Which of the following statements are correct about the Indus Valley Civilization?

(A) Craft specialization was in evidence.

(B) Tools and weapons were made of iron.

(C) Buildings were of different types.

(D) Harrappan seals were used for correspondence.

(E) Seals were mainly used for religious rituals.

Choose the correct answer from the options given below:

The correct answer is (A), (C) and (D) only.

Let us analyze each statement step-by-step to understand why this option is correct:

Statement (A): Craft specialization was in evidence.
This statement is correct. Archaeological excavations at various Indus Valley sites (such as Chanhudaro, Lothal, and Mohenjo-daro) have revealed clear evidence of advanced craft specialization. This includes bead-making, shell-cutting, metal-working, seal-making, and weight-making.

Statement (B): Tools and weapons were made of iron.
This statement is incorrect. The Indus Valley Civilization belongs to the Bronze Age. Iron was not known to the people of the Indus Valley Civilization; it was introduced to the Indian subcontinent much later, during the Vedic period (around 1000 BCE).

Statement (C): Buildings were of different types.
This statement is correct. The architecture of the Indus Valley Civilization was highly diverse. It included residential houses of varying sizes, large public baths (such as the Great Bath at Mohenjo-daro), granaries, administrative buildings, and assembly halls.

Statement (D): Harappan seals were used for correspondence.
This statement is correct. Clay tags carrying seal impressions (seals) have been found on packages of goods, indicating that seals were used to facilitate long-distance trade and authenticate correspondence or ownership.

Statement (E): Seals were mainly used for religious rituals.
This statement is incorrect. While some seals depict religious motifs (such as the Pashupati seal or mother goddess representations), the primary function of Harappan seals was commercial and administrative, serving as identifiers of ownership, source, and contents of trade packages.

Therefore, only statements (A), (C), and (D) are correct.