History · General Awareness

Early Human and Prehistoric Cultures

1,788 Questions

Early human and prehistoric cultures focus on the lifestyle and evolution of humans before written records. This includes the Paleolithic and Neolithic eras, focusing on inventions, agriculture, and migration patterns. These questions are a core part of ancient history in civil services exams.

Paleolithic eraNeolithic revolutionEarly human migrationInvention of agriculturePrehistoric social structuresMesolithic societies

Early Human and Prehistoric Cultures Questions

Multiple choice

What is meant by 'human intrusion' (Line 9)?

Answer the question based on the following passage.

            Discovered during December 1994 at Vallon – Pont – d’Arc,
            the cave composed of several spacious gallerias and dens,
            is adorned with almost 300 paleolithical paintings & engravings
            (dating 18000 – 20000 years before present time). The focus
(5)        is on a wide variety of animals including bears, owls, mammoths,
            rhino’s and felines. The cave has also retained several
            vestiges of human activities: fireplaces, entailed flints and
            other clues which denote an evolution in tools and habits.
            Totally left intact and untouched by any human intrusion,
(10)      the cave represents an exceptional source of studies for
           archeologists.

  1. Human privation

  2. Human attributes

  3. Human development

  4. Human differences

  5. Human trespass

Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
E Correct answer
Explanation

The cave has escaped the ravages usually associated with human plunder, at various times in history, for personal gain.

Multiple choice

What does the author mean by 'retained several vestiges of human activities' (Lines 6-7)?

Answer the question based on the following passage.

            Discovered during December 1994 at Vallon – Pont – d’Arc,
            the cave composed of several spacious gallerias and dens,
            is adorned with almost 300 paleolithical paintings & engravings
            (dating 18000 – 20000 years before present time). The focus
(5)        is on a wide variety of animals including bears, owls, mammoths,
            rhino’s and felines. The cave has also retained several
            vestiges of human activities: fireplaces, entailed flints and
            other clues which denote an evolution in tools and habits.
            Totally left intact and untouched by any human intrusion,
(10)      the cave represents an exceptional source of studies for
           archeologists.

  1. The pictures of cave men

  2. The cave shelters together with tools signifying the existence of wild animals

  3. The traces of archeological remains signifying evolution

  4. The incomplete wall paintings

  5. The work of cave man under the protection of archeological department
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
C Correct answer
Explanation

The cave has many traces of art showing human progress or evolution, which have turned into historical evidence of human evolution.

Multiple choice

Regarding the Indus Valley Civilization, consider the following statements.

  1. It was predominantly a secular civilization and the religious element though present, did not dominate the scene.
  2. During this period, cotton was used for manufacturing textiles in India.

Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

  1. 1 only

  2. 2 only

  3. Both 1 and 2

  4. Neither 1 nor 2
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
B Correct answer
Explanation

The worship of mother goddess, male deity, probably of Shiva, 2.The worship of animals, naturals, semi-human or fabulous, 3. The worship of trees, 4. The worship of inanimate stones or yoni or linga, 5. Practice of yoga, etc. But there is no evidence of violation of secularism.  Fragments of cotton cloth found at Mohenjo-Daro and other site so that cotton was also grown. Cotton has been found at Mehrgarh at least 2000 years before mature phase of civilisation. This is the oldest evidence of cotton in the world.

Multiple choice

Which of these fits gap 17?

Directions: Complete this passage by selecting the most suitable option for the corresponding gap.
Long, long ago, when humans _______(17)______ the world, they used to live in groups. These forms of early groups are what we call tribes.
The members of a tribe hunted together, fought together, ate together, and slept together _____(18)_____ caves or primitive dwellings owned by the tribe.
The food brought in by the hunters or farmers _____(19)______ to the entire tribe, and cooking was done in common.
This was the time when there _______(20)______ still no families, as you know families today.

