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

A.

An encyclopedia entry summarizing a dynasty

B.

A documentary film explaining ancient events

C.

An artifact or document created during the time period under study

D.

A textbook written by a modern historian

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

A.

Epigraphy

B.

Archaeology

C.

Numismatics

D.

Palaeography

3 $The study of coins is known as:$

A.

Ethnography

B.

Iconography

C.

Epigraphy

D.

Numismatics

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

A.

Mortimer Wheeler

B.

James Prinsep

C.

John Marshall

D.

Alexander Cunningham

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

A.

Arthashastra

B.

Tripitaka

C.

Rigveda

D.

Agama Sutras

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.

The construction of a Buddhist Stupa

B.

Vedic deities like Indra, Varuna, Mitra, and Nasatyas

C.

The invasion of Alexander the Great

D.

The trade relations between India and Rome

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

A.

Kadambari

B.

Harshacharita

C.

Priyadarshika

D.

Ratnavali

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

A.

Magadha

B.

Bengal

C.

Kashmir

D.

Gujarat

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

A.

Max Muller

B.

Charles Wilkins

C.

William Jones

D.

James Prinsep

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

A.

Deimachus

B.

Megasthenes

C.

Herodotus

D.

Dionysius

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

A.

Ajivikas

B.

Hinduism

C.

Jainism

D.

Buddhism

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

A.

Fa-Hien (Faxian)

B.

I-Tsing (Yijing)

C.

Sung Yun

D.

Hiuen Tsang (Xuanzang)

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

A.

Pali

B.

Sanskrit

C.

Prakrit

D.

Tamil

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

A.

Lead coins

B.

Die-struck coins

C.

Gold Dinaras

D.

Punch-marked coins

16 $Palaeography is the study of:$

A.

Fossil remains

B.

Prehistoric tools

C.

Ancient scripts and writing styles

D.

Ancient rocks

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

A.

Gupta art and culture

B.

Indo-Roman trade and maritime routes

C.

Mauryan administration

D.

The spread of Buddhism in Sri Lanka

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

A.

Ramayana

B.

Kumarasambhava

C.

Mahabharata

D.

Silappadikaram

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

A.

Chandragupta II

B.

Chandragupta I

C.

Skandagupta

D.

Samudragupta

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

A.

Samaveda

B.

Atharvaveda

C.

Yajurveda

D.

Rigveda

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

A.

Banabhatta

B.

Kalidasa

C.

Harisena

D.

Ravikirti

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

A.

Mauryas

B.

Guptas

C.

Satavahanas

D.

Kushanas

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

A.

Justin

B.

Pliny the Elder

C.

Strabo

D.

Ptolemy

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

A.

Painted Grey Ware (PGW)

B.

Ochre Coloured Pottery (OCP)

C.

Black and Red Ware (BRW)

D.

Northern Black Polished Ware (NBPW)

25 $The Jataka stories are related to:$

A.

The lives of Jain Tirthankaras

B.

The previous births of the Buddha

C.

The genealogy of Mauryan kings

D.

The exploits of Vedic gods

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

A.

Kharavela

B.

Gautamiputra Satakarni

C.

Kanishka

D.

Ashoka

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

A.

Firdausi

B.

Al-Masudi

C.

Ibn Battuta

D.

Al-Biruni

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

A.

108

B.

8

C.

6

D.

4

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

A.

Chandragupta Maurya

B.

Simuka

C.

Vima Kadphises

D.

Pushyamitra Shunga

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

A.

Palace foundations

B.

Burial sites

C.

Irrigation tanks

D.

Temple architecture

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

A.

The administration of Harsha

B.

The ascent of Chandragupta Maurya to power

C.

The conquests of Samudragupta

D.

The love story of Udayana

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

A.

A type of tax

B.

A land grant charter

C.

A eulogy or praise of a king in an inscription

D.

A religious curse

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

A.

Lothal

B.

Bhimbetka

C.

Kalibangan

D.

Burzahom

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

A.

Katyayana

B.

Panini

C.

Patanjali

D.

Bhartrihari

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

A.

Greek and Aramaic

B.

Sanskrit and Pali

C.

Persian and Arabic

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.

108

B.

18

C.

12

D.

24

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

A.

Chandragupta I

B.

Samudragupta

C.

Kumaragupta

D.

Skandagupta

39 $The Maski Edict is historically significant because:$

A.

It mentions the name 'Ashoka' explicitly

B.

It describes the Kalinga War

C.

It is written in Tamil

D.

It was the first edict found

40 $Thermoluminescence dating is primarily used for dating:$

A.

Pottery and ceramics

B.

Iron tools

C.

Fossil bones

D.

Wooden artifacts

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

A.

Natyashastra

B.

Manusmriti

C.

Sushruta Samhita

D.

Charaka Samhita

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

A.

Buddhism

B.

Shaivism

C.

Jainism

D.

Bhagavatism (Vaishnavism)

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

A.

The metal content of the coin

B.

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

C.

The edge of the coin

D.

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

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

A.

It maps the conquest of Alexander

B.

It details the philosophy of Upanishads

C.

It translates the Vedas into Greek

D.

It provides coordinates for Indian ports and towns

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

A.

Numismatic findings

B.

Excavation reports

C.

Publishing Indian inscriptions

D.

Anthropological studies

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

A.

The diary of a Mughal courtier

B.

Romila Thapar's 'History of Early India'

C.

The Ashokan Edicts

D.

The ruins of Hampi

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

A.

A military treaty

B.

A record of land grants to Brahmins

C.

The longest Sanskrit inscription

D.

An early Mauryan record of famine relief measures

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

A.

Varahamihira

B.

Brahmagupta

C.

Aryabhata

D.

Bhaskara II

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

A.

Harshavardhana

B.

Ashoka

C.

Chandragupta II

D.

Kanishka

50 $Stratigraphy in archaeology refers to:$

A.

The study of coin metals

B.

The decipherment of scripts

C.

The chemical analysis of pottery

D.

The study of rock layers (strata) and layering

Unit 1 - Practice Quiz