UPSC Indian Art and Culture – Chapter 1: Harappan, Mauryan and Post-Mauryan Art (22 MCQs)

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UPSC Indian Art and Culture – Chapter 1: Harappan, Mauryan and Post-Mauryan Art (22 MCQs) – 22 questions, subject: History. Every question has the correct answer with a one-line explanation; tap "Show Answer". Free practice for TNPSC, UPSC, SSC, Bank and RRB exams – Shanmugam IAS Academy, Coimbatore.

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1.  

The red sandstone male torso of the Harappan civilisation was found at:

Correct Answer: A [Harappa]

Explanation:

the red sandstone male torso comes from Harappa.

2.  

Most Harappan seals were made of:

Correct Answer: C [steatite]

Explanation:

Most Harappan seals were cut from steatite, a soft stone, and usually carry an animal motif with a short script.

3.  

Which one of the following Mauryan pillars still stands at its original site with its single-lion capital in place?

Correct Answer: A [Lauriya Nandangarh]

Explanation:

the Lauriya Nandangarh pillar in Bihar still stands with its single-lion capital.

4.  

In lost-wax casting, the hollow mould is formed when:

Correct Answer: C [the wax model melts away on heating]

Explanation:

The clay-coated wax model is heated; the wax melts and drains out, leaving a hollow into which molten metal is poured.

5.  

Bead-making workshops of the Harappan period have been found at:

Correct Answer: C [Chanhudaro]

Explanation:

Chanhudaro in Sindh had bead-making workshops, where carnelian and other beads have been found at various stages of manufacture.

6.  

Mauryan pillars were usually made of:

Correct Answer: A [Chunar sandstone]

Explanation:

Mauryan pillar shafts were monoliths of sandstone quarried at Chunar in Uttar Pradesh and given the famous Mauryan polish.

7.  

The capital with a single bull was found at:

Correct Answer: D [Rampurva]

Explanation:

The Rampurva capital from Bihar carries a single bull and is now kept at Rashtrapati Bhavan, New Delhi.

8.  

The animals on the abacus of the Sarnath Lion Capital are:

Correct Answer: D [elephant, bull, horse and lion]

Explanation:

The Sarnath abacus shows an elephant, a bull, a horse and a lion, separated by four 24-spoked wheels.

9.  

The Didarganj Yakshi was found near:

Correct Answer: B [Patna]

Explanation:

The Didarganj Yakshi, a polished sandstone chauri-bearer, was found at Didarganj on the Ganga near Patna.

10.  

Consider the following statements:

1. The Dhauli elephant is carved out of the living rock.
2. Yaksha and yakshi figures belong to the popular art of the Mauryan period.
3. Mauryan pillars were built of several joined stone blocks.

Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

Correct Answer: B [1 and 2 only]

Explanation:

The Dhauli elephant is cut from living rock and yakshas are Mauryan popular art; statement 3 fails because shafts are monoliths.

11.  

Assertion (A): In early Buddhist reliefs the Buddha is shown through symbols such as the Bodhi tree and footprints.

Reason (R): Early Buddhist art avoided showing the Buddha in human form.

Correct Answer: A [Both A and R are true, and R is the correct explanation of A]

Explanation:

Early Buddhist art avoided the Buddha's human form, so symbols such as the Bodhi tree and footprints stood for him.

12.  

The central mast that rises from the harmika of a stupa and carries the umbrellas is called the:

Correct Answer: A [yashti]

Explanation:

the yashti is the central mast rising from the harmika.

13.  

The railing around a stupa is called the:

Correct Answer: B [vedika]

Explanation:

The vedika is the railing that encloses the pradakshina patha, the path for walking around the stupa.

14.  

The stupa whose railings carry reliefs with inscribed labels, now mostly in the Indian Museum, Kolkata, is:

Correct Answer: A [Bharhut]

Explanation:

Bharhut's railing reliefs carry inscribed labels naming the scenes; most were moved to the Indian Museum, Kolkata.

15.  

An inscription at Sanchi says that one gateway was carved by:

Correct Answer: A [ivory carvers of Vidisha]

Explanation:

An inscription on one of Sanchi's gateways records that the ivory carvers of nearby Vidisha worked on it.

16.  

Many limestone slabs from the Amaravati stupa are now kept in the:

Correct Answer: C [Government Museum, Chennai]

Explanation:

The Government Museum, Chennai holds the main Indian collection of Amaravati limestone slabs; the British Museum holds many others.

17.  

Arrange the following in chronological order:

1. Sanchi toranas
2. Sarnath Lion Capital
3. Dancing Girl of Mohenjo-daro
4. Bharhut railings

Select the correct answer using the code given below:

Correct Answer: C [3-2-4-1]

Explanation:

Harappan, Ashokan, 2nd century BCE, 1st century BCE.

18.  

The Harappan city known for its stone-lined water reservoirs is:

Correct Answer: B [Dholavira]

Explanation:

Dholavira in Kutch, Gujarat, had a series of stone-lined reservoirs to store water in an arid region.

19.  

The State Emblem of India is adapted from the capital found at:

Correct Answer: D [Sarnath]

Explanation:

India's State Emblem, adopted on 26 January 1950, is adapted from Ashoka's Lion Capital found at Sarnath.

20.  

Stories of the Buddha's earlier births shown on stupa reliefs are called:

Correct Answer: D [Jatakas]

Explanation:

Jatakas are stories of the Buddha's former births, widely carved on the railings and gateways of Bharhut and Sanchi.

21.  
UPSC Prelims 2025

The famous female figurine known as 'Dancing Girl', found at Mohenjo-daro, is made of

Correct Answer: C [bronze]

Explanation:

a bronze figure cast by the lost-wax process.

22.  
UPSC Prelims 2015

With reference to the art and archaeological history of India, which one among the following was made earliest?

Correct Answer: B [Rock-cut Elephant at Dhauli]

Explanation:

Ashoka's time, 3rd century BCE.

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