Correct option is A
Correct Answer: (A) Charles Masson
Explanation
→ Charles Masson was the first person to visit and record the presence of the ancient mounds at Harappa in 1826.
→ He was an explorer and soldier who described the ruins in his travel accounts, though he mistakenly believed them to be related to Alexander the Great's campaign.
→ His observations provided the earliest clue to the existence of a major civilization long before formal excavations began.
→ This discovery eventually led to the systematic exploration of the Indus Valley Civilization nearly a century later.
Information Booster
→ He was an explorer and soldier who described the ruins in his travel accounts, though he mistakenly believed them to be related to Alexander the Great's campaign.
→ His observations provided the earliest clue to the existence of a major civilization long before formal excavations began.
→ This discovery eventually led to the systematic exploration of the Indus Valley Civilization nearly a century later.
Information Booster
→ Charles Masson's real name was James Lewis.
→ He published his findings in 'Narrative of Various Journeys in Balochistan, Afghanistan and the Punjab'.
→ He noticed a ruined brick castle and high mounds which he thought belonged to a lost city.
→ Harappa is located on the banks of the Ravi River in present-day Pakistan.
→ His report initially failed to generate significant interest from the British government.
Additional Information
→ He published his findings in 'Narrative of Various Journeys in Balochistan, Afghanistan and the Punjab'.
→ He noticed a ruined brick castle and high mounds which he thought belonged to a lost city.
→ Harappa is located on the banks of the Ravi River in present-day Pakistan.
→ His report initially failed to generate significant interest from the British government.
Additional Information
Option (B) Alexander Cunningham: He was the first Director-General of the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) who visited Harappa in 1853 and 1872, but not in 1826.
Option (C) John Marshall: He was the Director-General of ASI who formally announced the discovery of the Indus Valley Civilization to the world in 1924.
Option (C) John Marshall: He was the Director-General of ASI who formally announced the discovery of the Indus Valley Civilization to the world in 1924.