  1. was first seen

  2. had first seen

  3. had first saw

  4. have first seen
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
B Correct answer
Explanation

'Humans' is plural and the reference being made is in past tense. Therefore, 'had first seen' is the correct answer.

Multiple choice

Which of these fits gap 20?

Directions: Complete this passage by selecting the most suitable option for the corresponding gap.
Long, long ago, when humans _______(17)______ the world, they used to live in groups. These forms of early groups are what we call tribes.
The members of a tribe hunted together, fought together, ate together, and slept together _____(18)_____ caves or primitive dwellings owned by the tribe.
The food brought in by the hunters or farmers _____(19)______ to the entire tribe, and cooking was done in common.
This was the time when there _______(20)______ still no families, as you know families today.

  1. was

  2. were

  3. had

  4. is
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
B Correct answer
Explanation

Since 'families' is being referred to, which is plural, therefore, 'were' will be used.

Multiple choice

Which of these fits gap 18?

Directions: Complete this passage by selecting the most suitable option for the corresponding gap.
Long, long ago, when humans _______(17)______ the world, they used to live in groups. These forms of early groups are what we call tribes.
The members of a tribe hunted together, fought together, ate together, and slept together _____(18)_____ caves or primitive dwellings owned by the tribe.
The food brought in by the hunters or farmers _____(19)______ to the entire tribe, and cooking was done in common.
This was the time when there _______(20)______ still no families, as you know families today.

  1. inside

  2. under

  3. beneath

  4. at
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
A Correct answer
Explanation

The members of the tribe slept in the cave. Therefore, (1) is the correct answer.

Multiple choice

One of the questions faced by early tribes could be

Directions: Read the following passage and answer the question that follows:

THE BIRTH OF FAMILIES

Families formed as an answer to the questions faced by growing tribes in the early times. When the number of people of an early human tribe kept on growing, space became short. It became impossible to keep on sharing common roofs. The grazing, hunting and farming grounds close to the home of the tribe were no more enough to feed all. People had to cover greater distances in a day to get food. It became more and more difficult to carry back food from where it was found.

When people grew in skills and knowledge, it made life easier and plentiful. There was no more any need to share most of their belongings. So, people started to have personal belongings and attachments. This gave rise to greed and envy. Greater numbers of people meant greater differences between them. Everybody had his or her own tastes. So, it became harder to please everybody by common cooking.

To find an answer to these problems, the tribe divided into smaller groups called families that started to live and cook separately. Families built themselves around providers, or the persons who put food on the table, and were made up of blood relations of the main provider. Thus, the tribe grew from a family-less group to a group of families.

  1. how to hunt for food without weapons

  2. where to build new houses

  3. how to manage living together under common roof

  4. what to cook for dinner everyday
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
C Correct answer
Explanation

It is given in the passage that living under a common roof became impossible.

Multiple choice

Which of these fits gap 19?

Directions: Complete this passage by selecting the most suitable option for the corresponding gap.
Long, long ago, when humans _______(17)______ the world, they used to live in groups. These forms of early groups are what we call tribes.
The members of a tribe hunted together, fought together, ate together, and slept together _____(18)_____ caves or primitive dwellings owned by the tribe.
The food brought in by the hunters or farmers _____(19)______ to the entire tribe, and cooking was done in common.
This was the time when there _______(20)______ still no families, as you know families today.

  1. had reached

  2. demanded

  3. belonged

  4. was awarded
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
C Correct answer
Explanation

The meaning that is to be conveyed is that the food brought was for all the tribe people. Therefore, (3) is the correct answer.

Multiple choice

A civilization is defined as a part of human culture in which

  1. cities and more complex political and social structures were formed like in Neolithic villages

  2. people started smelting metals and making articles out of it

  3. pottery was made and traded

  4. All of the above
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
D Correct answer
Explanation

Civilization is a form of human culture in which many people live in urban centers, have mastered the art of smelting metals, and have developed a method of writing. The first civilizations began in cities, which were larger, more populated, and more complex in their political, economic and social structure than Neolithic villages. 

