1

A Sarasvati Hieroglyph Dictionary

The underlying hypotheses of the analysis presented herein are two-fold:

that the Bharatiya languages constitute the core legacy from the linguistic area
of this civilization; and
that the writing system consisted of hieroglyphs, intended to
record property transactions of artisans -- smiths in
particular. [cf. Seal impression from Ur showing a water-
carrier and an enclosure of two brackets: () ]

This crucial evidence of the continuum of Sarasvati culture in India
enables linking Sarasvati writing system -- mlecchita vikalpa with
Sarasvati lingua franca -- mleccha.

kut.i = a woman water-carrier (Te.) rebus: kut.hi a smelter for smelting iron ore
(Santali)

The ur seal impression of the water-carrier glyph is the foundation glyph for the
following signs and variants, starting with Sign 12:
V012 V014
V015

A simple step is attempted and presented, based on the orthographic-semantic
framework provided by the Indian Lexicon (a comparative dictionary of over 25 ancient
languages of India), that the inscriptions are composed of hieroglyphs which can be read
rebus. (The word hieroglyph was coined in 1598 from hieroglyphic > Middle French
hieroglyphique < Latin hieroglyphicus < Ancient Greek (hierogluphikos) <
(hierogluphe, to represent hieroglyphically) < (hieros, sacred,
holy) + (gluph, to carve, to engrave, to cut out. Source:
http://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/hieroglyph ) It is appropriate to render many glyphs of the
civilization, as hieros, sacred, consistent with Indian tradition following Gr.tsamada
rishi of Rigveda mantra dras.t.aa -- who has seen Sarasvati in three forms: river,
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mother, divinity Vaakdevi Sarasvati who nurtured, in over 80% of archaeological sites,
on the banks of River Sarasvati.

Hieroglyphs are pictograms used to represent phonograms (of syllabic sounds or word
sounds). Hieroglyphs use pictorial symbols to connote, as rebus, individual sounds of the
spoken language. The word, rebus is an ablative plural of res thing and means of or
by things derived from the phrase: nn verbs sed rbus" meaning "not by words but by
things". An example illustrates the rebus principle. The sounds in the sentence, I can
see you can be written down by using the pictographs of eye - can sea ewe.
(Example taken from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rebus )

The pictorials in inscriptions on a variety of media terracotta bangles, paintings on jars,
incisions on copper plates, tablets, seals, stone tools, metallic weapons -- unearthed in
archaeological excavations (and taken from the exquisite corpuses of Mahadevan and
Parpola) are tagged to the morphemes of the languages of Bharat. A morpheme, in
language studies of internal structure of words, is the smallest abstract unit, with
semantic meaning, that roughly corresponds to a set of words that are different forms
of the same word. (For example, the word talk has different forms such as talk, talks,
talked, and talking.)

Using the rebus principle, homonyms with substantive meanings are identified: such as
the tools of jeweller-smithy, turner, miner, smith, metals-trader, mint. (A homonym is
one of a group of words that share the same spelling and the same pronunciation but
have different meanings.)

Two categories of lexemes are collated:

words which are adaptable for hieroglyphic representation ('image' words);
words related to the artefacts of the bronze-age civilization ('tool or product'
words). [A word links tightly together, one or more morphemes and is a unit of
language which carries meaning.]

Many inscribed objects have recurrent glyphs. [A glyph is the shape given to a particular
illustrated symbol. Hence, a glyph can have many variant orthographic representations
as identified in Mahadevan and Parpola corpuses and concordance lists of the Sarasvati
writing system the so-called Indus script.]

The Sign list used, in a perspective snapshot presents a number of variants and ligatures
which reinforce the hieroglyphic nature of orthography and a unique use of ligatured
glyphs.

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V182
V184
These are examples of signs which are derived from the antelope glyph. It is notable
that Sign 182 occurs repeatedly on copper plate epigraphs. The first variant on the left
of variants of Sign 184 demonstrates this. The ligature of a tail is characteristic both on
this sign variant and on pictorial motifs which depict an antelope

V213
Sign 213 could be derived from the pictorial motif of standard device normally shown
in front of a one-horned heifer. sangad.a gimlet; Rebus: sangad.a portable furnace




Sign 51 may be identified as a bandicoot, rat seen from the back as shown on the
variant on fifth from left.
kod.el rat glyph may be rebus for kol.el smithy: kole.l.
V001 V002 As Signs 20 and 21 demonstrate,
the body glyph gets ligatured with other glyphs which occur independently as
hieroglyphs. Such ligatured glyphs have to be read by isolating and identifying the
ligaturing elements and reading each element rebus.

and.ren (pl. and.ran) male, man (Pe.); and.ra a male animal or bird, male (Kui); an.d.ra_
male (said only of animals)(Kur.); an.d.ya_ fierce, unmanageable (of bulls, bullocks, and
male buffaloes)(Kur.); an.d.ya a bull (Malt.); an.d.i_ra male (Skt.); an.d.ira_ id.
(Or.)(CDIAL 1111; DEDR App. 7). Rebus: aduru native metal.

Glyph is: me~_d, me_d body (Kur.); meth body (Malt)(DEDR 5099). Sign 1 occurs 131
times on epigraphs. Rebus: med. iron (Mundari).

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dan:go, d.an:goro = a thick club; a cudgel (G.lex.)


V008 V009
V019 V028 V029
V032 V035 V038 V040

bhat.a warrior bhat.a = a warrior (G.lex.) bhad.a a warrior; a hero; adj. Strong, mighty;
opulent; an opulent person (G.lex.) bhar. = soldier (B.); warrior (G.); hero, brave man
(Ku.); bhat.a = hired soldier (MBh.) pat.ai = army, weapons, battle (Ta.); pat.a = battle,
army (Ma); pad.eyila = soldier (Ka.); pad.eval.a = a general (Ka.); pad.ava = fight, battle;
pad.avalamu = van of an army; pad.ava_lu = commander of an army (Te.)
batur.i = a young bull; batur.iko hukarea = young bulls low (Mundari.lex.) cf. bat.u = boy
(esp. a young Brahman), term applied contemptuously to an adult (MBh.); bar.u a
Brahman title (B.); servant (Or.); bar.ua_ Brahman boy, pupil (H.); bad.u_u (OG.)(CDIAL
9121). bhat.t.o = a contemptuous term for a bra_hman.a; bhat.a, bhat.t.a = a title
affixed to the names of learned bra_hman.as; a learned man (G.lex.)
m1653 ivory plaque 1905 bha_tha_ quiver (OAw.H.);
bha_tho, bha_to, bha_thr.o quiver (G.); bha_ta_ quiver (M.); bha_tad.
id. (M.); bathi_ quiver (S.)(CDIAL 9424). Basket: vat.t.i basket made of
palm-stem fibre; (ve_t.t.uvan- ma_n-r-acai corinta vat.t.iyum : Purana_. 33); round
basket of grass, straw, leather or palm-leaves (Ma.); vat.t.ikai basket (Ta.); bat.t.i basket
(Kod..); rattan basket (Tu.); vat.t.il quiver for arrows, basket, measure of capacity
(Ta.)(DEDR 5231). Rebus: bhat.a furnace (G.)
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V017 m1198 1482 Sign 7

Homographs exist for the zebu glyph. Homographs are: a man, an attack, harrow,
splinter.

h684 4632 [The last two signs of Text 4632 occur on 93 epigraphs]

A variant of Sign 8 is a horned, standing person ligatured to the buttocks of a bull.
d.hagara_m = pl. the buttocks, hip (G.) Rebus: d.han:gar = blacksmith
m1224A m1224B m1224 m1224e
4319 Standing person with horns and bovine features (hoofed legs and/or tail).
d.hagara_m 'thigh' (G.); rebus: d.han:gar 'blacksmith' (H.)

er-aka = upper arm, wing (Te.) [Note the orthographic emphasis on the wing of a bird].
Note the raised arm on m1224 of the horned person standing with buttocks ligatured to
the back of a bovine (with tail). Rebus: eraka copper (Ka.) kod. horn; rebus kod.
workshop

V008 V017
bhat.a = a warrior (G.lex.) bhad.a a warrior; a hero; adj. Strong, mighty; opulent; an
opulent person (G.lex.) bhar. = soldier (B.); warrior (G.); hero, brave man (Ku.); bhat.a =
hired soldier (MBh.) pat.ai = army, weapons, battle (Ta.); pat.a = battle, army (Ma);
pad.eyila = soldier (Ka.); pad.eval.a = a general (Ka.); pad.ava = fight, battle;
pad.avalamu = van of an army; pad.ava_lu = commander of an army (Te.) Rebus: bhat.a
furnace (G.)


bata = lattice work, inter-lacing (Santali.lex.) Rebus: bhat.a furnace (G.)

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satthika svastika glyph (P.); rebus: jasta zinc (H.)

kod.a = in arithmetic, one (Santali) got. = one (Santali) got.a = numerative particle
(Mth.) kod. = place where artisans work (Kur.)
barea two; rebus: bar.ea merchant
kolom three (Austro-asiatic) Rebus: Ka. kolime, kolume,
kulame, kulime, kulume, kulme fire- pit, furnace; (Bell.; U.P.U.)
Sign 112
kolmo three; rebus: kolmo rice-plant
Glyphs composed of four and three short linear strokes: pon,
ponea, ponon = four (Santali) Rebus: pon gold (Ta.)

pon, ponea, ponon = four (Santali) pon-, por- = metal, gold, luster, beauty (Ta.); pol =
gold (Ma.) kolom three (Austro-asiatic) Rebus: Ka. kolime, kolume, kulame, kulime,
kulume, kulme fire- pit, furnace; (Bell.; U.P.U.)
gan.d.e to place at a right angle to something else, cross, transverse; gan.d.
gan.d. across, at right angles, transversely (Santali) [Note: A slanted line Lahn.d.a
writing of accounts connotes a quarter; a straight line connotes one.] Rebus: kand.
furnace, altar (Santali)

kolmo rice plant; rebus: kolami furnace; ad.aren lid; rebus: aduru native metal
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Sign 180 Signs 180, 181 have variants.

