With reference to the difference between the culture of Rigvedic Aryans and Indus Valley people, which of the following statements is/are correct?
- 1. Rigvedic Aryans used the coat of mail and helmet in warfare whereas the people of Indus Valley Civilization did not leave any evidence of using them.
- 2. Rigvedic Aryans knew gold, silver and copper whereas Indus Valley people knew only copper and iron.
- 3. Rigvedic Aryans had domesticated the horse whereas there is no evidence of Indus Valley people having been aware of this animal.
Select the correct answer using the code given below :
1 only
2 and 3 only
1 and 3 only
1, 2 and 3
Answer is Right!
Answer is Wrong!
This question was previously asked in
UPSC IAS – 2017
– Statement 2 is incorrect. Indus Valley people were aware of and used gold, silver, copper, bronze, and lead. They did not know iron. Rigvedic Aryans were familiar with gold, silver, copper, and bronze, and later became aware of iron (mentioned as ‘Ayas’, often interpreted as copper/bronze initially and later iron). The statement incorrectly claims Indus Valley people knew iron and knew *only* copper and iron.
– Statement 3 is correct. The horse (ashva) was central to the life and culture of the Rigvedic Aryans, frequently mentioned in the Rigveda and used in chariots and warfare. While some controversial evidence of horse remains has been found at late Harappan sites like Surkotada, the presence and significance of the horse in the Indus Valley Civilization are highly debated and are minimal compared to its prominence in the Rigvedic period. The prevailing view is that the horse was a defining characteristic of the Rigvedic Aryans, largely absent or insignificant in the Indus Valley Civilization.