UPSC Essentials | Mains answer practice — GS 1 : Questions on significance of stromatolite formations and Kutch as a multi‑phased archaeological region (Week 106)

QUESTION 1

Discuss the importance of Kutch as a multi‑phased archaeological region spanning hunter‑gatherer, pre‑Harappan, and mature Harappan phases.

QUESTION 2

Discuss the significance of stromatolite formations for understanding the tectonic evolution of the Himalayas and the Tethys Sea.

General points on the structure of the answers

Introduction

— The introduction of the answer is essential and should be restricted to 3-5 lines. Remember, a one-liner is not a standard introduction.

— It may consist of basic information by giving some definitions from the trusted source and authentic facts.

Body

— It is the central part of the answer and one should understand the demand of the question to provide rich content.

— The answer must be preferably written as a mix of points and short paragraphs rather than using long paragraphs or just points.

— Using facts from authentic government sources makes your answer more comprehensive. Analysis is important based on the demand of the question, but do not over analyse.

QUESTION 1: Discuss the importance of Kutch as a multi‑phased archaeological region spanning hunter‑gatherer, pre‑Harappan, and mature Harappan phases.

Note: This is not a model answer. It only provides you with thought process which you may incorporate into the answers.

Introduction:

— Researchers have discovered human remains in the Great Rann of Kutch dating back at least 5,000 years before the Harappans. The finding is based on dating and analysing shell remains discovered in the late nineteenth century.

— In 1872, Anglo-Irish geologist Arthur Beavor Wynne described “a patch of large broken univalve shells” discovered “all over the northern side of Kutch” in his memoirs for the Geological Survey of India (GSI).

Body:

You may incorporate some of the following points in your answer:

— A study reveals linkages between the Kutch midden site – archaeological sites where huge numbers of marine shells, bones, tools, and ceramics are generally found – and those in Oman and Pakistan along the coast of the northern Arabian Sea, where these pre-Harappan civilisations most likely resided.

— A fresh group of archaeological remains was discovered about a km from the Harappan site of Dholavira near Bambhanka, the southernmost village on Khadir Beyt (island), on the road that connects the island to the Kutch mainland.

— Khadir was one of six islands in this region where sea levels were higher until around 5,000-6,000 years ago, according to V N Prabhakar, an associate professor at the Indian Institute of Technology Gandhinagar’s Department of Earth Sciences, Humanities, and Social Sciences.

— “The surface had broken potsherds, shell remains, and flakes of carnelian and agate, while on the surface were remnants of walls built with random rubble masonry,” Dr. Rai tells The Indian Express. A trench built for a pipeline on the hillock’s western edge revealed a 30-40-cm-thick accumulation of shell remains.

— The majority of the shell remains have been broken in the centre, most likely to extract meat. Similar findings from Pakistan’s Las Bela region date back to the seventh and fifth millennia BCE, implying that hunter-gatherer tribes relied on shell remains for food and engaged in long-distance commerce within inland locales.

Conclusion:

— The study reveals the presence of coastal hunter-gatherer societies in the Great Rann of Kutch region that have adapted to the mangrove habitat, which is home to the shell species documented thus far, such as Terebralia palustris or the gigantic mangrove whelk.

— Most sites are on river banks, about 2-2.5 km from the ocean, although some are farther inside, implying that the occupants hauled the sea shells inside. We were unable to reach the northern coast, which is a forested area, but there may be additional deposits.

— The few remaining mangroves are discovered in the Little Rann of Kutch, southeast of Dholavira, near Lakhpat on the west coast, and at an inland area known as Shravan Kavadiya, northeast of Bhuj, which may have been the ancient shoreline.

(Source: Stories in Kutch shells: Hunter-gatherers who lived in Gujarat 5,000 years before the Harappans and their cities)

Points to Ponder

Read about Dholavira

Other Indus Valley civilisations sites in Gujarat

Related Previous Year Questions

The ancient civilization in Indian sub-continent differed from those of Egypt, Mesopotamia and Greece in that its culture and traditions have been preserved without a breakdown to the present day. Comment. (2015)

To what extent has the urban planning and culture of the Indus Valley Civilization provided inputs to the present day urbanization? Discuss. (2014)

QUESTION 2: Discuss the significance of stromatolite formations for understanding the tectonic evolution of the Himalayas and the Tethys Sea.