Edging, trimming (cf. orthography of glyph in the middle of the epigraph)
kor.i = pegs in the ground in two rooms on which the thread is passed back and forth in
preparing the warp (S.) got. Hem of garment (H.) kod. artisans workshop (Kur.)


sa_ngi squirrel , ladder (P.) tsa_ni, tsa_nye = squirrel (Kon.lex.) [Alternatives: tor. =
squirrel; sega = squirrel; sisiar.in: = squirrel (Santali.lex.) Rebus: tor.a = a bag for holding
money carried bound round the waist underneath the clothing, a long narrow purse;
sisiar.i = thin, slim, as a stick (Santali)] canil, can.il (Tu.), an.n.al (Ma.), an.n.a_n (Ma.),
an.il, an.ilam (Ta.)[Tol. po. 561] sanja_b = the grey squirrel (U.Pers.)

A harp san.i_ (P.) Rebus: sanil (Tu.); sa_n.a_, s'a_n.a (M.), saniyamu (Te.) = a bayonet
or short dagger; [san.gi_n, s'ani_n = bayonet; hard, solid (P.); san:gin = bayonet
(Santali)] san:gin = steel dagger at the end of a gun (G.), can-iyan- = bayonet,
kuttuva_l. (Ta.) san.g = a stone; aki_k or carnelian stone (P.) a chisel for cutting metals


gat.a = a small stream or water course (Santali) gat.t.i ban:ga_ru = gold in ingots
or bars (Te.)

V132, Signs 132, 133
Kona (BB) kana canal. Kuwi (Su.) karna irrigation channel (DEDR 1938) kra m.
ear, handle of a vessel RV; kankha rim of vessel (Santali) Rebus: kan- copper (Ta.)
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m0318 m0318B
2626
The long linear stroke on m0318 can be :
kod.a, kor.a = in arithmetic one; 4 kor.a or kod.a = 1 gan.d.a = 4 (Santali.lex.) Rebus,
substantive: kod., artisans workshop

If kod.a is a determinative of Sign 197 including on the seal m0318, the sign may
also be read as: kod.a But, given the dominant position it occupies and duplication of
the sign sequence on the same seal m0318, Sign 197 may have to read as a
substantive indicator of an architectural unit, something like a gateway of Dholavira
for entry into a smithy or mint.


Glyph: dat.t.ha_ = large tooth, fang, tusk (Pali); dam.t.ha_ fang (Pkt.); da_t.hiru = tusked
(S.); da_t.ha_ , da_t.ha large tooth, tusk (Pali); da_r.h = tusk, root of tooth, bite (of an
animal) (L.)(CDIAL 6250). da_t = a tooth; d.at.a = a tooth, the teeth (Santali) Rebus: datu
mineral (Santali); dha_tu id. (Skt.)

t.an:kamu = the top or side of a hill (Te.)
d.agar = little hill (H.) Rebus: d.ha~gar blacksmith [The ligature of a ficus religiosa leaf
reinforces the nature of the metal work: loa ficus religiosa; loh iron; thus Sign 232 is a
ligature of loh ficus and d.agar hill; Rebus: loh iron + d.ha~gar blacksmith.
m0180 2014 m0898 2167 m0973a
2585
m0952 2265

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Reservoir used in irrigation: go~r.a_ reservoir used in irrigation (H.)(CDIAL 3264).
kun.t.am pool, tank; deep cavity, pit (Ta.Ma.); kun.t.u depth (Man.i. 8,8); id. (Ma.);
kun.t.u-ni_r sea, as being deep (Na_lat.i, 94)(Ta.lex.) kum.d.a, kom.d.a pool (Pkt.);
kun.d.a basin of water, pit (MBh.); kunu whirlpool (S.); kun.d. pool (WPah.); kunnu
cistern for washing clothes in (WPah.); ku~_d. tub (H.); ku~d. pool, well (M.)(CDIAL
3264). ku~d. = basin (G.) kun.d.a a basin; a round hole in the ground for receiving water;
a pond or well consecrated to a deity (G.) kun.d.a [Skt. a basin] khu~idaha, khu~idak = a
deep pit full of water (Santali)

kun.d.a = a reseroir of water surrounded with steps to go down to the bottom (G.Skt.)
(G.lex.) Rebus: gun.d.amu fire-pit; (Inscr.) a hollow or pit in the dry bed of a stream
(Te.); gunta pit, hollow, depression (Te.); gun.d.i deep (Kol.); ghun.d.ik id. (Nk.); gut.t.a
pool (Pa.); kun.t.a pool (Go.); gut.a hollow in the ground, pit (Kond.a); kut.t. a large pit
(Kui); gutomi pit (Kuwi); kun.d.i pond (Kuwi); kun.d.a- round hole in the ground (for
water or sacred fire), pit, well, spring (Skt.); kut.t.am depth, pond (Ta.); kun.t.u depth,
pond, manure-pit (Ta.); kun.t.am, kun.t.u what is hollow and deep, pit (Ma.); kun.d.a,
kon.d.a, kun.t.e pit, pool, pond (Ka.); kun.d.i pit; kun.d.itere manure-pit (Kod..); kun.d.a
pit (Tu.); kon.d.a pit (Tu.); kun.t.a, gun.t.a pond, pit (Te.)(DEDR 1669). kut.t.ai pool,
small pond (Ta.)(DEDR 1669). [cf. cognate etyma connoting secrecy (treasure): gun.pu,
gumbu profundity, solemnity, secrecy, depth (Ka.); gumpu secret, concealed (Tu.)(DEDR
1669).] xon.d.xa_, xo~_r.xa_ deep; a pit, abyss (Kur.); qond.e deep, low lands
(Malt.)(DEDR 2082). khutt depression in earth or wall, hollow eyes (P.); khutti_ hole in
the ground in a game with cowries (P.)(CDIAL 13655). kud.e a rat's hole (Tu.); kod.e to
hollow, excavate (Ka.); kud.ute palm of the hand, esp. hollowed or held as a cup
(Ka.)(DEDR 1660).

Signs 249, 250 m0925 1292
The circumgraph of four short linear strokes has been interpreted as kod.a = 4 gan.d.a.
The glyph on Sign 249 can thus be a product made in or a mineral processed in a kod.,
artisans workshop. That this may connote a mineral is also reinforced by the
appearance of this glyph on two tin ingots found at Haifa. Could this Sign 249 connote,
tin? Yes, ranku liquid measure; rebus: ranku tin (Santali)


Needle, probe, bodkin; arrow: xala_ pin (of bamboo, wood, or iron)(A.); sala_i_ pin (in
spinning yarn)(L.); sal.a_i_ needle in shuttle, spindle (P.); needle, probe, bodkin (H.);
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coarse needle, short stick (Bi.); sara_i iron or wooden poker (Mth.); sal.a_, sal.ai_, sal.i_
pin, spike, skewer (M.)(CDIAL 12349). salay spike (K.); s'ala_ka_ arrow (Pali)(CDIAL
12349). Rebus: sa_la workshop (Skt.)

Substantive: d.ha_l.ako = a large metal ingot; d.ha_l.aki_ = a metal heated and poured
into a mould; a solid piece of metal; an ingot (G.) d.ha_l.avum = to fuse; to melt; to cast
(a metal)(G.) dul to cast metal in a mould (Santali) d.ha_l.u cast, mould; way, style
(Ka.); d.ha_l.a (M.); d.a_l.a lustre, radiance; beauty, loveliness, gracefulness (Ka.);
d.ha_l.a (M.); d.a_lu, d.a_l.u, da_l.u (Te.)(Ka.lex.) d.ha_lan. to melt, to mould, to form, to
figure, to shape, to coin; d.hala_i_, d.hala_un. the price of casting, pouring, melting;
d.halna_, d.halja_n.a_ to be cast, to be poured out (as wine into a cup); d.halwa_i_
pouring out, melting; the price of pouring out, melting out (P.lex.)

Glyph: d.a_l., d.a_l.i_, d.a_l.um [Dh.Des. d.a_l, d.a_li_ = Hem. Des. d.a_li_ = Skt.
sa_kha_ a branch of a tree] a branch of a tree (G.)

Glyph: d.ha_l.iyum = adj. sloping, incliding; d.ha_l. = a slope; the inclination of a plane
(G.)

Glyph: d.ha_l.iyo = a water-course, an aqueduct (G.)

Glyph: dol the shaft of an arrow, an arrow (Santali)



kana kona = orner (Santali) kan- copper work, copper (Ta.) Rebus: kancu bronze (Te.)

gummat.a cupola, dome (Ka.) kumpat.i = chafing dish (Te.) gad.d.a proyyi = a fireplace or
hearth with 3 or 4 inverted hemispherical clods placed on it (Te.)


kamar.kom ficus glyph may be remus for mint: kampat.t.am
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era, erako nave of wheel; erako_lu the iron axle of a carriage (Ka.) eraka, er-aka any
metal infusion (Ka.Tu.)


ko_d.i = a kind of flag, an image of garud.a, basava, or other demi-god set upon a long
post before a temple; cf. gud.i, temple (Ka.lex.) kod. = place where artisans work (Kur.)
banga_d.ibangle Two-wheeled cart:
bahal, bahali_, baheli_ two-wheeled cart (Bi.); bahal id. (H.); bahli_ two-wheeled cart
drawn by two oxen (H.); bahaila cart (OMarw.); vhel, vel bullock-cart (G.); vahala
accustomed to the yoke (S'Br.)(CDIAL 11458). Rebus: ban:gala = kumpat.i = an:ga_ra
sakat.i_ = a chafing dish, a portable stove, a goldsmiths portable furnace (Te.lex.)
gad.i cart (Santali) gat.t.i-ban:ga_ramu = gold ingot (Te.)

kad.i_ a chain; a hook; a link (G.); kad.um a bracelet, a ring (G.); Rebus: ka_t.i =
fireplace in the form of a long ditch (Ta.Skt.Vedic)

Spider kan:gara_ (Tir.) gan:ges. (Ash.) kan:gar portable furnace (K.) kan:g portable
brazier (B.)

kolhe = a species of small black ant (Santali.lex.) Rebus: kol panchaloha (alloy of 5
metals)(Ta.)

bed.a hako fish (Santali) Rebus: bed.a either of the sides of a hearth (G.) [Early form of
hako is ayo; rebus: ayas metal]

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kolli = a fish (Ma.); koleji id. (Tu.)(DEDR 2139). ko_la_ flying fish, exocaetus, garfish,
belone (Ta.) ko_la_n, ko_li needle-fish (Ma.)(DEDR 2241).

