RAS question
A terracotta plough model, a known example from the Indus Valley Civilization, was found at:
Correct answer: (D) Banawali (Haryana).
The terracotta plough model associated with the Indus Valley or Harappan Culture was found at Banawali in Fatehabad district, Haryana.
Explanation
Banawali is the right site because it is the Fatehabad district site that yielded the only terracotta plough model from the Indus Valley Civilization. The official Haryana Tourism page supports this link: in its Harappan Culture layer, dated 2400-1900 BC, it lists a terracotta plough model as an important find and describes it as the complete specimen found so far in Harappan Culture. The same page also says Banawali had a well-planned fortified township laid in a radial pattern, which fits the point that its settlement layout differed from the usual rectangular grid associated with other Harappan sites.
Why the other options are wrong
- (A) Lothal is not the find-spot; the terracotta plough model is attached to Banawali.
- (B) Kalibangan is a plausible Rajasthan distractor, but the Haryana Tourism page specifically places the Harappan terracotta plough model at Banawali.
- (C) Rakhigarhi is not the find-spot; Banawali in Fatehabad district is identified instead.
Concept
This tests site-wise artefact identification in Ancient Indian History: a Harappan site must be matched with a distinctive find. It recurs in RAS because the options often use nearby or well-known Indus Valley sites to test precise recall rather than broad familiarity.