RAS question
Balathal, an important Chalcolithic settlement of the Ahar-Banas culture in Rajasthan, is located near which city?
Correct answer: (D) Udaipur.
Balathal is a Chalcolithic settlement of the Ahar-Banas culture, located in Vallabhnagar tehsil near Udaipur in Rajasthan.
Explanation
Balathal is an archaeological site of the Ahar-Banas culture on the bank of the Katar River in Vallabhnagar tehsil of Udaipur district, about 42 km from Udaipur. Its Chalcolithic phase is dated to c. 3000-1500 BCE. Excavations conducted from 1994 to 2000 revealed a fortified settlement and evidence of copper smelting, cultivation of wheat and lentils, and animal husbandry. The settlement was agro-pastoral: its economy combined farming with herding animals. This combination of location, period, material culture and subsistence pattern makes Balathal a standard Ahar-Banas site in questions on Rajasthan's ancient history. It is not associated with Jodhpur, Bikaner or Jaipur, so Udaipur is the correct answer.
Why the other options are wrong
- (A) Jodhpur is incorrect because Balathal is in Vallabhnagar tehsil of Udaipur district, about 42 km from Udaipur, not near Jodhpur.
- (B) Bikaner is incorrect because Balathal is an Ahar-Banas archaeological site in the Udaipur region, not in north-western Rajasthan around Bikaner.
- (C) Jaipur is incorrect because Balathal is located in Vallabhnagar tehsil of Udaipur district, not in the Jaipur region.
Concept
This tests knowledge of Rajasthan's ancient history by linking the Chalcolithic Ahar-Banas site with its culture, location and archaeological evidence. In RAS questions, such sites may be identified through their nearest city, district, cultural phase or material evidence.