Look at the newspaper excerpt from Sir John Marshall's article about the discovery of Harappa and Mohenjo-daro and answer the questions that follow.

(a) Which 'Forgotten Age' is being talked about in the excerpt? Tiryns and Mycenae were long forgotten ancient cities, what are referred to as Indian "Tiryns and "Mycenae"?

(b) How was this 'Forgotten Age' in India revealed?

(c) Explain briefly the significance of this 'Forgotten Age' in terms of its unique features.

(a) The "Forgotten Age" refers to the Indus Valley Civilization, with Harappa and Mohenjo-daro being the Indian equivalents of the ancient cities of Tiryns and Mycenae.

(b) Indus Valley Civilization was discovered by the combined efforts of Sir John Marshall and two ASI archaeologists Daya Ram Sehni and Rakhal Das Banerji. Daya Ram Sehni found seals, painted pottery, beads at Harappa in 1921-22, and Rakhal Das found seals, pottery, copper products, and crucibles at Mohenjo-Daro in 1922. Marshall interpreted the similarities between objects found in the two cities and announced the discovery of the "civilization of the Indus Valley" in "The Illustrated London News" newspaper.

(c) The significance of Indus Valley Civilization can be seen by:

1. Planned Urban Layout — Cities like Mohenjo-daro had grid-pattern roads, citadel, and standardized bricks.
2. Drainage System — They had an excellent drainage system with covered drains in the houses connected to the street drains.
3. Religious Practices — Worship of nature, animals, and fertility symbols reflects early religious beliefs.
4. Script and Seals — The undeciphered script on seals gives insights into administration, religion, and communication.
5. Art and Craft — The Harappans produced fine seals, pottery, beads, and sculptures, showing their skill in art and craftsmanship.
6. Trade Practices — They had internal and external trade, including contact with Mesopotamia, shown through seals and other objects.