In the age of the Buddha Eastern UP and Bihar became the epicentre of the manufacture of wrought iron, minting of coins and the use of Northern Black Polished ware which was evidently meant for the richer sections of society. All these changes transformed the material life of the people. Some iron artefacts indicate the acquaintance of its users with the iron ores of Singhbhum and Mayurbhanj, which shows that, by the middle of the first millennium B.C. approximately, people had become familiar with working the richest iron mines in South Bihar. The blacksmiths learnt to put more carbon in the iron artefacts which became more serviceable. In a way the age of the Buddha marked the beginning of the second phase in the history of iron when its use was substantially extended to cover crafts, clearance and cultivation. Of course such iron tools, though mentioned, in early ali and Sanskrit texts, have not been found in sufficiently large numbers in the middle Gangetic basin, but their corrosion and even disappearance are easily explained by the moist, humid soil in which they came to be placed. The widespread use of iron helped the clearance of the thickly forested area of the middle Ga g-a basin, and the use of the iron ploughshare led to the production of considerable surplus. People practised paddy transplantation or wet paddy production which doubled the yield. All this led to the establishment of large rural settlements and paved the way for the rise of towns in the middle Gangetic basin or Majjhimadesa around the sixth century B.C. What is overwhelmingly important from our point of view in 500-300 B.C. is not the complete break with the elements of the material life of the chalcolithic settlements, which in any case had a shorter life and were much smaller in number in the alluvial soil of the middle Gangetic basin, but considerable clearance followed by the burgeoning of rural settlements, as evidenced by the reported finds of nearly 450 NBP sites in the middle Gangetic basin and its periphery.

1. What were the main resource areas of iron exploited by the NBPW sites of the Ganga plain

2. What was the impact of wrought iron on the settlements of the middle Ganga plain

3. What was the role of iron in the growth of second urbanization

4. Name the coins and mention their date bracket which was in use during Janpada period.

5. What was the vegetation of Ganga plain at the time of Buddha

6. Describe three dimensional recording.

7. What was the climate of Europe during Pleistocene Mention its divisions.

8. What are river terraces How are these formed

9. What do you know about Zinjauthropus

10. What changes occur in cultivated species of wheat

11. Describe a Neolithic age.

12. Enumerate aceramic stage of Kashmir Neolithic.

13. Mention significance of Olorgossellie site.

14. Write about the ceramic collections of early NEPW levels of middle Ganga plain.

15. What are the main findings from Clacton-an-sea site

16. Write a note on Sultanganj Buddha image in bronze.

17. Describe plan of Vishnu temple at Devagarh.

18. Describe the sequence of the coins issued by Samudra Gupta.

19. Describe the elevation of Sanctuary (Deul) of Kalinga style of temples.

20. Give an account of Pre-Mauryan Brahmi inscriptions.

21. Discuss the Pleistocene sequence of Kortlayar Valley.

22. Describe the stratigraphy and tool-typology of Middle Palaeolithic period.

23. Give an account of the Upper Palaeolithic culture of Patne.

24. Critically evaluate archaeological remains of Chopani Mando.

25. Write a note on Burzahom.

21. Give an account of the Pre-Harappan culture of Baluchistan.

22. Bring out the salient features of the Harappa civilization.

23. Explain the difference between the Sorath and Shindhi Harappan settlements in Gujarat.

24. Evaluate the Deccan Chalcolithic cultures as revealed from the Inamgaon excavations.

25. Write a detailed note on the early farming cultures of Ganga plain.

21. Discuss the chronology of Northern Black Polished Ware culture.

22. Bring out the salient features of the Kaushambi excavation.

23. Examine the significance of Vaishali excavation.

24. Give an account of excavated remains of Lalkot.

25. Do you agree that Kushan settlements evidence growth of Third Urbanisation in India Discuss.

21. Discuss the nature and construction of fortification of Sishupalgarh.

22. Discuss the architectural features of Dhamekh Stupa at Sarnath.

23. Enumerate the main characteristics of Royal Art of Mauryan period.

24. Discuss the Dravidian features in the temples of Badami.

25. Evaluate the contribution of Mathura School of Sculptures in Indian art.

21. What are the different theories regarding the origin of Brahmi script

22. Bring out the historical significance of Besnagar Garud Pillar inscription.

23. Write a note on Silver Punch-marked coins.

24. Discuss the contents of Tanjavur inscription of Rajendra Chola.

25. "Gupta coins marked perfection in executing Indian theme." Comment.

26. "Development of cranial capacity goes hand in hand with the technological growth in Pleistocene period." Discuss with examples.

27. Discuss the factors that contributed to the development of Harappa civilization with special reference to copper technology.

28. Write an essay on the sequence and spread of Brahmi inscriptions.

29. Assess the contribution of Kushan coins in formulating iconography of Indian deities.

30. Evaluate the characteristics and development of the temples of Chola period.