2023 · Q17
Which one of the following statements is correct?
history-of-indiasources-ivc
- ABrahmi, used for writing many Ashokan inscriptions, shows local variations.
- BThe system of hieroglyphic writing was developed in ancient Mesopotamia.
- CThe system of cuneiform writing developed around 3rd millennium BCE in Egypt.
- DAn ancient script, Kharoshthi was widely used in the southern part of India.
Explanation
Brahmi as used in the Ashokan edicts shows clear regional and local variations across the empire, so statement A is correct. Hieroglyphic writing developed in ancient Egypt, not Mesopotamia, so B is wrong. Cuneiform developed in Mesopotamia (Sumer), not Egypt, so C is wrong. Kharoshthi was used in the north-west (Gandhara region), not widely in southern India, so D is wrong. Hence A is the correct statement.