Q&A Hero

Q: There is clear evidence that the Indus civilization was extremely socially stratified: at large Indus sites archaeologists have found the rich tombs of individual kings as well as certain elite residences or palaces which suggest class differentiation.

Q: Most house compounds at Mohenjo-daro had internal bathrooms that were serviced by a complex network of drains.

Q: What features define a cultural theory of domestication? Provide an example to illustrate your answer.

Q: Mohenjo-daro, Harappa, and Dholavira were the smallest Indus civilization sites; they were no more than seasonally occupied non-urban village sites that were only a couple of acres in area.

Q: One feature of most proto-urban sites that have been located in the Indus Valley and in the Baluchistan uplands is the use of wheel-formed pottery.

Q: What features define an environmental theory of domestication? Provide an example to illustrate your answer.

Q: Some scholars think that the large bell-shaped pits found at the Neolithic sites of Kashmir and Swat Valleys represent underground dwellings.

Q: How does the concept of symbiosis apply to discussions of plant and animal domestication? Describe a significant connection between human culture and a particular plant or animal species to illustrate the idea of symbiosis.

Q: What characteristics do successfully domesticated animal species tend to share?

Q: Sri Lanka was linked to the Indian mainland by a land bridge until as late as the 6th millennium bc.

Q: The people of Neolithic Mehrgarh never domesticated the local zebu cattle, rather they relied entirely on sheep and goats imported from Southwest Asia and copied that region's farming model.

Q: What types of information can the different archaeological traces of plants tell researchers?

Q: Distinguish between domestication and agriculture. Begin with a careful definition of each term.

Q: The closest example of a __________ presence in South Asia is the site of Ai Khanoum in northern Afghanistan, where a quotation from the oracle at Delphi has been found. a) Roman b) Egyptian c) Chinese d) Hellenistic Greek e) Polynesian

Q: What is meant by the term "Neolithic Revolution"?

Q: By the 1st millennium ad, the __________ established an empire that stretched from Central Asia to the Indian Ocean; they founded the city of Begram in Afghanistan and spread their own version of Buddhism along the Silk Road. a) Mauryans b) Indo-Aryans c) Sakas d) Greeks e) Kushans

Q: Domestication in eastern North America and the Mississippian Complex is the result of diffusion from Mexico.

Q: Asoka, who reigned from 272 to 235 bc and was the third emperor of the __________ Empire, issued a series of political and philosophical edicts that were displayed on 36 stone pillars and boulders throughout his empire. a) Taxila b) Indo-Aryan c) Mauryan d) Harappan e) Gandharan Grave Culture

Q: Animals are less mobile than plants.

Q: The city of __________ became the administrative center of an Achaemenid satrapy, or province during the so-called "dark age" after the collapse of the Indus cities, and was then conquered by Alexander the Great. a) Taxila b) Pratisthana c) Anuradhapura d) Pataliputra e) Kot Diji

Q: There were few New World herd animals that were capable of being domesticated.

Q: Many researchers now believe that the collapse of the Indus civilization cities was caused by: a) a combination of environmental and social factors destabilized the traditional Indus Civilization authority structures b) an invasion of Indo-Aryan or Indo-European speakers who laid waste to the whole region c) flash flooding that forced people out of the cities and into other regions d) the Chinese to the north who forced the Indus civilization to integrate into their empire e) the introduction of Hinduism, which naturally inspired a different way of life

Q: Animal domestication differs from plant domestication, and probably varies from one animal species to another.

Q: The "Cemetery H" or Late Harappan phase is characterized by: a) an intensification of the use of the Indus script b) an end to the integrated urban traits associated with the Indus civilization c) building works constructed on a grand and organized scale d) the introduction of urban planning to Indus sites e) elaborate tombs filled with large amounts of elite grave goods

Q: Although many researchers, starting with John Marshall in the 1920s, have asserted that the Indus civilization was inherently peaceful, the presence of __________ may indicate that Indus cities experienced as much violence as their Southwest Asian neighbors. a) representations of war and warriors in Indus art b) weapons as grave goods c) battle hymns recorded in the Indus script d) graves filled with bodies who were clearly killed in battle e) massive mud-brick city walls

Q: Macrofossils do not typically survive even where macrofossils can.

Q: Macrofossils offer direct evidence for important archaeological research reconstructing hunter-gatherer lifeways.

