Indian History Mastery Hub: The Industry Foundation Practice

Which of the following is the MOST significant methodological challenge in reconstructing the socio-economic organization of the Indus Valley Civilization, given the absence of deciphered written records of a comparable nature to contemporary Mesopotamian city-state administrative documents?

In the context of the Indus Valley Civilization's urban planning, the concept of "citadel" and "lower town" is widely accepted. However, what is the MOST compelling argument against a strictly hierarchical interpretation of this dichotomy, suggesting a more nuanced social stratification?

Consider the debate surrounding the decline of the Indus Valley Civilization. Which of the following hypotheses, when critically examined, presents the MOST robust explanation that integrates multiple environmental and socio-political factors, rather than relying on a single causal event?