Vikalpa: ko_li = a stubble of jo_l.a (Ka.) ko_le a stub or stumpof corn (Te.)(DEDR 2242).

The following glyphs are difficult to decode orthographically and hence, difficult to tag
with corresponding lexemes. However, they may be interpreted in context with
reference to comparable glyptic representations in the corpus:








Method to decode sets or categories of inscribed objects

Linguistic area of Sarasvati Civilization

A major challenge in establishing the continuity of the Bha_rati_ya civilization beyond
ca. 1300 BCE is the as yet unresolved problem of decoding inscriptions of the Sarasvati-
Sindhu civilization (or, the so-called decipherment of Indus Script).

Justification for the use of rebus method

Through a number of monographs, superb structural analyses of the inscriptions have
been done by both Parpola and Mahadevan. The analyses point to the use of most of
the Signs as representing nouns or res, things.

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The use of the rebus method is justified on the following evidence and analysis:

The pictographs to which 'sound-bites' are tagged, as keys to the process of decoding
the inscriptions, cover a wide range and number of inscribed objects as shown by the
following frequencies (out of 13,372 occurrences of Signs and over 100 pictorial motifs
(the frequencies are only indicative numbers, hence, approximate and are subject to
change as the orthography of many pictographs and Signs get more precisely identified).

Hieroglyphs and frequencies of occurrence on epigraphs

One-horned heifer with a pannier 1159 + 5 (with two horns)
Shor-horned bull 95 +2 (in opposition)
Zebu or Bra_hman.i bull 54
Buffalo 14
Elephant 55 + 1 (horned)
Tiger (including tiger looking back) 16 + 5 (horned)
Boar 39 + 1 (in opposition)
Goat-antelope 36 + 1 (flanking a tree)
Ox-antelope 26
Hare 10 +1 (object shaped like hare)
Ligatured animal 41
Alligator 49
Fish
14 (objects shaped like fish); fish
also a Sign
Frog 1
Serpent 10
Tree

34 + 1 (leaves); leaf is also a Sign
kut.i tree; rebus: kut.hi smelter
furnace
Dotted circle

67
ghan:ghar ghon:ghor full of holes
(Santali); rebus: kan:gar portable
furnace (K.)
Svastika
23 rebus: satthiya_ dagger, knife
(Pkt.) satva 'zinc' (Ka.)
Endless-knot
Double-axe

4
14 (inscribed objects shaped like
axe)
Standard device (lathe, portable
furnace)
19
Rimmed narrow-necked jar 1395
Fish Signs 1241
14
Leaf Signs 100
Nave of spoked wheel 203
Cart frame + wheels 26
Sprout (or, tree stylized) 800
Water-carrier 220
Scorpion 106
Claws (of crab) 130 + 90 (shaped like pincers)
Arrow (spear) 227
Rimless, wide-mouthed pot 350

Frequency
range
No. of Signs Total Sign
occurrences
Percentage Cumulative
percentags
1000 or more 1 1395 10.43 10.43
999-500 1 649 4.85 15.28
499-100 31 6344 47.44 62.72
99-50 34 2381 17.81 80.53
49-10 86 1833 13.71 94.24
9-2 152 658 4.92 99.16
Only once 112 112 .84 100.00

Only 67 Signs account for a total of 80.53 percent of all occurrences of Signs on
inscribed objects.[After Mahadevan 1977: 17].

Some examples from Hieroglyph Sign List showing the glyptic nature of writing: (After
Mahadevan)



Mirror-reflected pairs of graphemes

Mahadevan notes, "Compounds of mirror-reflected pairs. A rather curious feature of the
script is the occurrence of mirror-reflected pairs as bound Signs." (Mahadevan, 1977, p.
16) He adds that the mirror-reflected pairs may have the Sign doubled on the horizontal
or vertical axis.
15




There are also paired or re-duplicated occurrences of Signs.

There are some stable sequences of Signs in inscriptions, stability being measured by
the frequency of occurrence of two Signs within each inscription.

The following seven pairs have between 93 and 291 occurrences in the inscriptions.



There are five pairs with between 65 and 87 occurrences in the inscriptions.




There are many ligatured Signs:

An inverted v (symbol of lid) is ligatured on Signs 65, 66, 75 (fishes), Sign 163 (corn
sheaf), Sign 138 (cross-road), Sign 334 (pot). This inverted v is also ligatured on a jar
pictorial like a lid on the rim of the narrow-necked jar. (Fig. 111 field symbol,
16
Mahadevan corpus).
FS111

The 'jar' Sign is also ligatured (infixed) with short linear strokes.

Ligatured Signs appear together with pictorials in inscriptions.

Thus, Fig. 97 Mahadevan.
This composition is a combination of three pictorials bull, trough,
standing person with upraised arm -- and the Sign:

The person standing in the middle seems to point with one hand at this Sign and at the
'trough' with the other hand, seemingly conveying both 'trough' and the ligatured Sign
15 which is a composition of the 'jar' and 'the water-carrier' representions.

A characteristic feature of the use of graphemes in the inscriptions is ligaturing.



The ligaturing pattern is extended further
in Sign 418: Sign 15 is further ligatured
with a harrow (Sign 171) and oval (Sign 374).



Sign 352, jar + corn sheaf (On Sign 352 the rim of jar is
represented by = and also corn sheaf glyph.)


Sign 394, jar and oval


Sign 353, rim of jar and wide-mouthed, rimless pot

Sign 15 itself seems to be a ligature of
Signs 12 and 342
17




Signs 45/46 (seated person) seem to ligature
the pictorial of a kneeling-adorant with Sign 328


Sign 355 seems to ligature Sign 347 and Sign 391

Sign 232 seems to be a ligature of Sign 230 and Sign 326



Sign 243 seems to ligature Sign 242 and Sign 328


Sign 286 seems to ligature Sign 267 and Sign 391

Sign 19 seems to ligature Sign 1 and Sign 171


Sign 218 seems to ligature Sign 217 and Sign 328


Sign 32 seems to ligature Sign 1 and Sign 328


Sign 372 is a three-fold ligature with Signs 397 and 162



Sign 387, corn sheaf within an oval
Ligature of Sign 162 and Sign 373 yields Sign 387.


Signs 63 and 64, bird and fish

18


Sign 36, man and pincers



Sign 90, three linear strokes and corn sheaf



Sign 362, oval and comb



Sign 383 ligatures Signs 374, 373 and 176


Sign 19, man and harrow



Sign 21, man and corn sheaf



Sign 348 ligatures with Sign 162 and a pair of 172
(See paring in Sign 173)

Sign 173 is a ligatured representation of a pair of the Sign
172.

Tablet in bas-relief


H182
On this tablet the repetition of the 'svastika' Sign sequence five times points the
possibility of the'svastika' Sign denoting an 'object or thing.'

19
Each of the Signs (162, 325 and 59) seems to denote an object, and is
frequently preceded by numerical strokes.
Sign 372 (oval grapheme) ligatures with Sign 162, yielding Sign 387

The frequencies in parenthesis are based on Mahadevan conordance (which excludes
objects that do not contain a 'Sign'); the actual numbers will be higher based on the
more comprehensive Parpola photo corpus which includes inscriptions containing only
pictorials.


Media types with inscriptions

Seals (1814)
Tablets (in bas-relief or inscribed) (511)*[including Seal Impressions]
Miniature tablets (of stone, terracotta or faience) (272)
Copper tablets (plates) (135)
Bronze implements/weapons (11)
Seal Impressions*
Pottery graffitii (119)
Ivory or bone rods (29)
Inscribed on stone, bracelets (or, bangles), Ivory plaque, Ivory dice, Carnelian tablet,
Terracotta ball, Brick (15)
Display-board (Dholavira or Kotda with 10 Signs, possibly atop a gateway) (1)

Stone celt
(Sembiyan
Kandiyur) (1)





20











Almost all the miniature tablets are from Harappa; almost all copper tablets are from
Mohenjodaro. An inference is that the miniature tablets served the same function as the
copper tablets which evidence repetitive messages or Sign sequences.

Indus style seals [Based upon illustrations in Joshi and Parpola (1987)
and Shah and Parpola (1991).]Note: These seals are illustrated at
different scales.
http://bosei.cc.u-tokai.ac.jp/~indus/english/thesis01e-fg01.html

21
Considering that the epigraphs of Sarasvati Civilization are dated between 3300 BCE (the
early potsherd with writing found at Harappa) to 1400 BCE (the jar seal found at
Daimabad), the remarkable stability of the writing system in a vast area is concordant
with the remarkable stability of the dialects which can be traced in a continuum from
the substratum languages evidenced in lexemes of Bharatiya languages such as Nahali,
Gujarati, Kannada, Telugu. Masao Noguchi of Tokai University, Japan has provided a
typological analysis of the handles of square seals mostly from Harappa and
Mohenjodaro to unravel a chronological sequence. He echoes the views of Bisht who
notes that Type Ib seals with no signs but only mythological scene, an animal, or a
structure motif have been found in layers pre-dating the Sarasvati Civilization in the
excavations at Dholavira. He also notes a westward spread of the cultural styles
evidenced by the seals and adds that some Central Asian cultural elements spread
westward from Baluchistan, and one of these elements appeared in the "Central Asian
style" seal (Gotoh 1999) in the western area of the Indus plain during the Mehrgarh VII
period. http://bosei.cc.u-tokai.ac.jp/~indus/english/thesis01e.html (March, 2003).

