Chapter 02: Kings, Farms and Towns (Early States and Economies, c. 600 BCE - 600 CE)
1. What are Megaliths?
Ans: From about 1000 BCE, people in the Deccan, South India, and Kashmir erected large stones
or boulders, either single or in circles, as burial sites or memorials. These are called Megaliths.
2. When was the first inscription deciphered?
Ans: In 1830 CE.
3. Who first deciphered Ashokan inscriptions?
Ans: James Prinsep in 1830.
4. Who conducted excavation at Harappa?
Ans: Dayaram Sahni first excavated Harappa in 1921.
5. Who was the first Director-General of the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI)?
Ans: Alexander Cunningham.
6. What were the duties of village headmen?
Ans: They collected taxes, maintained law and order, and carried out administrative duties in the
villages.
7. Name important sources of Ancient Indian History.
Ans: Coins, Inscriptions, Epics, Puranas, Religious Texts, Travelogues.
8. Which was the largest city in Mauryan Empire?
Ans: Pataliputra (modern Patna).
9. What are Dharmasutras?
Ans: Ancient religious texts containing rules of conduct and principles for different classes of
society.
10. Who was the first ruler to inscribe his messages on pillars, rocks, etc.?
Ans: Ashoka.
11. What is Epigraphy?
Ans: The study of inscriptions or epigraphs.
12. What is Paleography?
Ans: The study of ancient writing systems and scripts.
13. When did Chandragupta Maurya come to power?
Ans: Around 321 BCE.
14. Who was Megasthenes?
Ans: A Greek ambassador sent to the court of Chandragupta Maurya.
15. What were the main sources for reconstructing Mauryan history?
Ans: (i) Literary sources (ii) Archaeological sources.
16. Mention some literary sources of the Mauryan Empire.
Ans: Arthashastra, Buddhist texts, Jain texts, Puranas, and accounts of foreign travelers.
17. Mention some archaeological sources of the Mauryan Empire.
Ans: Ashokan inscriptions, coins, sculptures, monuments, and stupas.
18. Which scripts were used in Ashokan inscriptions?
Ans: Brahmi, Kharosthi, Aramaic, and Greek.
19. Which script was used in most Ashokan inscriptions?
1. What are Megaliths?
Ans: From about 1000 BCE, people in the Deccan, South India, and Kashmir erected large stones
or boulders, either single or in circles, as burial sites or memorials. These are called Megaliths.
2. When was the first inscription deciphered?
Ans: In 1830 CE.
3. Who first deciphered Ashokan inscriptions?
Ans: James Prinsep in 1830.
4. Who conducted excavation at Harappa?
Ans: Dayaram Sahni first excavated Harappa in 1921.
5. Who was the first Director-General of the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI)?
Ans: Alexander Cunningham.
6. What were the duties of village headmen?
Ans: They collected taxes, maintained law and order, and carried out administrative duties in the
villages.
7. Name important sources of Ancient Indian History.
Ans: Coins, Inscriptions, Epics, Puranas, Religious Texts, Travelogues.
8. Which was the largest city in Mauryan Empire?
Ans: Pataliputra (modern Patna).
9. What are Dharmasutras?
Ans: Ancient religious texts containing rules of conduct and principles for different classes of
society.
10. Who was the first ruler to inscribe his messages on pillars, rocks, etc.?
Ans: Ashoka.
11. What is Epigraphy?
Ans: The study of inscriptions or epigraphs.
12. What is Paleography?
Ans: The study of ancient writing systems and scripts.
13. When did Chandragupta Maurya come to power?
Ans: Around 321 BCE.
14. Who was Megasthenes?
Ans: A Greek ambassador sent to the court of Chandragupta Maurya.
15. What were the main sources for reconstructing Mauryan history?
Ans: (i) Literary sources (ii) Archaeological sources.
16. Mention some literary sources of the Mauryan Empire.
Ans: Arthashastra, Buddhist texts, Jain texts, Puranas, and accounts of foreign travelers.
17. Mention some archaeological sources of the Mauryan Empire.
Ans: Ashokan inscriptions, coins, sculptures, monuments, and stupas.
18. Which scripts were used in Ashokan inscriptions?
Ans: Brahmi, Kharosthi, Aramaic, and Greek.
19. Which script was used in most Ashokan inscriptions?
