Question

Which of the following statements are correct?
(A) Harappan seal was a distinctive artifact of the Harappan Civilization.
(B) Harappan seal motifs conveyed a meaning to those unable to read it.
(C) Harappan seals had Sanskrit script on them.
(D) Harappan seals had Pali and Prakrit inscriptions on them.
(E) Some Harappan seals show wider spacing of script from right and cramping on the left.
Choose the correct answer from the options given below:

• A. (A) and (D) only
• B. (C), (D) and (E) only
• C. (A), (B) and (E) only
• D. (A), (C) and (D) only

Answer 1

The Correct Option is C

Correct Statements:

(A) Harappan seal was a distinctive artifact of the Harappan Civilization.

True. These seals (usually made of steatite) are iconic symbols of the Indus Valley Civilization, often featuring animal motifs and undeciphered script.

(B) Harappan seal motifs conveyed a meaning to those unable to read it.

True. The animal motifs (e.g., unicorn, bull, elephant) likely symbolized clan identities, trade guilds, or religious beliefs, serving as visual markers even for the illiterate.

(E) Some Harappan seals show wider spacing of script from right and cramping on the left.

True. The script exhibits non-uniform spacing, suggesting it was written right-to-left (evident in cramping on the left as the writer ran out of space).

Incorrect Statements:

(C) Harappan seals had Sanskrit script on them.

False. The script remains undeciphered, and Sanskrit emerged later in the Vedic period (~1500 BCE).

(D) Harappan seals had Pali and Prakrit inscriptions on them.

False. Pali/Prakrit are Indo-Aryan languages (post-Harappan, ~1st millennium BCE), unrelated to the Indus script.

Final Answer:

Correct options: A, B, E