The epigraphs point to a westward movement of Bharatiya into BMAC region apart from
trade contacts across the Persian Gulf with the Mesopotamian region.

The archaeological evidence, which has a bearing on the search for language(s) of the
civilization, is summed up succinctly by Kenoyer: "The origins of the Indus urban society
can be traced to the socio-economic interaction systems and settlement patterns of the
indigenous village cultures of the alluvial plain and piedmont. More importantly, the
factors leading to this transformation appear to be autochthonous and not derived from
direct stimulus or diffusion from West or Central Asia." (Kenoyer, J.M., 1991, Urban
process in the Indus traditon. A preliminary model from Harappa, in: Richard H.
Meadow ed., Harappan excavations 1986-1990, Madison, Wisconsin: Prehistory, p. 11).

Sites where evidences of Sarasvati writing system were found:
The site names and abbreviations used:

Major sites
M Mohenjodaro
H Harappa
L Lothal
K Kalibangan
C Chanhujo-daro
B Banawali
Rhd Rahman-dheri
Pk Pirak

Minor sites
Agr Alamgirpur

Jk Jhukar
Krs Khirsara
(Khera-shara, Netra)
Lh Lohumjo-
daro
Msk Maski
Mehi Mehi
Pbm Pabumath
Pbs Prabhas
Patan (Somnath)
Rgr Rakhigarhi

Ad Allahdino
(Nel Bazaar)
Ai Amri
Blk Bala-kot
Grb Gharo Bhiro
(Nuhato)
G Gumla
Hd Hissam-
dheri
Kl Kalako-
deray

Pg Periano-ghundai
Skh Sarai Khola
Sb Sibri-damb
Trq Tarakai
Qila
Ukn
ProvenanceUnknown
West Asian sites
Djoka (Umma)
Kish
Susa
22
Amri Amri
Ch Chandigarh
Dmd Daimabad
Dlp Desalpur
Dlv Dholavira
(Kotadi, Kotda-
Timba)
Hls Hulas
Rgp Rangpur
Rhr Rohirah
Rjd Rojdi
Rpr Rupar
(Ropar)
Sht Shahi-tump
Sktd Surkotada
Tkwd
Tarkhanewala-dera
Kd Kotdiji
Lwn Lewan-dheri
(Dar Dariz)
L III Loenbar III
Mr Mehrgarh
Nwd Naru-Waro-
daro
Ns Nausharo
Nd Nindo-wari-
damb
Telloh
Ur
Ukn (Prob. from W.
Asia)


23
Meaningful set of Signs to keep track of goods

Early potters marks from Rehman Dheri ca. 3500-2600 BCE [After Durrani et al. 1995].

Early script from Harappa, ca. 3300-
2600 BCE. [After Fig. 4.3 in JM Kenoyer,
1998].



These are early attempts at a writing system to keep track of good bartered in trade.
These could also include glyphs to constitute the calling card of the artisans who created
this writing system.

A remarkable breakthrough was achieved when it was recognized that some pictorials
of, for example, animals such as tiger, buffalo, bull, heifer, zebu can also be used in the
writing system using the rebus method: to connote sounds of words related to the
artisans work, similar to the words which denote graphically -- these animals. So was
a writing system born in Sarasvati civilization area.

That the glyph denoting the nave of a spoked-wheel occurs with two-short strokes
(barea, two) and ligatured with a dome on zebu seals and on inscribed weapon provides
a concordance on the general tenor of the message conveyed by the Dholavira Sign-
board: the workshop of a turner, kut.ha_ru, armourer, turner who could carve a
message into metal.

m298

at.ar a splinter; at.aruka to burst, crack, slit off, fly open; at.arcca splitting, a crack;
at.arttuka to split, tear off, open (an oyster)(Ma.); ad.aruni to crack (Tu.)(DEDR 66)
Rebus: aduru native metal (Ka.) kut.i = a slice, a bit, a small piece
(Santali.lex.Bodding) Rebus: kut.hi a furnace for smelting iron ore to smelt iron;
kolheko kut.hieda koles smelt iron (Santali) at.ar = a splinter (Ma.) aduru native metal
(Ka.) badhi to ligature, bandage, to splice (Santali) bad.hi worker in iron and wood
(Santali) hak to split (Bahnar); hak to tear; jik to cut (Stieng); gc? axe (Bonda) cf. paku
(pakuv-, pakk-) to be split, divided (Ta.) (DEDR 3808). Rebus: hako = axe (Santali)
Homograph: hako, bed.a hako a fish (Santali)
V123 V124
24
badhi = to ligature, to bandage, to splice, to join by successive rolls of a ligature
(Santali) Rebus: badhi worker in wood and iron (Santali) bata_ bamboo slips (Kur.);
bate = thin slips of bamboo (Malt.)(DEDR 3917).

sal = wedge joining the parts of a solid cart wheel (Santali.lex.) sal stake, spike, splinter,
thorn, difficulty (H.); sal.i_ small thin stick; sal.iyo bar, rod, pricker (G.); s'ol. reed
(Kho.)(CDIAL 12343). salleha, selleha = splinter (Ka.lex.) Rebus: sal workshop (Santali);
sa_la id. (Skt.) sa_la = workshop (B.) tat.t.ai = mechanism made of split bamboo for
scaring away parrots from grain fields (Ta.); tat.t.e = a thick bamboo or an areca-palm
stem, split in two (Ka.)(DEDR 3042). Rebus: tat.t.e = goldsmith (Kod.); tot.xin, tot.xn
goldsmith (To.); tat.t.a_n- gold or silver smith (Ta.); goldsmith (Ma .); tat.rava_~d.u =
goldsmith or silversmith (Te.); *t.hat.t.haka_ra brassworker (Skt.)(CDIAL 5493).


kurappam currycomb (Ta.Ma.); korapa, gorapa id. (Ka.); kurapamu, kor.apamu,
gor.apamu id. (Te.)(DEDR 1771). khara_ramu id. (Te.lex.) currycomb a comb consisting
of a series of upright serrated ridges, for grooming horses (English)(Doubleday lex.)[cf.
curry rub down with a comb and brush XIII cent.; Sp. correar prepare (wool) for use; OF.
correier arrange, equip, curry (a horse); curry favel rub down the fallow or chestnut
horse, which, for some obscure reason, was taken as a type of perfidy or duplicity;
hence curry-comb (ODEE).]

Glyph: khura = hoof (Santali)
V049 V084
Thigh = khura (Ka_tyS'r.), kuracu , kuraccai = horse's hoof (Ta.), kul.ampu = hoof (Ta.)
kur_aku (Ma.) ku_t.a = hip (Tu.) kurki = thigh (Go.)


cokho = sharp, keen-edged; coega = sharp, pointed (Santali.lex.) Rebus: jhoka_= one
whose business is to feed a furnace or an oven (P.)

khuro (N.) head of a spear; ks.ura (RV.), sharp barb of arrow (R.); khura_ iron nail to fix
ploughshare (H.) khura = razor (Pali) co_i, co_ sickle (Wg. < ks.auri_); ks.aura performed
with a razor (VarBr.S.); n. shaving (Skt.); ks.auri_ knife (Skt.); c.ho_ra knife (Dm.); c.hor
(Kal.)-- khaura razor (Pkt.influenced by Skt.)(CDIAL 3756). kuraga = an instrument of
25
goldsmiths; a sort of anvil (Ka.); khura_rya_ (M)(Ka.lex.) kura = ploughshare (L.);
kurelna_ to poke (P.); to dig (H.); kuredna_ to scrape (H.)(CDIAL 3319). [kora-mut.t.u =
tool, instrument (Ka.)]

Rebus: khura silver (Nk.); kuruku whiteness; kuru brilliancy (Ta.); kuro silver
(Kol.Nk.Go.)(DEDR 1782). koru = bar of metal (Ta.)

Seal impression, Ur (Upenn; U.16747) ); [After Edith Porada, 1971,
Remarks on seals found in the Gulf States. Artibus Asiae 33 (4): 331-7:
pl.9, fig.5]; Parpola, 1994, p. 183; water carrier with a skin (or pot?)
hung on each end of the yoke across his shoulders and another one
below the crook of his left arm; the vessel on the right end of his yoke
is over a receptacle for the water; a star on either side of the head
(denoting supernatural?). The two celestial objects depicted on either side of the water-
carriers head can be interpreted as a phonetic determinant: ko_l. planet. The whole
object is enclosed by 'parenthesis' marks. The parenthesis is perhaps a way of splitting
of the ellipse (Hunter, G.R., JRAS, 1932, 476). kut.i = a woman water-carrier (Te.) kut.i =
to drink; drinking, beverage (Ta.); drinking, water drunk after meals (Ma.); kud.t- to
drink (To.); kud.i to drink; drinking (Ka.); kud.i to drink (Kod.); kud.i right, right hand
(Te.); kut.i_ intoxicating liquor (Skt.)(DEDR 1654).Rebus: kut.hi a furnace for smelting
iron ore to smelt iron; kolheko kut.hieda koles smelt iron (Santali) kaca kupi scorpion
(Santali) Rebus kacc = iron (Go.)

Hunter calls it an unmistakable example of an 'hieroglyphic' seal. enclosure Signs of the
field: ( )

Sign 12 (80) is a ligature of kan.d.a kanka rim of pot + kut.i
water carrier. Rebus: kan.d.a kanka altar for copper + kut.hi metal furnace. ke~r.e~
ko~r.e~ an aboriginal tribe who work in brass and bell-metal (Santali)
Sign 15 is a
ligature of Sign 12 and Sign 342 Thus, Sign 15 can be orthographically read as: kola,
kol.i = water-carrier; khan.d.a kanka = rim of a jar. The rebus representation, i.e.
homonyms could be: kanaka = gold; kolhe = smelters of iron.]