Multiple choice

In reference to Ancient Indus Valley Civilization, consider the following statements:

  1.         Discovery of ornaments and gaming materials
  2.         Use of conch for libations as well as trumpeting
  3.         Ritual use of water for purification

Which of the statements given above are correct?

  1. 1 and 2 only

  2. 1 and 3 only

  3. 2 and 3 only

  4. 1, 2 and 3
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
D Correct answer
Explanation

Statement 1: It is correct. Ornaments made of gold, silver, copper, ivory, pottery and beads have been discovered in civilisations as ancient as the Harappa and Mohenjodaro. The people of the Indus Valley Civilization were the first to explore the jewellery making craft. The Harappans also made various toys and games, among them is cubical dice. Statement 2: It is correct. Libation was a drink poured out as an offering to a deity. It was believed that the gods were gratified with these offerings of food and drink and in return, they gave the worshipper what he wished for, viz. wealth, sons, long life and victory over enemies.  Statement 3: It is correct. Great Bath at Mohenjodaro is widely thought to have been so used, as a place for ritual purification. This tank would have been used for special religious functions where water was used to purify and renew the well being of the bathers. Hence, the correct option is 4.

Multiple choice

The new group of people settled near Alaska because

Directions: Read the following passage and answer the question that follows:

THE FIRST FOOTSTEPS Long, long ago, when the world was colder than you could think, a large part of today’s seawater was still locked in sheets of rugged white ice that covered parts of the continents. The sea levels then were hundreds of metres below those today. There were stretches of usable land that later went under the oceans. One of these, a fifteen hundred kilometre wide land strip called Beringia, which bridged the Bering Sea and linked America to Asia. Beringia was a chilling treeless land lying knee-deep in lush green grasses and soft vines and plants. It attracted herds of large plant-eating animals along with their predators including early humans. It was at that time, between 30 000 to 34 000 years ago, that the first groups of brave hunters from Asia, unknowingly crossed over to America following the herds of game. They neither knew nor cared that they had discovered a new continent. They hunted and stayed close to the big animal herds, as their ancestors had done for countless generations. They strayed into Alaska across Beringia and settled near the pastures where the herds settled down. It would take these Native Americans thousands of years more to move farther south.

  1. their ancestors had settled there too

  2. they were not brave enough to move farther south

  3. the herds of animals settled their and they followed them blindly

  4. their main interest was in the herds of animals settled there
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
D Correct answer
Explanation

Because that's where the herds of animals that they were hunting had settled. “They strayed into Alaska across Beringia and settled near the pastures where the herds settled down”.

Multiple choice

Which of the following statements is not correct?

  1. The Palaeolithic man in India knew the use of fire

  2. Palaeolithic graves have been found in Guntur and Kurnool Districts in South India

  3. Prehistoric paintings have been found in Kaimur ranges and Mirzapur District

  4. The Copper Age and the Early Iron Age can be distinguished in North India. However, the Iron Age immediately succeeds the Stone Age in South India
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
B Correct answer
Explanation

The question asks for the incorrect statement. Option B is correct (not incorrect) - Palaeolithic burials have indeed been found at Billasurgam (Guntur) and Betamcherla (Kurnool) in Andhra Pradesh. Options A, C, and D contain factual statements about Palaeolithic fire knowledge, prehistoric paintings, and the Iron Age transition in South India.

Multiple choice

Which one of the following statements is not correct about the Harappan civilization?

  1. The inhabitants knew the use of geometrical designs

  2. The inhabitants knew the game of dice

  3. In Kalibangan, most of the construction was done by using mud bricks

  4. In Lothal, the inhibitants never used burnt bricks for construction

Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
D Correct answer
Explanation

Excavations at Lothal have revealed the extensive use of burnt bricks, particularly in the construction of the dockyard and the drainage system, making option D incorrect.