Q: Both Mohenjo-daro and Harappa had a pre-eminent __________ to the west of the site and a residential town to the east. a) naval port b) underground temple c) inland sea d) citadel mound e) a naturally formed sacred well

Q: The Indus civilization is typically identified at archaeological sites through the discovery of: a) a four-tier settlement hierarchy b) cities and urban planning c) the Indus script d) craft and settlement specialization e) all of the above

Q: Ian Hodder's proposition that the origins of European agriculture entailed an emphasis on the human domination of nature is an environmental theory.

Q: The __________ is another name for the Indus civilization, based on the first archaeological site of that civilization to be discovered. a) Aryan Empire b) Mughal Empire c) Harappan civilization d) the Kot Dijian Phase e) Vedic Period

Q: Childe's Oasis model implies that humans were predestined to develop agriculture.

Q: Environmental explanations of domestication typically propose that some change altered a population's ability to feed its members.

Q: The mud-brick settlements associated with the Kot Dijian ceramic style at the sites of Kot Diji, Rehman Dheri, Kalibangan, and Harappa: a) were small-scale structures used by hunter-gatherers b) had been built by invading Aryans c) were jumbled and confused, with no formal plan d) have never been investigated e) were formally planned

Q: With a distribution stretching from Kalibangan in the east to Rehman Dheri in the west, the widespread use of the Kot Dijian ceramic style from 3200 to 2600 bc is seen as an indicator of __________ and an early pointer towards the Indus civilization. a) Chinese influence b) cultural convergence c) invasion from the north d) cultural collapse e) Egyptian influence

Q: By around 3200 bc a recognizable cultural complex emerged in the Baluchistan uplands and over 300 sites have been identified as belonging to it. Sometimes called the Early Harappa Period or the Kot Diji Phase, Shaffer called this period: a) an era of regionalization b) the origins of agriculture c) urban sprawl d) the Postclassic period e) the Indo-European conquest

Q: The Old World constitutes the main center for the development of domestication.

Q: In peninsular India during the Neolithic, over 50 ash mounds have been found in the Deccan, which were formed by: a) the depositing of generations of cremation burials b) the burning of successive phases of stockades or pens c) volcanic eruptions covering archaeological sites d) massive fire pits used to prepare food for feasting e) all of the above

Q: Maize is far from an ideal crop. Why? A. the presence of lysine and niacin B. the ability to produce and store a surplus, thus leading to hoarding and warfare C. the increase in protein, at the expense of carbohydrates D. an increase in a chemical leading to iron deficiency E. need for specialized technology associated with maize agricultural activities

Q: Some scholars believe that the domestication of __________ in the Ganges Basin was an indigenous development, while others believe that this staple was introduced from elsewhere during the middle of the 2nd millennium bc. a) corn b) sorghum c) taro d) rice e) squash

Q: Which of the following did NOT characterize the Neolithic lifeways that transformed the central and northern regions of Europe? a. farmers cultivated cereals and legumes, raised cattle and pigs, and collected wild hazelnuts b. settlements consisted of sturdy timber-framed longhouses c. harvested crops were stored in longhouses that served as barns d. wooden fences were unable to confine livestock from planted fields, thus limiting the amount of plantings farmers could make e. fertility of soils could be maintained with simple manuring

Q: At the Neolithic site of Chopani Mando in the Ganges Basin ground-stone tools and handmade pottery have been found along side the remains of wild rice and undomesticated cattle and sheep. This suggests that: a) the people of the site were entirely dependent on farming to meet all of their subsistence needs b) the people of the site were transitioning to an agricultural way of life c) there was a ranked hierarchy, called the caste system, in place d) the people of the site were highly mobile hunter-gatherers e) the site had been conquered by Indo-European invaders

Q: What factor below does not account for the relative unimportance of farming in much of the New World prior to the arrival of Europeans? a. An agricultural diet was not nutritionally superior. b. Maize was difficult to harvest and process by hand. c. Many groups continued to utilize hunting and gathering to supply sufficient protein. d. The most productive domesticates were difficult to introduce to temperate areas. e. New World cereal grasses required less space per plant, thus making a large extent of farming an unnecessary waste of time.

Q: Closely linked to the smaller and later farming sites of Kili Gul Muhammad and Rana Ghundai, __________ is the earliest known farming settlement in South Asia, dating to around 6500 bc. a) Harappa b) Angkor c) Mehrgarh d) Mohenjo-daro e) Kot Diji

Q: Which statement(s) best describe the nature of domestication and cultivation in the southwest United States? a. When compared to eastern North America it represents an independent center of domestication. b. It did not include crops such as maize and beans. c. The earliest domesticates included barley. d. Reliance on domesticated products failed to support increased populations. e. One regional tradition developed as a result.