26
V305 V307 ka_mat.hum
[Skt. kamat.ha a bamboo] a bow (G.lex.) ka_m.t.hi, Glyph: kamat.ha bamboo (Skt.)
ka_ca bhangi pole (Kuwi); ka_njui_ (pl. ka_ska) a banghi (Kuwi); ka_sa the shaft of a
ka_vr.i (Kond.aj. Kui); ka_nj carrying yoke (Kond.a); ka_nju id. (Kui.Kuwi); ka_ca, ka_ja
(Skt.); ka_ca, ka_ja (Pkt.); ka_a a yoke to support burdens (Pkt.); ka_ pole with ropes
hung on each end, used to carry loads on the shoulder (Ta.); ka_gad.i, ka_vad.i bamboo
lath or pole provided with slings at each end for the conveyance of pitchers (Ka.);
ka_nja_na_, ka_nj to carry on the shoulders (Go.); ka_vat.i pole used for carrying
burdens (Ta.); ka_vu to carry on the shoulder, bear anything heavy on the arms (Ta.);
ka_vu, ka_vat.i split bamboo with ropes suspended from each end for carrying burdens
(Ma.); ka_vad.i id. (Tu.); ka_vat.i, ka_vad.i id. (Te.); ka_vuka, ka_vikka to carry on a pole
(Ma.); ka_var.i carrying yoke (Kol.); ka_vr.i, ka_ver.i, ka_vir.(i); ka_har.i (Go.); ka_vr.i id.
(Mand. Pe.); ka_vad.a id. (Pkt.); ka_vad.ia one who carries burdens with yoke (Pkt.);
ka_war. carrying yoke (H.)(CDIAL 3009, 3011, 2760; DEDR 1417).ka_mat.hum [Skt.
kamat.ha a bamboo] a bow (G.lex.) kamat.ha = bamboo; kambi = shoot of bamboo;
karmuka = bow (Mn.); kamad.ha, kamad.haya = bamboo (Pkt.); ko_ro = bamboo poles
(Bhoj.); ka_mro bamboo, lath, pieces of wood (N.); ka_mvari bamboo pole with slings at
each end for carrying things (OAw.); ka~_war, ka_war., ka_war., ka_war (H.); ka_var.
(G.); ka_vad. (M.); ka_vad.ia, kavva_d.ia one who carries a yoke (Pkt.); ka~_war.i_,
ka~_war.iya_ (H.); ka_var.iyo (G.); ka_va_t.hi_ carrying pole (S.); ka_va_t.hyo the man
who carries it (S.); ka_mar.a_, ka_mur.a_ rafters of a thatched house (Or.); ka_mr.u~
chip of bamboo; ka_mar.-kot.iyu~ = bamboo hut (G.); ka_m.t.ha_ bow (B.); ka_mt.hu~
(G.); kamt.ha_, kamt.a_ bow of bamboo or horn (M.); ka_mt.hiyo archer (G.); kaba_ri
flat piece of bamboo used in smoothing an earthen image (A.); ka~_bi_t., ka~_bat.,
ka_~bt.i_, ka_mat., ka_mt.i_, ka_mt.hi_, ka_ma_t.hi_ split piece of bamboo etc., lath
(M.)(CDIAL 2760). ka_jaha_raka = bearer of a carrying-pole (Pali); ka_ha_ra = carrier of
water or other burdens (Pkt.)(CDIAL 3011). ka~d.i, ka~_d.i, ka_d.i (Te.), ka_har.i=
carrying yoke (Go.); ka_n~, ka~_j, ka_nj (Ga.) xa_xo_ = triangular frame made by folding
a bamboo stem used in pairs for carrying logs (Kur.); ka_nju_ (pl. ka_ska) = a banghi,
ka_nju (Pl. ka_ska) carrying yoke (Kuwi) Glyph: (palanquin bearer) ka_ma_t.i_ [komat.i_
(M.)] a caste of hindus who are generally palanquin bearers and labourers (G.); ka_m
work (G.) Substantive: ka_mat.ha_yo a learned carpenter or mason, working on
scientific principles (G.)
Rebus: kamat.amu, kammat.amu = portable furnace for melting precious metals (Te.)
kampat.t.am = mint (Ta.) kammat.i_d.u = a goldsmith, a silversmith (Te.) kampat.t.tam
coinage coin (Ta.); kammat.t.am kammit.t.am coinage, mint (Ma.); kammat.a id.;
kammat.i a coiner (Ka.)(DEDR 1236)
Ligature on Sign 28: dhanus bow (Skt.) dhan.i_ = the owner, the possessor (G.)

Glyph: kama_t.hiyo = archer; ka_mat.hum = a bow; ka_mad.i_, ka_mad.um = a chip of
bamboo (G.) ka_mat.hiyo a bowman; an archer (Skt.lex.)
27
Rebus: kamat.ha_yo a learned carpenter or mason, working on scientific principles
(Santali) kammat.a = mint, gold furnace (Te.)
h99-3819 Harvard Harappa Project.


kamat.ha = a crab, a tortoise (G.lex.) kamat.ha = tortoise (Skt.) kamad.ha,
kamat.ha, kamad.haka, kamad.haga, kamad.haya tortoise (Pkt.lex.) kamat.hamu =
a tortoise; kamat.hi = a female tortoise (Te.lex.)

(10) Sign 28 (50)

Ligature on Sign 28: dhanus bow (Skt.) dhan.i_ = the owner, the possessor (G.)

Glyph: kama_t.hiyo = archer; ka_mat.hum = a bow; ka_mad.i_, ka_mad.um = a chip of
bamboo (G.) ka_mat.hiyo a bowman; an archer (Skt.lex.)
Rebus: kamat.ha_yo a learned carpenter or mason, working on scientific principles
(Santali) kammat.a = mint, gold furnace (Te.)

culli = fireplace, kiln (Ka.)

me~t = the eye (Santali)

mer.go = with horns twisted back; mer.ha, m., mir.hi f.= twisted, crumpled, as a horn
(Santali.lex.)

mer.hao = to entwine itself, wind round, wrap around, roll up (Santali.lex.)

mer.ed, me~r.ed iron; enga mer.ed soft iron; sand.i mer.ed hard iron; ispa_t mer.ed
steel; dul mer.ed cast iron; i mer.ed rusty iron, also the iron of which weights are cast;
bicamer.ed iron extracted from stone ore; balimer.ed iron extracted from sand ore;
mer.ed-bica = iron stone ore, in contrast to bali-bica, iron sand ore (Mu.lex.)

d.han:gar trough; rebus: d.han:gara, t.hakkura,
'blacksmith'.

28
Relief spinner Louvre Sb2834.jpg Elamite epigraph of Susa. kut.he = leg of bedstead or
chair (Santali.lex.) Rebus: kut.hi a furnace for smelting iron ore to smelt iron; kolheko
kut.hieda koles smelt iron (Santali) kol tiger (Santali) [cf.tigers legs of the bedstead]
bed.a hako fish (Santali) Rebus: bed.a either of the sides of a hearth (G.) bhin.d.a a
lump, applied especially to the mass of iron taken from the smelting furnace (Santali)
[Early form of hako is ayo; rebus: ayas metal] Six: bat.a (G.); Rebus: bat.a furnace.

bat.a quail; rebus: bat.a furnace. Ligatured
glyph of bird and fish enclosed within () may thus be a homograph of : bat.a six = bat.a
quail. The fish may be read rebus: bed.a hearth; rebus: bed.a hako fish. hako fish;
rebus: hako axe. Could this be a representation of a special hearth used for casting
axes?

Thigh of a sitting person. urseal9Seal; BM 122945; U. 16181; dia. 2.25,
ht. 1.05 cm; Gadd PBA 18 (1932), p. 10, pl. II; each of four quadrants
terminates at the edge of the seal in a vase; each quadrant is
occupied by a naked figure, sitting so that, following round the circle,
the head of one is placed nearest to the feet of the preceding; two
figures clasp their hands upon their breasts; the other two spread out
the arms, beckoning with one hand. If the orthographic intent is to image a thigh; the
homonyms are: ukka_ thigh (RV); ukka_ furnace (Pkt.) Alternative: ku_t.i = hip (Kui);
ku_t.u = hip (Tu.); kut.a thigh (Pe.)(DEDR 1885); rebus: kut.hi = furnace (Santali)

Terracotta female, Gumla; Terracotta miniature plough; Jawaiwala,
Bahawalpur (Weiner, 1984, Figs. 187 and 188)

ukka_ thigh (Vedic) ukkalai the hips (Ta.); ukkal (Ma.); okkal, okkalai hip side of the
body (Par..a. 290); okku (Ma.)(Ta.lex.)

ukka_ furnace (Skt.) was- = fireplace (To.)(DEDR 2857).

Lothal050 cogu = food for birds (S.); cogga_ (L.); food for birds (P.)(CDIAL
4920). Rebus: jhoka_= one whose business is to feed a furnace or an oven
(P.)


29
xola_ = tail (Kur.); qoli = id. (Malt.)(DEDR 2135).

ko_l raft, float (Ta.Ka.); kola , raft (Skt.BHSkt.); kulla (Palli)(DEDR 2238)

ko_la decoration (Ka.); ko_lam = form (Ta.Ma.)(DEDR 2240).

