RAS question
Balathal is notable for being the earliest fortified settlement of which culture?
Correct answer: (A) Ahar-Banas.
Balathal in Udaipur district is the earliest known fortified settlement of the Ahar-Banas Chalcolithic culture.
Explanation
Balathal, in Vallabhnagar tehsil of Udaipur district, is a major site of the Ahar-Banas Chalcolithic culture and is identified as its earliest known fortified settlement. The culture is associated with the Mewar region of southeastern Rajasthan, the Banas River and its tributaries; its major excavated sites include Ahar, Balathal, Gilund and Ojiyana. Excavations at Balathal continued over several seasons, yielded 30 radiocarbon dates and placed the Ahar-Banas chronology between 3700 and 1830 BCE. Its fortification comprised walls of stone, mud brick and earth, with a base 7 metres wide. The massive fortification and extensive use of stone distinguish Balathal from other Ahar-Banas sites. For RAS, the key association is Balathal with Ahar-Banas, marked by its fortification.
Why the other options are wrong
- (B) Indus Valley is wrong because it is a separate urban tradition of northwestern India and Pakistan; Balathal belongs to the Ahar-Banas Chalcolithic culture, not the Harappan or Indus Valley tradition.
- (C) OCP Culture is wrong because it is associated with the Indo-Gangetic region, especially the upper Ganga-Yamuna doab, whereas Balathal is an Ahar-Banas site in Rajasthan's Udaipur district.
- (D) Ganeshwar is wrong because it represents a separate Copper Age cultural tradition, whereas Balathal is an Ahar-Banas fortified settlement.
Concept
This tests the Rajasthan archaeology segment of the RAS syllabus, especially the mapping of Chalcolithic sites to their cultures. Such questions often require linking a site with its district, river valley and distinctive archaeological feature, such as Balathal's fortification.