1 $Which of the following best defines a primary source in the context of ancient history?$

A.

An artifact or document created during the time period under study

B.

An encyclopedia entry summarizing a dynasty

C.

A documentary film explaining ancient events

D.

A textbook written by a modern historian

2 $Which branch of historical study deals specifically with the study of inscriptions ?$

A.

Epigraphy

B.

Palaeography

C.

Archaeology

D.

Numismatics

3 $The study of coins is known as:$

A.

Numismatics

B.

Ethnography

C.

Epigraphy

D.

Iconography

4 $Who is popularly known as the'Father of Indian Archaeology' ?$

A.

Alexander Cunningham

B.

Mortimer Wheeler

C.

James Prinsep

D.

John Marshall

5 $Which of the following is an example of secular indigenous literature ?$

A.

Agama Sutras

B.

Rigveda

C.

Arthashastra

D.

Tripitaka

6 $The Radio-Carbon Dating method utilizes the decay of which isotope to determine the age of organic materials?$

A.

B.

C.

D.

7 $The Boghaz-Koi inscription (1400 BCE) found in Asia Minor is significant because it mentions:$

A.

Vedic deities like Indra, Varuna, Mitra, and Nasatyas

B.

The construction of a Buddhist Stupa

C.

The trade relations between India and Rome

D.

The invasion of Alexander the Great

8 $Which of the following texts is a biographical work on King Harshavardhana written by Banabhatta?$

A.

Ratnavali

B.

Harshacharita

C.

Priyadarshika

D.

Kadambari

9 $The Rajatarangini, written by Kalhana in the 12th century, is a historical chronicle of which region?$

A.

Kashmir

B.

Magadha

C.

Gujarat

D.

Bengal

10 $Who deciphered the Brahmi script used in the Ashokan edicts in 1837?$

A.

William Jones

B.

James Prinsep

C.

Charles Wilkins

D.

Max Muller

11 $Which Greek ambassador wrote the book'Indika', providing a detailed account of the Mauryan administration?$

A.

Dionysius

B.

Deimachus

C.

Megasthenes

D.

Herodotus

12 $The Tripitakas are the sacred texts of which religion?$

A.

Hinduism

B.

Jainism

C.

Ajivikas

D.

Buddhism

13 $Which Chinese traveler visited India during the reign of Chandragupta II (Gupta Empire)?$

A.

I-Tsing (Yijing)

B.

Fa-Hien (Faxian)

C.

Hiuen Tsang (Xuanzang)

D.

Sung Yun

14 $The Junagadh Rock Inscription of Rudradaman I is famous for being the first major inscription composed in which language?$

A.

Sanskrit

B.

Tamil

C.

Pali

D.

Prakrit

15 $Which category of coins were the earliest coins of India, primarily made of silver?$

A.

Die-struck coins

B.

Gold Dinaras

C.

Lead coins

D.

Punch-marked coins

16 $Palaeography is the study of:$

A.

Ancient scripts and writing styles

B.

Prehistoric tools

C.

Fossil remains

D.

Ancient rocks

17 $The'Periplus of the Erythraean Sea' gives information primarily about:$

A.

The spread of Buddhism in Sri Lanka

B.

Mauryan administration

C.

Indo-Roman trade and maritime routes

D.

Gupta art and culture

18 $Which of the following is a Sangam literature text?$

A.

Ramayana

B.

Silappadikaram

C.

Mahabharata

D.

Kumarasambhava

19 $The Allahabad Pillar Inscription (Prayaga Prashasti) describes the conquests of which Gupta king?$

A.

Samudragupta

B.

Skandagupta

C.

Chandragupta I

D.

Chandragupta II

20 $Which Vedic text deals primarily with magical charms and spells ?$

A.

Atharvaveda

B.

Samaveda

C.

Rigveda

D.

Yajurveda

21 $The Aihole Inscription was composed by which court poet?$

A.

Banabhatta

B.

Ravikirti

C.

Harisena

D.

Kalidasa

22 $Which dynasty is most famous for issuing lead coins ?$

A.

Satavahanas

B.

Mauryas

C.

Kushanas

D.

Guptas

23 $The book'Natural History' written in the 1st century CE belongs to:$

A.

Pliny the Elder

B.

Strabo

C.

Justin

D.

Ptolemy

24 $Which archaeological pottery type is associated with the Later Vedic Period ?$

A.

Painted Grey Ware (PGW)

B.

Northern Black Polished Ware (NBPW)

C.

Black and Red Ware (BRW)

D.

Ochre Coloured Pottery (OCP)

25 $The Jataka stories are related to:$

A.

The lives of Jain Tirthankaras

B.

The genealogy of Mauryan kings

C.

The exploits of Vedic gods

D.

The previous births of the Buddha

26 $The Hathigumpha Inscription provides details about which king?$

A.

