MPSC State Service 2021 · CSAT · Question 1 of 73

Passage: Read the passage and answer the following questions. Later half of the twentieth century witnessed emergence of new trends in Archaeology. New discoveries in physical sciences and their application in archaeology resulted in an inclination towards sciences. American archaeologist Lewis Binford pioneered the use of the methodology of Scientific Philosophy in archaeological research. While in England, David Clarke proved that the New Archaeological method of using concepts from disciplines such as anthropology, geography and environmental sciences in furnishing archaeological evidences can extract much more information. New Archaeology can be termed as scientific archaeology. The main aim of the old school archaeologists was to establish the chronology of human culture with the help of excavations. New Archaeology considers this a mistake; as archaeology is not just about chronology. It considers that it is the duty of the archaeologists to delve deep so as to establish with reliable evidence, the cause and effect relationship behind every historical event. A simple example of this can be the report of the Mohenjodaro excavation. There were seven successive layers of habitation before the Indus civilisation finally perished. It was believed that the Aryans invaded India and destroyed the Indus civilisation under the leadership of Indra, their chief deity. This was a Rigvedic evidence of literary nature and how could it be completely relied upon? There is no physical evidence of the Aryan Invasion. It can be seen that the Indus civilisation died away because of climatic changes. Scientific evidences conclusively proving this have been found. New Archaeology focuses on the relationship between cause and effects. New Archaeology has recently invited some criticism. Professor Ian Hodder from the Cambridge University is a major critic. According to him, it is not enough to depend only on scientific evidences for an explanation of cultural changes, but the context of excavated remains is very important for their proper interpretation. This ideology, has therefore been called as Contextual Archaeology. Now some Archaeologists have moved ahead of this ideology. Socio-economic conditions of man have always been studied, and now a study of the mentalities of ancient humans is gaining momentum. How did religion and philosophy emerge, what were the thoughts in the minds of the ancient painters - such and other things are being studied. Archaeology in the twenty-first century is indeed going to be very different. Match the pairs: (a) Ian Hodder (i) Relationship between Cause and Effects (b) Lewis Binford (ii) Contextual Archaeology (c) David Clarke (iii) Interdisciplinary evidences (d) New Archaeology (iv) Method of Scientific Philosophy

Reading Comprehension

1. A(a) - (ii), (b) - (iv), (c) - (iii), (d) - (i)Correct
2. B(a) - (iv), (b) - (i), (c) - (iii), (d) - (ii)
3. C(a) - (ii), (b) - (iii), (c) - (i), (d) - (iv)
4. D(a) - (ii), (b) - (i), (c) - (iii), (d) - (iv)