Correct Option
The correct option is (c) 1 and 3 only.
Explanation
Mehrgarh is one of the earliest and most significant Neolithic sites in the Indian subcontinent. Located in the Kachi Plain of Balochistan (modern-day Pakistan), it provides crucial evidence regarding the transition from hunting-gathering to settled agriculture and animal domestication.
Statement-wise Analysis
- Statement 1 is Correct: Mehrgarh is located in a fertile plain near the Bolan Pass. This pass is geographically significant as it serves as one of the most important routes connecting the Indian subcontinent with Iran and West Asia.
- Statement 2 is Incorrect: Excavations at Mehrgarh have revealed remains of square or rectangular houses. Each house typically consisted of four or more compartments, some of which were likely used for storage. Circular houses are not the characteristic architectural feature of this site.
- Statement 3 is Correct: Archaeological evidence confirms that Mehrgarh is one of the earliest sites in this region where humans learnt to cultivate crops. The inhabitants grew wheat and barley and were among the first to rear animals like sheep and goats.
Key Takeaway: Mehrgarh is characterized by early evidence of wheat and barley cultivation, animal domestication, and the construction of rectangular mud-brick houses with compartmentalized storage units, situated near the strategic Bolan Pass.