Q: The development of population density and overall cultural elaboration in the southwestern United States occurred as a result of: a. the diffusion of maize agriculture migrating northward from Mexico b. the development of an intensive system of agriculture based on local plant crops and irrigation c. the introduction of intensive agriculture from the eastern Woodlands d. the development of complex trade networks throughout the region e. the distribution of Post-Uto-Aztecan language speakers.

Q: South Asia's earliest known Neolithic communities were located in: a) Sri Lanka b) western Pakistan c) the Tibetan Plateau d) Bangladesh e) the southern tip of India

Q: What is the relationship between the adoption of agriculture and climate change in South America? a. The presence of serious periodic droughts inhibited the development of agriculture. b. Periodic droughts led to the production of crops that could be stored for future shortages. c. Agriculture was adopted to minimize shortfalls in marine resources due to disruptions during El Nio years. d. The relative stability in climate in South America favored the development of agriculture and domestication. e. Persistent troughs of atmospheric high pressure caused high rainfall patterns supporting agriculture.

Q: G. R. Sharma characterized the settlement patterns of the South Asian Mesolithic as being evidence of transhumance: people moved around throughout the year to utilize different regional resources. Another term for transhumance is: a) seasonal mobility b) broad-spectrum strategy c) intensification d) peer-polity interaction e) exchange

Q: Which of the following statements best describes the process of the adoption of domestication in Mexico? a. It occurred rapidly due to the productive potential of the plants. b. It occurred gradually, largely because the crops offered greater predictability in resources. c. It occurred gradually, because maize required a long acclimation period. d. It was largely the product of diffusion from South America. e. It occurred rapidly as a result of the migration of farmers from South America.

Q: During the Mesolithic period, the subsistence strategies of communities living in Western India, the Ganges Plain, Central India, and Sri Lanka can all be described as: a) limited b) ocean-focused c) broad-spectrum d) agriculturally intense e) pastoral

Q: New World domesticates include an important triad of crops that eventually came together in the milpa intercropping system. These domesticates include beans, squash and a. white potatoes b. pumpkins c. quinoa d. maize e. sunflowers

Q: Which statement best describes the primary difference in patterns of domestication in the New and Old Worlds? a. Plant domestication was relatively unimportant in the New World. b. Animal domesticates were more numerous in the Old World. c. Most Old World plant domesticates were more productive. d. Maize constituted one of the staple crops in the Old World. e. Animals were not domesticated in the New World.

Q: At the Mesolithic sites of the Ganges Plain a reliance on plants as a source of food can be inferred from: a) a paucity of stone blades and a large number of grinding implements b) texts that detail indigenous recipes c) field systems preserved in a bog d) the knowledge that the people of India are often vegetarians e) a lack of animals in the region

Q: The bottle gourd appears to have a much different origin than other New World domesticates. Which of the following explains its origins? a. It floated across the Atlantic Ocean from Africa, where it occurs in the wild. b. AMS radiocarbon dates of samples and analyses of DNA markers indicate the gourd was carried from Asia by PaleoIndian colonists. c. It was packed on the back of dogs which accompanied the first humans into the New World. d. It spread with guinea pigs and Muscovy ducks from western South America. e. No scientific explanations have been reached as to the origins.

Q: Which of the following does NOT represent a New World domesticate? a. maize b. barley c. potatoes d. peanuts e. quinoa

Q: What features characterize the transition to the Neolithic pattern in northern Europe? a. It was preceded by substantial ideological shifts, particularly the development of monuments. b. It represents a gradual transition from intensive Mesolithic hunting and gathering. c. It occurred rapidly and likely preceded ideological changes. d. It was preceded by a long period of dependence on wild plant resources. e. It is primarily the result of the migration of farmers from the Near East.