Rebus: kol = metal (Ta.)

khut.i Nag. (Or. khut.i_) diminutive of khun.t.a, a peg driven into the ground, as for tying
a goat (Mundari.lex.)


m1181A 2222 Pict-80: Three-faced,
horned person (with a three-leaved pipal branch on the
crown), wearing bangles and armlets and seated, in a yogic
posture, on a hoofed platform

kun.d.a firepit (Skt.)

kundu = to sit (Ta.); kun.d.aru =,. kun.d.ru = to fall so as to sit
on the ground (Ka.lex.) kun.d.ru, kun.d.aru, kul.ir, kul.l.ir, kul.l.iru, ku_d.aru, ku_d.ru = to
sit down (Ka.) kun.d.rike, kun.d.arike = sitting down or on; that on which one sits down,
as a mat, a cumbly (Ka.lex.) kudikilu, kudikilabad.u = to squat down (Te.lex.) kul.iyu,
kul.irdu, kul.tu, kul.l.atu, kul.l.ardu, ku_tu, kuntu = having sat down (Ka.lex.) kuntu
(kunti-) to sit on the heels with legs folded upright, squat; n. sitting on the heels,
squatting (Ta.); kuttuka = to squat, sit on ones heels (Ma.); kuton.u = to sit (Tu.); gontu-
gu_rcun.du to squat, sit with the soles of the feet fully on the ground and the buttocks
touching it or close to it; kudikilu, kudikila~bad.u to squat down; kundika_l.l.u,
kundikundika_l.l.u = a boys game like leapfrog; kunde_lu hare (Te.); kud- to sit; kuttul =
a stool to sit on (Go.)(DEDR 1728).

The glyph of seated person may be analysed with reference to the orthographic details
depicted in two parts: one above the waist and the other below the waist.

Glyphs above the waist seem to depict the semant. of kiln, furnace. Glyphs below the
waist seem to depict the semant. of workshop.

The substantive property item conveyed by the message is a kiln or furnace (cul.l.ai) for
native metal (aduru).

cul.l.i = dry twigs, small stick, branch (Ta.); a dry spray, sprig, brushwood; cul.l.ai = a chip,
fuel stick (Ma.); long pliable stick, stalk of plant (Ko.)(DEDR 2706).

30
cu_l.i = scales of fish (Ma.)(DEDR 2740).

cuila, coelo = sharp, pointed (Santali) su_la, su_le, sul.a, su_la, su_l.a = a sharp or
pointed weapon: a pike, a spear, a lance; su_li = spearman; su_lika = piercing, killing
(Ka.)

cu_l = pregnancy; cu_li = pregnant woman (Ta.); cu_l = pregnancy (Ma.Ka.); cu_lu =
pregnancy, child, offspring; cu_li = child, offspring; cu~_d.i = pregnancy (Te.); su_l
pregnant (animal)(Kuwi)(DEDR 2733).

Rebus: culli = a fireplace, a cooking stove, ole (Ka.) culli = a fireplace, a hearth, a funeral
pile (Te.) cula_ sagad.i_ = a portable hearth or stove of iron, clay etc. (G.) culi_, culd.i_ =
a small fireplace, a hearth; culo, cu_l, cu_lo = a fireplace, the hearth; a stove (G.) culha =
a fireplace; mit achia culha = a fireplace with one opening; bar achia culha = a fireplace
with two openings (Santali) cul.l.ai = potters kiln, furnace (Ta.); cu_l.ai furnace, kiln,
funeral pile (Ta.); cul.l.a potters furnace; cu_l.a brick kiln (Ma.); culli_ fireplace (Skt.);
culli_, ulli_ id. (Pkt.)(CDIAL 4879; DEDR 2709). sulgao, salgao to light a fire; sen:gel, sokol
fire (Santali.lex.) hollu, holu = fireplace (Kuwi); sod.u fireplace, stones set up as a
fireplace (Mand.); ule furnace (Tu.)(DEDR 2857).

[Together with (1) cu_d.a_, bracelets, a number of other phonetic detrminatives are
used in the orthography of the horned, seated person: (2) cu_d.a_, cu_la_, cu_liya_
tigers mane (Pkt.) [note the mane on the face]; (3) cu_d.a, head-dress. The rebus
substantive points to: cu_l.ai, kiln, furnace].

Mane ul.a (IL 1240)
ur..a = kings paraphernalia (Ma.)

Rebus: aduru native metal (Ka.)

The face is depicted with bristles of hair, representing a tigers mane.

cu_d.a_, cu_la_, cu_liya_ tigers mane (Pkt.)(CDIAL 4883)

ka_ruvu = mechanic, artisan, Vis'vakarma, the celestial artisan (Te.); -ga_re = affix of
noun denoting one who does it, e.g. samaga_re = cobbler (Tu.); garuva (Ka.); gar_uva =
an important man (Te.) garia = in comp. Possessed of; doer or agent; badgaria = wise;
bal garia = strong (Santali.lex.) gar [Skt. kr.; karavum = to do] a suffix found at the end of
compounds, showing the doer of an action; soda_gar = a seller; ka_ri_-gar = an artisan
(G.lex.) If the pubes of the woman with spread out thighs are connoted by kut.hi,
furnace; the pictorial motif together with a foetus emerging out of the thights is
intended to connote a furnace-artisan: kut.hi-gar_uva (pubes, foetus) or, alternatively:
kut.hi-garu (furnace-mould).

31
ka_ruvu = mechanic, artisan, Vis'vakarma, the celestial artisan (Te.);
ga_re = affix of noun denoting one who does it, e.g. samaga_re = cobbler (Tu.); garuva
(Ka.); gar_uva = an important man (Te.) cf. ka_ra suffix. 'worker' (Skt.)

Bristles, erection of hair of the body: garu, gaguru (Te.) [Note the imagery of bristles on
the face of the seated person, almost looking like a tigers mane. The tiger's mane is:
cu_l.a; rebus: cu_l.a 'furnac, kiln' + bristles 'garu'; rebus: ga_re 'important person,
worker'; thus the composite glyph can be read as: cu_l.a ga_re 'furnace-kiln worker'].
See also: Mane ul.a (IL 1240) ur..a = kings paraphernalia (Ma.)

karu = embossed work, bas-relief (Ta.); karukku (Ta.) karavi, karu, garu = a mould (Tu.)
karuvi = tool (Ta.)[Thus, when tablets are embossed with glyphs to create objects in bas-
relief, the artisan is trying to denote the nature of the function carried out by the ga_re
'important person'; for example, when a tree is so depicted, it may represent kut.hi
ga_re 'furnace worker'.]

Foetus karuvu, karugu (Te.) [Rebus: -ga_re 'important person, worker'. See the glyph
of foetus emanating from a woman with her thighs spread out and lying upside down.
kut.hi 'pubes'; rebus: kut.hi 'smelting furnace'; hence, the composite glyph connotes:
kut.hi ga_re = furnace worker.]

The person wears bangles on his arms, from wrist to fore-arm.

cu_d.a = bracelet (Skt.); cu_d.a, cu_la bracelet (Pkt.);. cu_r.o (S.); cu_r., cu_r.a_ (L.P.);
cur.o (Ku.); curo, curi (N.); suri_ a kind of ornament (A.); cu_r., cur.a_ bracelet (B.);
cu_r.i_ (Or.Mth.); cu_ra_ anklet, bracelet (OAw.); cu_r.a_ ring on elephants tusk,
bracelet; cu_r.i_ bangle (H.); cu_r., cu_r.i_, cu_r.o (G.); cud.a_ (M.)(CDIAL 4883). chur.
bangle, bracelet (P.) chhura_ (P.) tsud.o, tsude.a_ (Kon.); suri, surye (Kon:kan.i) [Note
the glyph of a horned, seated person wearing bracelets from wrist to forearm]

Alternative rebus of glyphs of person seated on a platform: hasani furnace; asani
seated; pin.d.i platform; Rebus: bhin.d.ia a lump, applied especially to the mass of
iron taken from the smelting furnace.

The person wears a headdress with twigs; the glyph can be represented by two lexical
clusters.

cul.li = dry twigs, small stick, branch (Ta.); a dry spray, sprig, brushwood (Ma.); cul.l.ai a
chip, fuel stick; nul.l.i small sticks for firewood (Ma.); cul.k long pliable stick, stalk of
plant (Ko.)(DEDR 2706).

ad.aru twig; ad.iri small and thin branch of a tree; ad.ari small branches (Ka.); ad.aru
twig (Tu.)(DEDR 67). Cf. at.artti = thickly grown as with bushes and branches (Ta.) d.ar a
32
branch; dare a tree; a plant; to grow well; ban: darelena it did not grow well; toa dare
mother, the support of life (Santali)
cavul.am, caul.am = tufted hair; cu_d.a_karumam (Ta.lex.). cu_d.a_ = topknot on head;
cu_lika_ cockscomb (Skt.); cu_la_ ceremony of tonsure (which leaves the topknot)(Skt.);
cu_l.a = crest; cu_l.a_ topknot (Pali); cu_d.a_, cu_la_, cu_liya_ topknot, peacock;s crest
(Pkt.); cula_ hair of head, lock, headdress (B.); cu_r. topknot, ceremony of tonsure
(H.)(CDIAL 4883). cu_l.war = a grown-up woman wearing all her plaits of hair
(Kho.)(CDIAL 4886). caud.a = relating to tonsure (skt.); caula (Mn.A_svGr.); co_laa
shaving the head (Pkt.); col.e~ tonsure of a childs head (M.)(CDIAL 4936). [Note the
seven women with plaited hair: cavul.a [plaited hair; rebus: cavat.u, lead-silver ore
(fullers earth) + bagala_ (pleiades; rebus: ban:gala_ goldsmiths furnace); the reading is:
cavat.u ban:gala_ = furnace for lead-silver ore].

