UPSC Prelims 2025Question 72Ancient History

The famous female figurine known as ‘Dancing Girl', found at Mohenjo-daro, is made of

Options

(a)carnelian
(b)clay
(c)bronze
(d)gold

Correct answer: c

Decision rule

In Harappan material questions carnelian and gold mean beads and jewellery, steatite means seals and small sculpture, bronze means lost-wax cast figurines.

Explanation

Correct Answer:

(c) bronze

Explanation of the Correct Answer

The “Dancing Girl” is one of the most iconic artifacts of the Indus Valley Civilization, discovered at Mohenjo-daro.
It is a bronze figurine, about 10.5 cm tall, depicting a young girl in a confident dancing pose with one hand on her hip.
This statue is considered evidence of the advanced metal casting techniques (lost-wax technique) used by the Harappan people as early as 2500 BCE.

Why Other Options Are Incorrect

(a) Carnelian – Incorrect:
Carnelian was used in the Indus Valley Civilization for beads and ornaments, not for sculpture.
(b) Clay – Incorrect:
While terracotta (baked clay) figurines were common in the Harappan civilization, the Dancing Girl was not made of clay.
(d) Gold – Incorrect:
Gold was used by the Harappans for jewelry, but there is no evidence that the Dancing Girl or similar large artifacts were made of gold.

Relevant Supplementary Information

Table: Dancing Girl – Key Facts

Feature	Details
Material	Bronze
Discovered at	Mohenjo-daro (now in Pakistan)
Height	Approximately 10.5 cm
Estimated Date	Circa 2500 BCE
Pose	Right hand on hip, left hand with bangles, confident stance
Casting Technique	Lost-wax method (cire-perdue)
Significance	Shows advanced metallurgy, aesthetic sense, and possibly musical/cultural practices

Related Concepts or Facts

Topic	Details
Indus Valley Civilization	Flourished around 2600–1900 BCE in northwestern South Asia.
Other Artifacts	Terracotta toys, seals, pottery, weights, stone sculptures.
Lost-Wax Casting	A method of metal casting involving wax models covered in clay and melted.
Metallurgy in Harappa	Used copper, bronze, gold; had knowledge of alloying and casting techniques.
Cultural Significance	Likely represents a female performer or dancer, suggesting artistic pursuits.

Current Relevance

The Dancing Girl is part of Indian art history and is frequently referenced in NCERT textbooks, UPSC syllabus (Indian Culture and Art forms), and museum collections.
It is housed in the National Museum, New Delhi, and remains a symbol of India’s ancient artistic heritage.

Table: Related Concepts and Terms – Dancing Girl & Indus Valley Art

Concept / Term	Explanation / Relevance
Dancing Girl	A bronze figurine from Mohenjo-daro, showcasing advanced metallurgy and artistic expression.
Bronze	Alloy of copper and tin; used in IVC for making tools, weapons, and figurines like Dancing Girl.
Mohenjo-daro	Major urban center of the Indus Valley Civilization, located in present-day Pakistan.
Lost-wax casting technique	Advanced metal casting method used to create bronze artifacts like the Dancing Girl.
Terracotta Figurines	Clay-based human and animal figurines; commonly found across IVC sites, especially in Harappa.
Carnelian	Semi-precious stone used mainly for making beads and jewelry, not statues.
Gold	Used for ornaments and jewelry in IVC, but not for sculptures or figurines.
IVC Art Characteristics	Geometric forms, functional design, realism (as seen in the Priest-King and Dancing Girl).
Priest-King Statue	Steatite sculpture found in Mohenjo-daro, considered a symbol of authority and elite class.
National Museum, Delhi	The current home of the Dancing Girl artifact; displays India’s cultural heritage.

Table: Comparison of Artefacts – Indus Valley Civilization and Contemporary Times

Artefact	Civilization / Period	Material	Place Found	Features / Significance
Dancing Girl	Indus Valley Civilization (c. 2500 BCE)	Bronze	Mohenjo-daro	Iconic figurine; shows advanced metallurgy and aesthetic sense; made using lost-wax casting.
Priest-King Statue	Indus Valley Civilization	Steatite (soapstone)	Mohenjo-daro	Elaborately robed male figure; symbolizes elite/authority; finely detailed facial features.
Pashupati Seal	Indus Valley Civilization	Steatite	Mohenjo-daro	Proto-Shiva figure; seated in yogic posture; suggests early religious ideas.
Terracotta Mother Goddess Figurines	Indus Valley Civilization	Terracotta	Harappa, Mohenjo-daro	Fertility symbol; possibly worshipped as an agrarian deity.
Bearded Man / Torso	Indus Valley Civilization	Red sandstone	Harappa	Broken upper torso; anatomical accuracy; realism in form.
Carnelian Beads	Indus Valley Civilization	Semi-precious stone	Lothal, Harappa	Finely polished; used in ornaments; shows trade links with Mesopotamia.
Bull Seal	Indus Valley Civilization	Steatite	Harappa	One-horned bull (unicorn); symbol of trade guilds or ownership; part of undeciphered script.
Horse Terracotta Figurine	Painted Grey Ware Culture (Later Vedic Period)	Terracotta	Hastinapur, Atranjikhera	Represents animal domestication and symbolic utility in rituals.
Didarganj Yakshi	Maurya Period (3rd Century BCE)	Polished sandstone	Patna, Bihar	Life-size female figure; example of Mauryan polish and early sculptural excellence.
Bharhut Sculptures	Shunga Period (2nd Century BCE)	Sandstone	Bharhut, Madhya Pradesh	Relief panels depicting Jataka tales; important for Buddhist art and narrative sculpture.
Amravati Sculptures	Satavahana Period (2nd–3rd Century CE)	Limestone	Amravati, Andhra Pradesh	Delicate narrative panels from stupa railings; rich in ornamentation.

Notes & Relevance

The IVC artefacts focus on utility, urbanism, and emerging artistic expression.
The contemporary artefacts show:
- A shift towards religious and narrative art.
- More refined tools, polish, and iconography especially post-Maurya.
Many of these artefacts reflect trade, technology, belief systems, and social structure.

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