Kanishka

B.

Ashoka

C.

Gautamiputra Satakarni

D.

Kharavela

27 $Which scholar wrote'Kitab-ul-Hind' (Tahqiq-i-Hind)?$

A.

Al-Masudi

B.

Ibn Battuta

C.

Al-Biruni

D.

Firdausi

28 $The Vedangas are auxiliary texts meant to assist in the study of the Vedas. How many Vedangas are there?$

A.

4

B.

108

C.

8

D.

6

29 $Who was the first King to issue gold coins in India on a wide scale?$

A.

Chandragupta Maurya

B.

Vima Kadphises

C.

Simuka

D.

Pushyamitra Shunga

30 $Megaliths in South India are primarily associated with:$

A.

Irrigation tanks

B.

Palace foundations

C.

Temple architecture

D.

Burial sites

31 $The literary work'Mudrarakshasa' by Vishakhadatta describes:$

A.

The conquests of Samudragupta

B.

The administration of Harsha

C.

The ascent of Chandragupta Maurya to power

D.

The love story of Udayana

32 $In the context of ancient Indian history,'Prashasti' refers to:$

A.

A eulogy or praise of a king in an inscription

B.

A religious curse

C.

A type of tax

D.

A land grant charter

33 $Which of the following sites is a Neolithic site famous for pit-dwellings?$

A.

Kalibangan

B.

Burzahom

C.

Lothal

D.

Bhimbetka

34 $Who wrote the grammar text'Ashtadhyayi' ?$

A.

Katyayana

B.

Patanjali

C.

Panini

D.

Bhartrihari

35 $The bilingual inscriptions of Ashoka found in Kandahar are in which two scripts?$

A.

Sanskrit and Pali

B.

Persian and Arabic

C.

Greek and Aramaic

D.

Brahmi and Kharoshthi

36 $Which Chinese traveler's account is known as'Si-Yu-Ki' ?$

A.

Hiuen Tsang (Xuanzang)

B.

I-Tsing

C.

Fa-Hien

D.

Hwui-Li

37 $The Puranas are generally considered to be how many in number (Maha Puranas)?$

A.

12

B.

108

C.

24

D.

18

38 $Which Gupta king is depicted playing the Veena on his coins?$

A.

Kumaragupta

B.

Skandagupta

C.

Chandragupta I

D.

Samudragupta

39 $The Maski Edict is historically significant because:$

A.

It was the first edict found

B.

It describes the Kalinga War

C.

It mentions the name 'Ashoka' explicitly

D.

It is written in Tamil

40 $Thermoluminescence dating is primarily used for dating:$

A.

Fossil bones

B.

Iron tools

C.

Pottery and ceramics

D.

Wooden artifacts

41 $Which ancient text is primarily a book on law and social conduct ?$

A.

Manusmriti

B.

Sushruta Samhita

C.

Charaka Samhita

D.

Natyashastra

42 $The Besnagar Pillar Inscription (Heliodorus Pillar) is associated with which religion/sect?$

A.

Shaivism

B.

Buddhism

C.

Jainism

D.

Bhagavatism (Vaishnavism)

43 $In the context of numismatics, the term'Obverse' refers to:$

A.

The side of the coin bearing the principal design (Head)

B.

The edge of the coin

C.

The side of the coin bearing the secondary design (Tail)

D.

The metal content of the coin

44 $The Geography written by Ptolemy (2nd Century CE) is significant because:$

A.

It translates the Vedas into Greek

B.

It provides coordinates for Indian ports and towns

C.

It details the philosophy of Upanishads

D.

It maps the conquest of Alexander

45 $Epigraphia Indica is a publication primarily dedicated to:$

A.

Numismatic findings

B.

Anthropological studies

C.

Excavation reports

D.

Publishing Indian inscriptions

46 $Which of the following is considered a Secondary Source ?$

A.

The Ashokan Edicts

B.

The diary of a Mughal courtier

C.

Romila Thapar's 'History of Early India'

D.

The ruins of Hampi

47 $The Sohgaura Copper Plate inscription is known for being:$

A.

The longest Sanskrit inscription

B.

An early Mauryan record of famine relief measures

C.

A military treaty

D.

A record of land grants to Brahmins

48 $Which ancient Indian mathematician wrote'Aryabhatiya' ?$

A.

Varahamihira

B.

Brahmagupta

C.

Bhaskara II

D.

Aryabhata

49 $The Banskhera Inscription contains the signature of which Emperor?$

A.

Kanishka

B.

Chandragupta II

C.

Ashoka

D.

Harshavardhana

50 $Stratigraphy in archaeology refers to:$

A.

The chemical analysis of pottery

B.

The study of coin metals

C.

The study of rock layers (strata) and layering

D.

The decipherment of scripts

Unit 1 - Practice Quiz