Stone Quarry

pan.e ground that is worked; tillage; a quarry (Ka.Ma.); pan.ai, pan.n.ai (Ta.); pan.n.eya,
pan.ya, pan.e a farm, a landed estate (Ka.lex.) ba_n:ggar land dependent on rainfall;
hard, barren soil (P.lex.) cf. va_n-am-pa_rtta-pu_mi id. (Ta.lex.) banjri land irrigated by
canal water alone (P.lex.) pan.e quarry; kalpan.e quarry where red laterite stones are
cut (Tu.lex.) pan.ai, pan.n.ai agricultural tract, garden (Ta.); pan.a ground which is
worked (including stone-quarry (Ma.)(DEDR 3891). pad.uku stone (Te.); pan.ku id.
(Kond.a)(DEDR 3890).

pan.ai pipal (Ta.); pan.i id. (Ka.)(DEDR 3895).

phan.i_, phan.i_dhar, phan.i_ndra a large serpent (G.); phan.a_, phan.i_ the hood of a
serpent (G.); phen.a [Dh. Des. phad.a_; Hem. Des. phad.am fr. Skt. phan.a_] the hood of
a snake (G.) pat.am cobras hood (Ta.Ma.); ped.e id. (Ka.); pad.aga id. (Te.); par.ge,
bar.ak, bar.ki, bir.ki hood of sepent (Go.); (s)phat.a, sphat.a_ a serpents expanded hood
(Skt.); phad.a_ id. (Pkt.)(DEDR App. 47; CDIAL 9040).

d.hon.d.-phod.o [M. dhon.d.a_, a stone] a stone-cutter, a stone-mason; d.hon:d.-jhod..o
[M. dhon.d.a_ a stone + jhod.avum] a stone-cutter; a stone-mason; d.hon.d.o a stone; a
blockhead; a stupid person (G.)

dho~n.d. a species of snake found in water; bitkil dho~n.d., raj dho~n.d., ayan: dho~n.d.
(Santali) d.ond.ya_ water-snake (Kol.); d.ond.uli, dho_ndi_ (Go.); < dun.d.ubha
(Skt.)(DEDR 2985; CDIAL 6411)
i
.

That silver metal --khura--is conveyed by the glyph (hoof on the legs of the stool) is
reinforced on other epigraphs where a person is shown seated on a stool.
m0453At m453BC 1629 Pict-82 Person
33
seated on a pedestal flanked on either side by a kneeling adorant and a hooded serpent
rearing up.

h95-2485 sides 1 and 2.
Harvard Harappa Project.
The bunch of twigs =
ku_di_, ku_t.i_ (Skt.lex.)
ku_di_ (also written as
ku_t.i_ in manuscripts)
occurs in the Atharvaveda
(AV 5.19.12) and Kaus'ika
Su_tra (Bloomsfield's ed.n,
xliv. cf. Bloomsfield, American Journal of Philology, 11,
355; 12,416; Roth, Festgruss an Bohtlingk, 98) denotes it as a twig. This is identified as
that of Badari_, the jujube tied to the body of the dead to efface their traces. (See Vedic
Index, I, p. 177). Rebus: kut.hi a furnace for smelting iron ore to smelt iron; kolheko
kut.hieda koles smelt iron (Santali) kaca kupi scorpion (Santali) Rebus kacc = iron (Go.)

Substantive: aduru native metal.

ad.rna_ to twist back ones limbs or bend the body inward
(as under threat of a blow)(Kur.); ad.re to strut; ad.ro a
swaggerer (Malt.)(DEDR 108). [cf. the glyphs of antelope
and tiger with their heads turned backwards.]

ad.aru twig; ad.iri small and thin branch of a tree; ad.ari small branches (Ka.); ad.aru
twig (Tu.)(DEDR 67).

Goblet, black on red slip, Nausharo ID, Kachi Plain, Baluchistan (After Samzun, A., 1992,
Observations on the characteristics of the pre-Harappan remains, pottery, and artifacts
at Naudsharo, Pakistan (2700-2500 BCE) in: C. Jarrige, ed., South Asian Archaeology
1989, 245-252, Madison, Wisc.: 250, fig. 29.4, no.2, Mission Archeologique de Indus.
Goblet. Mundigak IV, 1, eastern Afthanistan (After Casal, J.M., 1961, Fouilles de
Mundigak, I-II, Memoires de la delegation archeologique francaise en Afghanistan 17,
Paris. II: fig. 64, no.171, Delegation Archeologique Francaise en Afghanistan.

Kalibangan029 8018 ad.aren lid; rebus: aduru native metal

Portable stove of a goldsmith, ban:gala

34
ban:gala = kumpat.i = an:ga_ra sakat.i_ = a chafing dish a portable stove
a goldsmiths portable furnace (Te.lex.) cf. ban:garu ban:garamu = gold (Te.lex.)

V403 ban:gad.i_ a bangle, a
bracelet of glass, gold, or other material, worn on the wrist by women (G.lex.) bhagan.a
= a bangle (IA 19)(IEG) ban:gan = bangle (cf. Ka_li_ban:gan, black bangle: name of a site
on River Sarasvati banks)

bahula_ = Pleiades (Skt.) bagal.a_ = name of a certain godess (Te.lex.) bagal.a_, bagal.e,
vagala_ (Ka.); bakala_, bagal.a_, vagal.a_ (Te.); bagal.a_devi = one of the sakti deities by
means of which one may shut the mouth of an opponent, etc. (Ka.lex.) bakkula = a
demon, uttering horrible cries, a form assumed by the Yakkha Ajakala_paka, tto terrify
the Buddha (Pali.lex.) bahula_ pl. the Pleiades (VarBr.S.); bahulika_ pl. (Skt.); bahul
(Kal.); ba_l, baul, balh (Kho.); bol, boul, bolh (Kho.); bale (Sh.)(CDIAL 9195). bahulegal. =
the Pleiades or Kr.ittika_-s (Ka.lex.) bahula_ (VarBr.S.); bahul (Kal.) six presiding female
deities: vahula_ the six presiding female deities of the Pleiades (Skt.); va_kulai id.
(Ta.)(Ta.lex.) 5719.Image: pleiades: bahulika_ pl. pleiades; bahula born under the
pleiades; the pleiades (Skt.lex.) bahule, bahulegal. the pleiades or kr.ttika_s (Ka.)(Ka.lex.)
Image: female deities of the pleiades: va_kulai < vahula_ the six presiding female deities
of the Pleiades; va_kule_yan- < va_kule_ya Skanda (Ta.lex.) pa_kulam < ba_hula the
month of Ka_rttikai = November-December; pa_kul.i full moon in the month of
purat.t.a_ci (Vina_yakapu. 37,81)(Ta.lex.) ba_hule_ya Ka_rttike_ya, son of S'iva; ba_hula
the month ka_rttika (Skt.Ka.)(Ka.lex.)

bha_gal.a = a gate in the
wall of a town; the precincts of a village; bazaar (G.lex.)

bagalo = an Arabian merchant vessel (G.lex.) bagala = an Arab boat of a particular
description (Ka.); bagala_ (M.); bagarige, bagarage = a kind of vessel (Ka.)(Ka.lex.)

bakhor. = teeth of a comb (Santali.lex.) kangha (IL 1333)
kan:g = brazier, fireplace (K.)(IL 1332) kan:kata = comb (Te.) Rebus: kan:gar = portable
furnace (K.)


35
va_holo = adze; vahola_ = mattock; bahola_ = a kind of adze (P.lex.)
Rebus: ban:gala = kumpat.i = an:ga_ra sakat.i_ = a chafing dish, a portable stove, a
goldsmiths portable furnace (Te.lex.) cf. ban:garu, ban:garamu = gold (Te.lex.)

va_holo = adze; vahola_ = mattock; bahola_ = a kind of adze (P.lex.)
Rebus: ban:gala = kumpat.i = an:ga_ra sakat.i_ = a chafing dish, a portable stove, a
goldsmiths portable furnace (Te.lex.) cf. ban:garu, ban:garamu = gold (Te.lex.)

Fire-pit, furnace, kulme

kolime, kolume, kulame, kulime, kulume, kulme fire-pit, furnace (Ka.); kolimi furnace
(Te.); pit (Te.); kolame a very deep pit (Tu.); kulume kanda_ya a tax on blacksmiths (Ka.);
kol, kolla a furnace (Ta.) kole.l smithy, temple in Kota village (Ko.); kwala.l Kota smithy
(To.); konimi blacksmith; kola id. (Ka.); kolle blacksmith (Kod.); kollusa_na_ to mend
implements; kolsta_na, kulsa_na_ to forge; ko_lsta_na_ to repair (of plough-shares);
kolmi smithy (Go.); kolhali to forge (Go.)(DEDR 2133).] kolimi-titti = bellows used for a
furnace (Te.lex.) kollu- to neutralize metallic properties by oxidation (Ta.lex.) kol brass or
iron bar nailed across a door or gate; kollu-t-tat.i-y-a_n.i large nail for studding doors or
gates to add to their strength (Ta.lex.) kollan--kamma_lai < + karmas'a_la_, kollan--
pat.t.arai, kollan-ulai-k-ku_t.am blacksmith's workshop, smithy (Ta.lex.) cf. ulai smith's
forge or furnace (Na_lat.i, 298); ulai-k-kal.am smith's forge; ulai-k-kur-at.u smith's tongs;
ulai-t-turutti smith's bellows; ulai-y-a_n.i-k-ko_l smith's poker, beak-iron (Ta.lex.)
[kollulaive_r-kan.alla_r: nait.ata. na_t.t.up.); mitiyulaikkollan- mur-iot.ir.r.an-n-a:
perumpa_)(Ta.lex.) Temple; smithy: kol-l-ulai blacksmith's forge (kollulaik ku_t.attin-a_l :
Kumara. Pira. Ni_tiner-i. 14)(Ta.lex.) cf. kolhua_r sugarcane milkl and boiling house (Bi.);
kolha_r oil factory (P.)(CDIAL 3537). kulhu a hindu caste, mostly oilmen (Santali)
kolsa_r = sugarcane mill and boiling house (Bi.)(CDIAL 3538).

kola_ burning charcoal (L.P.); ko_ila_ burning charcoal (L.P.N.); id. (Or.H.Mth.), kolla
burning charcoal (Pkt.); koilo dead coal (S.); kwelo charcoal (Ku.); kayala_ charcoal (B.);
koela_ id. (Bi.); koilo (Marw.); koyalo (G.)(CDIAL 3484). < Proto-Munda. ko(y)ila = kuila
black (Santali): all NIA forms may rest on ko_illa.] koela, kuila charcoal; khaura to
become charcoal; ker.e to prepare charcoal (Santali.lex.)

