Which one among the following is not a characteristic of Rig-Vedic Aryans ?

The Rig-Vedic Aryans (c. 1500–1000 BCE) were primarily a pastoral and semi-nomadic society where cattle, especially the cow, served as the most significant form of wealth [2]. They were well-acquainted with horses and spoked-wheel chariots, which provided them a military advantage [5]. Their metallurgy was limited to 'ayas', a term referring to copper and bronze [1]. While they practiced agriculture using wooden ploughshares (langla/sura) [3], they did not possess knowledge of iron. Archaeological and literary evidence indicates that iron work only emerged in the Indian subcontinent during the Later Vedic period, starting around 1200–1000 BCE [4]. Therefore, the claim that Rig-Vedic Aryans were acquainted with the use of iron is historically incorrect, as iron technology is a defining characteristic of the subsequent Later Vedic Age.

Sources

1. [2] History , class XI (Tamilnadu state board 2024 ed.) > Chapter 2: Early India: The Chalcolithic, Megalithic, Iron Age and Vedic Cultures > Polity and Political Clashes > p. 23
2. [5] History , class XI (Tamilnadu state board 2024 ed.) > Chapter 2: Early India: The Chalcolithic, Megalithic, Iron Age and Vedic Cultures > The Aryans > p. 22
3. [1] History , class XI (Tamilnadu state board 2024 ed.) > Chapter 2: Early India: The Chalcolithic, Megalithic, Iron Age and Vedic Cultures > Craft Production > p. 25
4. [3] History , class XI (Tamilnadu state board 2024 ed.) > Chapter 2: Early India: The Chalcolithic, Megalithic, Iron Age and Vedic Cultures > Economy: Agriculture > p. 24
5. [4] History , class XI (Tamilnadu state board 2024 ed.) > Chapter 2: Early India: The Chalcolithic, Megalithic, Iron Age and Vedic Cultures > Craft Production > p. 29