Which early civilization is renowned for Mohenjo-Daro and sophisticated drainage systems?

• A. Ancient Egypt
• B. Greece
• C. Indus Valley Civilization
• D. Shang Dynasty

Answer: (C)

This question tests recognizing which early civilization is linked to Mohenjo-Daro and its advanced drainage systems. Mohenjo-Daro is a hallmark of the Indus Valley Civilization, a Bronze Age culture that thrived around 2600–1900 BCE in the region of present-day Pakistan and northwest India.

What makes this civilization stand out is its urban planning and sanitation. Cities were laid out on orderly grids, with substantial drainage networks. Sewers ran beneath streets and connected to drains inside homes, demonstrating an impressive level of public works and sanitation for the time. This contrasts with other ancient civilizations that are celebrated for different achievements—Ancient Egypt for Nile-based agriculture and monumental tombs, Greece for early democracy and philosophical thought, and the Shang Dynasty for early Chinese bronze work and oracle bones.

So, Mohenjo-Daro’s association with sophisticated drainage points directly to the Indus Valley Civilization.