New Stone Age or Neolithic Period MCQs with Explanations
About the Topic: Neolithic Period, also known as the New Stone Age, introduced agriculture, domestication of animals, permanent settlements and polished stone tools. Practice Neolithic Period MCQ Questions with answers and detailed explanations for UPSC and State PCS examinations.
Ash mound is associated with the Neolithic site at –
Correct Answer:
(B) Sangana Kallu
The ‘Ash mounds’ have been found from a Neolithic site Sangana Kallu located in Vellari district near Mysore in Karnataka. They have also been found in Piklihal and Utnur. These ash mounds are the burnt relics of seasonal camps of Neolithic herdsmen community.
Ques: 2
The cultivation of cereals first started in –
Correct Answer:
(A) Neolithic Age
Cereals were first produced during the Neolithic Age, which marked the introduction of agriculture to humanity. Koldihwa and Mehrgarh were the two Neolithic villages from where clear pieces of evidence of rice and wheat have been found.
Ques: 3
The first cereal used by man was:
Correct Answer:
(C) Barley
There are mainly eight types of food grains consumed by modern human society, namely barley, wheat, maize, millet, sorghum, mustard, oat and rice. These plants were present in the form of weed in different areas, which were later grown as seed by a human being at different places, in different times. Although, barley was the first grain to be cultivated by human beings during 8000 B.C. in western Asian countries located between the northeast Mediterranean Sea and Iran. Later, in the same area, wheat was also cultivated around 8000 B.C. Rice was the third grain to be cultivated by human beings in approx. 7000 B.C. at the Yangtze River of China. Maize was cultivated in Central and South America during 6000 B.C. The first evidence of maize was found in Mexico, millet in 5500 B.C. in China, sorghum in 5000 B.C. in East Africa, mustard in 5000 B.C. in South-East Asia and Oat in 2300 B.C. in Europe.
Ques: 4
The earliest evidence of agriculture in Indian subcontinent comes from –
Correct Answer:
(B) Lahuradeva
According to the latest research, the earliest evidence of agriculture in Indian sub-continent has been reported from the Lahuradeva site in Sant Kabir Nagar district, Uttar Pradesh. The evidence of human activity and beginning of rice cultivation at this site dates back to around 7000-9000 B.C. Significantly before this research, the earlier evidence of wheat was found at Mehrgarh (located in Balochistan, Pakistan) belonging to around 7000 B.C. and the earliest evidence of rice is known to be near the bank of the river Belan, district Allahabad, from where rice bran was found dating back to 6500 B.C. With above reference, if Lahuradeva is one option, then it will be the correct answer, but if Lahuradeva is not an option, then Mehrgarh would be the right answer.
Ques: 5
With reference to the cultural heritage of Uttar Pradesh, which of the following statement/s is/are correct?
The oldest evidence of agriculture in the global context has been obtained from many excavated sites in this region.
The oldest cultivated food grains are barley and paddy.
Select the correct answer using the codes given below –
Code –
Correct Answer:
(A) Only 1
From Lahuradeva in Sant Kabir Nagar district, Uttar Pradesh, oldest evidence of agriculture has been obtained. The oldest food grains were barley and wheat. Hence option (a) is correct.
Ques: 6
Consider the following pairs:
(Historical place) (Well-known for)
1. Burzahom Rock-cut shrines
2. Chandra-ketugarh Terracotta art
3. Ganeshwar Copper artefacts
Which of the pairs given above is/are correctly matched?
Correct Answer:
(D)
2 and 3
Burzahom is a Neolithic site in Kashmir valley. The site is famous for pit dwelling and neolithic tool industry and not for rock cut shrines. Hence pair 1 is not correctly matched.
Chandraketugarh is located in the Ganga delta in West Bengal. In early historic times, Chandraketugarh was connected to the Ganga by the Vidyadhari River, and must have been an important centre of trade, and possibly also a political centre. Chandraketugarh was a major centre of terracotta craft. Various kinds of artefacts have been found at the site over the years, including coins, pottery, seals and sealings and figurines made of ivory, wood and bronze. Hence pair 2 is correctly matched.
The Ganeshwar-Jodhpura culture was located in the north-eastern part of Rajasthan. Hundreds of copper objects have been found at this site. Hence pair 3 is correctly matched.
Ques: 7
From which rock shelter of Vindhyas, a maximum number of human skeletons have been found?
Correct Answer:
(D)
Lekhahia
According to 'Puratatva Vimarsh' by J.N. Pandey, 17 human skeletons were obtained from rock shelter 1 of Lekhahiya in the Vindhya region. Some of these were in relatively pristine condition while most of the others were warped. According to John R. Lucas of Oregon University, the USA, remnants of 27 human skeletons were found in Lekhahiya.