Q: The seemingly sudden appearance of fully domesticated sheep, goats, wheat, and barley in southeastern Europe, along with a host of specific Near Eastern cultural traits is evidence for a. the influence of eastern Asia on the development of agriculture in Europe b. both the migration of farmers and diffusion of the idea of agriculture from the Near East c. the independent development of agriculture in this region d. the presence of single, Near Eastern point of origin for domestication and agriculture e. interaction between indigenous hunter-gatherers and colonizing farmers

Q: Researchers agree that the earliest farming cultures in Europe likely resulted from a. the independent development of domestication b. the migration of farmers from the Americas c. the diffusion of crops and the idea of agriculture d. millet cultivation in northern China e. overexploitation of animals by hunters

Q: "Narmada Man" a) is the earliest Homo species known so far in South Asia b) is the name assigned to one of the only figural statues carved by the Indus civilization c) is the term used to refer to a shaman from Sri Lanka d) is the only phrase that has been translated from the Indus script e) is an early Australopithecine only found in South Asia

Q: Two of the greatest and most important river basins in South Asia are:a) the Yangzi and the Yellow Riverb) the Nile and the Congoc) the Ganges and the Indusd) the Indus and the Yangzie) the Amazon and the Indus

Q: The earliest plant crops in China were a. rice and wheat b. millet c. rice and yams d. wheat and yams e. barley

Q: One of the greatest obstacles to our understanding of the Indus civilization is a) the lack of any preserved Indus civilization sites b) that the main Indus sites are located under large modern cities c) that, as hunter-gatherers, their sites were small and ephemeral d) our in ability to read the Indus script e) the Indus River has washed away all of their sites

Q: Agriculture in Asia likely occurred a. earliest in south Asia b. in east Asia, then diffused to other locations c. independently in east and south Asia d. as a result of diffusion from the Near East e. only in south Asia

Q: The Huns, under the command of Attila, invaded Italy in 5th century ad.

Q: The expansion of Bantu-speaking peoples through much of sub-Saharan Africa has been tied to what process? a. the introduction of bananas, taro, and Asian yams b. the development of efficient slash and burn agricultural techniques c. the introduction of Near Eastern cereal crops d. the development of pastoralism e. conquest by militaries

Q: It is remarkable that the Roman Empire never had an organized standing army; battles were usually fought using poorly trained local militias.

Q: The switch from hunting and gathering to agriculture in Egypt has been explained as the result of a. diffusion from the Near East b. increasing sedentism c. population nucleation along the Nile due to reduced rainfall d. the lack of sufficient animal resources e. profuse pastures across the region

Q: The only part of the Roman Empire obliged to pay taxes was Rome itself. Taxes paid by and grain grown by people the city walls of Rome supported the rest of the territory controlled by the Romans.

Q: What archaeological feature associated with the development of agriculture has been interpreted as indicative of the development of economically and socially cohesive communities in the Near East? a. compounds of small round shelters b. storage facilities c. multiroom rectangular houses d. communal burial sites e. communal agricultural fields

Q: We now know that the sculptures that decorate the Parthenon were always white, the natural color of the marble; they were never painted.

Q: Which of the following statements does not describe the development of plant domestication in the Near East? a. It was preceded by a hunting and gathering economy based on small-grain grass and cereal seeds. b. It coincides with a cooler and dryer climate. c. It is associated with the human dispersal of cereal grasses to the stream valleys. d. Epipaleolithic foraging cultures, such as Kebaran and Natufian, took the first steps toward agriculture. e. Small- grained grass and wild cereal seeds were not important in earlier hunter gathered diets

Q: The ancient Olympics were primarily religious occasions, associated with the god Zeus and also his wife Hera.

Q: Domestication may be evident in what aspect of archaeological herd demography? a. an abundance of young males b. the predominance of prime-age females c. equal distribution of males and females d. equal distribution of all age and sex classes e. primarily older males and juvenile females

Q: What characteristic does NOT represent a common trait of animals suited for domestication? a. hierarchical herd structure b. territorial c. not prone to flight d. will transfer allegiance to humans e. even-tempered

Q: Over 4,000 Etruscan tombs have been destroyed by modern tomb robbers looking for imported Greek pottery.

Q: The term "barbarian" originally referred to someone who was unable to speak Greek.

Q: What species likely represents the first domesticated animal? a. cat b. dog c. horse d. cattle e. sheep

Q: Archaeologists have determined that Mycenae was not the center of a kingdom and the relatively small and unfortified sites associated with that culture had little contact with the wider Mediterranean world.

Q: Which of the following does NOT represent a biochemical signature of diet? a. the ratio of nitrogen isotopes varying with the overall importance of seafood b. different photosynthetic processes resulting in varying ratios of carbon c. strontium and calcium ratios indicating relative importance of meat and plant foods d. different chemical compositions resulting from photosynthesis in bones of human skeletons e. unusually low concentrations of lead found in bones of those who drink wine that has been stored in lead containers