With reference to the difference between the culture of Rigvedic Aryans and Indus Valley people, which of the following statements is/are correct ? 1. Rigvedic Aryans used the coat of mail and helmet in warfare whereas the people of Indus Valley Civilization did not leave any evidence of using them. 2. Rigvedic Aryans knew gold, silver and copper whereas Indus Valley people knew only copper and iron. 3. Rigvedic Aryans had domesticated the horse whereas there is no evidence of Indus Valley people having been aware of this animal. Select the correct answer using the code given below :
A
1 only
B
2 and 3 only
C
1 and 3 only
Correct Answer
D
1, 2 and 3
Explanation
Option (c) is correct because Rigvedic society was martial and horse-centric, utilizing protective gear like helmets, whereas the Indus Valley Civilization (IVC) lacked evidence of such military equipment and significant horse domestication. Statement 2 is the primary distractor and is false because IVC was a Bronze Age culture that had no knowledge of iron, which only appeared in the Indian subcontinent much later. The core concept tested is the comparative socio-technological evolution and material culture between the urban IVC and the pastoral, early-Vedic Aryans.
Ancient HistoryVedic Period vs. Indus Valley CivilizationRigvedic AryansIndus Valley Civilizationcoat of mailhelmetgoldsilvercopperironhorse