Note: This is not a model answer. It only provides you with thought process which you may incorporate into the answers.

Introduction:

— Stromatolites are the earliest known fossil records of life on Earth. These structures are formed by complicated interactions between microbial mat populations and their geochemical surroundings.

— Stromatolites, which are reef-like structures formed by ancient cyanobacteria in shallow oceans, provide evidence of this evolution. These mineralised mounds, which may be found all over India, from the Vindhyas and Cuddapah Basin to the limestone ridges of the Himalayas, record a time when oxygen did not exist and continents had not collided.

Body:

You may incorporate some of the following points in your answer:

— These ancient structures provide a glimpse into a time when the Earth’s atmosphere was dominated by greenhouse gases and oxygen was nonexistent. Their location in the Himalayas, far from any contemporary coastline, tells a story about tectonic upheavals, lost oceans, and the microbiological origins of life.

— Ancient microbial mats, primarily made up of blue-green algae or cyanobacteria, caught and bonded silt over time, resulting in layered, reef-like mounds.

— Stromatolites are bio sedimentary structures formed in shallow maritime environments by blue-green algae.

— As oxygen began to accumulate in the atmosphere, due to these early cyanobacteria, the Earth changed from anaerobic to aerobic conditions, clearing the way for multicellular life. Around 3.5 billion years ago, the only species to survive were single-celled bacteria that produced oxygen. When stromatolites, generated by cyanobacteria or blue-green algae, began creating oxygen, the Earth’s atmosphere changed, allowing multicellular life to emerge. This extraordinary voyage, documented in our geoheritage, resulted in the emergence of trilobites, dinosaurs, and, finally, modern humans.

— The Great Oxidation Event or Oxygen Catastrophe refers to the increase in oxygen levels in the atmosphere and oceans that occurred roughly 2.4 billion years ago.

— Chambaghat’s stromatolites are part of the Krol Group of sedimentary rocks, which include limestone, shale, and sandstone and were created in a shallow marine environment similar to the Tethys Sea. “These stromatolite-bearing formations were laid down in a shallow marine sea called the Tethys Sea, before India collided with Tibet and the sea was squeezed out,” according to Dr. Ahluwalia.

— This area was formerly part of Gondwana, a southern supercontinent that comprised India, South America, Africa, and others. The Indian plate’s northward migration and collision with Eurasia raised marine deposits, including stromatolites, thousands of meters into the sky. These are shallow marine deposits found between 5,000 and 6,000 feet above sea level.

Conclusion:

— A massive outcrop of these stromatolites, dating back 600 million years, was recently discovered in the pine-clad mountains of Chambaghat in Solan district, prompting renewed calls for preservation and public engagement with India’s geological legacy.

— The oldest stromatolites, dating back 3.6 billion years, are found in Australia.

— Other stromatolitic locations in India include Karnataka’s Bhima Basin, the Aravalli Supergroup, and Madhya Pradesh’s Kadapa Mountains. The older stromatolites can be found in the Shali-deoban area of the Himalaya. Younger stromatolites have a smooth arc and are laminated and hemispheric, whereas older ones are branching and columnar.

(Source: 600-million-year-old stromatolites in the Himalayas tell the story of an ocean lost and Earth’s first breath)

Points to Ponder

Read more about stromatolites

Related Previous Year Questions

How are the fjords formed? Why do they constitute some of the most picturesque areas of the world? (2023)

Describe the characteristics and types of primary rocks. (2022)

Previous Mains Answer Practice

UPSC Essentials: Mains answer practice — GS 3 (Week 106)

UPSC Essentials: Mains answer practice — GS 3 (Week 105)

UPSC Essentials: Mains answer practice — GS 2 (Week 106)

UPSC Essentials: Mains answer practice — GS 2 (Week 105)

UPSC Essentials: Mains answer practice — GS 1 (Week 104)

UPSC Essentials: Mains answer practice — GS 1 (Week 105)

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