UPSC Prelims 2026 Question:

Consider the following statements about the archaeological findings in Harappan towns

1. There is wide occurrence spindle-whorls in the houses but absence of spinning wheels.
2. Weights and measurement scales, complete with graduations have been discovered.
3. There are houses built in large part with baked bricks, around relatively spacious courtyards, with their  own wells, bathing platforms, and large rooms.
   
   

Which of the following inferences can be drawn from the above statements? 

1. Statement I suggests that spinning was a laborious activity done at home. 
2. Statement II suggests the extent of the that the scientific knowledge Harappans possessed.
3. Statement III suggests the emergence of a common property system.
   
   

Select the answer using the code given below:

Explanation: 

The archaeological findings from the Indus Valley Civilization provide important insights into the economic  life, technology, and social organization of the Harappans. 

• The widespread occurrence of spindle-whorls in Harappan houses, along with the absence of spinning  wheels, suggests that spinning was carried out manually using hand spindles. This indicates that spinning  was a labour-intensive household activity and that textile production was largely decentralized and home based. So, inference 1 is correct. 
• Archaeologists have discovered highly standardized weights and measurement scales with proper  graduations at sites such as Lothal, Mohenjo-daro, and Harappa. The precision and uniformity of these  weights across distant regions indicate advanced scientific and mathematical knowledge as well as  standardized commercial practices. So, inference 2 is correct. 
• The presence of large baked-brick houses with spacious courtyards, private wells, bathing platforms,  and multiple rooms points toward organized urban planning and differences in household wealth.  These features suggest private household ownership rather than a common property system. So, inference  3 is not correct.
  
  

Therefore, option (1) is the correct answer.