Harshavardhana in 7 century, Kannuaj remained a focal point for the tripartite struggle between Palas, Pratiharas and Rashtrakutas.
• When Md. Ghori invaded India, it was being ruled by Raja Jaichandra who had enmity with Chauhan ruler Prithviraj.
• In the battle of Kannauj, Sher shah defeated on Humayun.
• It is famous for its Ittar (Perfume).

(16) A temple site

Bhubaneshwar:

• Present capital of Odisha.
• In 7th century, Somavamshi or Keshari dynasty established their kingdom in the area, and constructed a number of temples.
• After the Kesharis, the Eastern Gangas ruled Kalinga area until 14th century CE.
• Called ‘Temple City‘ or ‘Ekamra Kshetra’ with many 6th-13th century
• CE Hindu temples.
• Temples in the Kalinga style.
• Famous temples (mainly of Lord Shiva):
  • Lingaraj Temple,
  • Muktesvara Temple,
  • Rajarani Temple (pancharatha style),
  • Ananta Vasudeva Temple- only temple of Lord Vishnu.
• Famous for Classical Odissi dance.
• The twin hills of Khandagiri & Udayagiri – site of an ancient Jain monastery.
• Dhauli hills has major edicts of Ashoka.

(17) An ancient capital

Halebid/ Halebidu/ Dwarasamudra:

• In Hassan district, Karnataka.
• Capital of the Hoysala kings in 10 -12 century.
• Temple complex:
  • Two main Hindu temples:
  • Hoysaleswara temple
    • Two Nandi images on the sides of the Hoysaleswara temple are monoliths.
  • Kedareshwara temple
• Two Jain basadi.
• Soapstone was used for the construction of these temples.
• Temple’s walls covered with depictions from Hindu mythology, animals, birds and shilabalikas or dancing figures.
• The Jain basadi are also rich in sculptural detail.

(18) An ancient sea-port

Muziris:

• In Cranganore, Kerala.
• Ancient port in the Chera kingdom in Sangam Age.
• Trade with Arabia, Rome, Greece etc.
• Sangam literature, Greek & Roman writers like Pliny, Periplus mention Muziris.
• Export:
  • Spices, semi-precious stones, pearls, diamonds, sapphires, ivory, tortoise shells etc.
• Import:
  • Romans gold coins, figured linens, copper, tin, lead, coral, raw glass, wine etc.
• Muziris Heritage Project started by Kerala government.

(19) An archaeological temple site

Dah Parbatia:

• Near Tezpur in Assam.
• Temple:
  • Ancient temple of the 5 or 6 century (late Gupta period).
    • Carvings on the temple door-frame of stone.
    • Carvings of the river Goddesses Ganga and Yamuna.
  • During Ahom period, a Shiva temple was built with bricks over the ruins of an ancient Gupta period temple.
    • Stone paved layout plan of the sanctum sanctorum and a mandapa.
• The excavations revealed many terracotta plaques in which human figures were shown in a sitting position.

(20) A Harappan site

Rakhigarhi (Other probability: Ropar or Banawali)

Rakhigarhi:

• In Hisar District, Haryana.
• Largest site of IVC.
• Early and mature Harappan site.
• Mature Harappan phase:
  • Planned township
  • mud-brick and burnt-brick houses
  • proper drainage system.
  • Pottery:
    • Red ware,
    • dish-on-stand, vase, jar, bowl, beaker, perforated jar.
  • Animal sacri􀃝cial pit and circular 􀃝re alters:- signifies the ritual system.
  • A cylindrical seal with five Harappan characters.
• Other antiquities:
  • blades; terracotta and shell bangles;
  • beads of semiprecious stones,
  • copper objects;
  • animal figurines,
  • toy cart
  • wheel of terracotta;
  • bone points;
  • inscribed steatite seals and sealings.