(29) Sign 178 (35) Tree Field symbol 44 (6)

Grapheme: ko_lemu = the backbone (Te.)

2949 Dotted circles 2950 Rojdi
36

PLUS a number of variants and with ligatures: Signs162, 167, 169,
387,389 +variants; Ligatures: Signs163, 166-6, 168, 90,
91,223,224,227,235.262,270,273,274, 282,283,291,331, 347-352, 355-357,371,372,
388-390,395,405

kolom = cutting, graft; to graft, engraft, prune; kolom dare kana = it is a grafted tree;
kolom ul = grafted mango; kolom gocena = the cutting has died; kolom kat.hi hor.o = a
certain variety of the paddy plant (Santali); kolom (B.); kolom mit = to engraft; kolom
porena = the cutting has struck root; kolom kat.hi = a reed pen (Santali.lex.) cf. kolom =
a reed, a reed-pen (B.); qalam (Assamese.Hindi); kolma hor.o = a variety of the paddy
plant (Desi)(Santali.lex.Bodding) kolom baba = the threshed or unthreshed paddy on the
threshing floor; kolom-ba_rum = the weight a man carries in taking the paddy from the
threshing floor to his house; kolom = a threshing floor (Mundari); cf. kal.am (Tamil)
[Note the twig adoring the head-dress of a horned, standing person]

ku_l.e stump (Ka.) [ku_li = paddy (Pe.)] xo_l = rice-sheaf (Kur.) ko_li = stubble of jo_l.a
(Ka.); ko_r.a = sprout (Kui.) ko_le = a stub or stump of corn (Te.)(DEDR 2242). kol.ake,
kol.ke, the third crop of rice (Ka.); kolake, kol.ake (Tu.)(DEDR 2154) [kural = corn-ear
(Ta.)]

Five-petalled plant or five-branched shrub

m1123 kolma hor.o a variety of rice plant (Santali.lex.)
kolame furnace, smithy, forge (Ka.)

Are these Signs 162 and 169 distinct are simply homographs, connoting the same
word?
37

Given the orthographic
representation of five-petals on Sign
169, this glyptic representation of a
sprout can be related to another
unique 5-petalled plant, tabernae
montana shown on Ur cylinder seal
with taberna montana plant, BM
122947; Signs 162 and 169 Based on
this identification, we can conclude that Sign 162 denoted kolma rice-plant; while Sign
169 denoted tagara, tin.

tagara wave (Si.)(CIDAL 5699).

tagar = to be stopped or impeded; to impede (Ka.lex.) [cf. the motif of a person holding
back tigers or bulls on either side].

tagr.a = large, massive, strong; tagoj = strength (Santali.lex.)

tagar. = a trough; tagar.re surti ar cunko sipia they mix surti and lime in a trough
(Santali.lex.) taga_rum [Pers. tagarih] a bricklayers trough; a hod (G.lex.)

ero = watering place for cattle (G.) Rebus: era, eraka copper (Ka.)

Tub: go_lemu (Te..) gollemu, gol.l.emu (Te.) Rebus: kolame furnace (Ka.)

tagara = ram (Te.lex.); takaram (Ta.lex.); t.agaru, t.agara, t.igaru, tagar = a ram (Ka.);
tagara, tan:gad.i_ (H.M.); tagade_ra, tagate_ra = having a ram for his vehicle: fire
(Ka.)(Ka.lex.) Old Tamil: takar 1. sheep; 2. ram; 3. goat; 4. aries in the zodiac; 5. male
ya_r..i 6. male elephant; 7. male shark. t.agarudaleya, t.agarutaleya = daks.abrahmanu,
Daks.a, the son of Brahma_, father of Durga_ and father-in-law of Siva, who on one
occasion celebrated a great sacrifice to obtain a son, but omitted to invite Siva,
wherefore Siva interrupted the sacrifice, and by his incarnation Vi_rabhadra had Daks.a
decapitated; for the decapitated head that of a ram was substituted (Ka.lex.)
4080.Images: ram; male elephant; male shark: takar sheep, ram, goat, male of certain
other animals (porutakar ta_kkar-ku-p- pe_run takaittu : Kural.486); male elephant;
male shark (Ta.lex.) (ya_l.i, elephant, shark)(Ta.); takaran huge, powerful as a man, bear,
etc. (Ma.); tagar, t.agaru, t.agara, t.egaru ram (Ka.) tagaru, t.agaru id. (Tu.); tagaramu,
tagaru id. (Te.); tagar id. (M.)(DEDR 3000). tan:gad.i_, tagara a ram (M.H.); tagade_ra
having a ram for his vehicle: fire; tagarven.agisu to cause rams to fight (Ka.lex.) da_dlo
bokro ram (Kon.lex.) [cf. kara_ male alligator; kar.e_n.u elephant (Ta.lex.)]
38

Alloy: tara_ alloy of 8 parts of copper to 5 of tin, used for making metal vessels
(pukar..tara_-p-po_kkillai) (Cine_n-. 169)(Ta.lex.)

Rebus glyph: ta_ra_ = stars (Skt.)

tagad.o = [Skt. trika a group of three] the figure three (3)(G.lex.) [Note. Three persons
shown next to a tree on a tablet].

panjhar ribs; rebus: pasra smithy; vikalpa: ko_lemmu = the backbone
(Te.lex.) Rebus: kolame furnace (Ka.)

Pictorial motifs of spearing or killing

koru, kori, korru to kill (Kor.) kol to kill (Ta.) kola = killing, e.g. a_d.ukola = woman-
slaying (Te.) kol =metal (Ta.) go.l- (god.d.-) to beat, shoot with bow; god. to cut with axe
(Kol.); gor.- (got.-) to strike, beat, kill (Nk.); kol. (kol.v-, kon.t.-) to strike, hurt; ko_l.
killing, murder (Ta.); kol.ka (kon.t.-) to hit, take effect, come in contact (Ma.); kol.l.ikka
to hit; ko_l. hitting, wound, damage (Ma.); kol.-/kon.- (kod.-)
to pain, trouble (Ko.); kwil. (kwid.-) to quarrel (To.); kon.pini
to hit; kol.puni, kolpuni to come into collision (Tu.); konu to
be pierced as by an arrow (Te.)(DEDR 2152).

kulai = a hare
(Santali)

Rebus: koru a bar of metal (Tu.)

The act of throwing a spear may be connoted by
lexemes: d.an:gara, d.a_n:gara = throwing
(Skt.lex.) Rebus: d.hangar blacksmith (H.)

xolla_ (Kur.) razor


The motif of a figure grasping two felines (usually tigers) by the neck is found on
another tablet from Harappa (the twisted terracotta example illustrated) and on tablets
and seals from Mohenjo-daro. One of those from Mohenjo-daro appears to depict a
male with genitalia (Parpola, 1994, p. 247 and Franke-Vogt, 1991; Taffel XXXV: 248).
Other examples are not so clear, but they have usually been assumed to represent
males. As a likely female, the figure from Harappa conforms in sex with depiction of a
39
composite female-bovine figure grasping a horned tiger on a seal from Mohenjo-daro
(Franke-Vogt, 1991: Taffel XXXVI: 263). A Parpola (1994, p. 246) points out, the contest
motif is one of the most conincing and widely accepted parallels between Harappan and
Near Eastern glyptic art. In the Harappan case, however, bulls and lions are replaced by
tigers, and females as well as males are depicted as hero(ine). Another interesting
feature of the tablets is that whereas the bovine especially are depicted as clearly male,
the sex of the huian figures is often not so evident. [Richard Meadow and Jonathan
Mark Kenoyer, 1997, Excavations at Harappa 1994-1995: new perspectives on the Indus
scriptl, craft activities, and city organization, in: Raymond Allchin and Bridget Allchin,
1997, South Asian Archaeology 1995, Oxford and IBH Publishing].

"We have found two other broken tablets at Harappa that appear to have been made
from the same mold that was used to create the scene of a deity battling two tigers and
standing above an elephant. One was found in a room located on the southern slope of
Mount ET in 1996 and another example comes from excavations on Mound F in the
1930s. However, the flat obverse of both of these broken tablets does not show the
spearing of a buffalo, rather it depicts the more well-known scene showing a tiger
looking back over its shoulder at a person sitting on the branch of a tree. Several other
flat or twisted rectangular terracotta tablets found at Harappa combine these two
narrative scenes of a figure strangling two tigers on one side of a tablet, and the tiger
looking back over its shoulder at a figure in a tree on the other side." [JM Kenoyer, 1998,
p. 115].

Feline figurine terracotta. A womans face and headdress are shown. The base has a
hole to display it on a stick. (After JM Kenoyer/Courtesy Dept. of Archaeology and
Museums, Govt. of Pakistan).

It appears that the person holding back the two rearing jackals on the tablet is a woman:
ko_l woman (Nahali); dual. ko_lhilt.el (Sudhibhushan Bhattacharya, Field-notes on
Nahali, Ind. Ling. 17, 1957, p. 247); kola = bride, sons (younger brothers) wife (Kui) ko_l
is a phonetic determinative of the two jackals, kol tiger; rebus: kol metal (Ta.)

The decoding of woman glyph on the tablet as a phonetic determinative of kol tiger
gains surprising validation from a ligatured terracotta image of a feline tiger with a
womans face and headdress..

Mesopotamia. Cylinder seal, ca. 2254-2220 BCE
(mature); ceramic; cat. 79; two groups in combat. A
naked, bearded hero wrestles with a water buffalo,
and a bull-man wrestles with a lion. In the centre:
inscription (unread). Appears to be recut. Pictorial
motif: Person grappling with two tigers standing on
either side of him and rearing on their hindlegs.

40

Person throwing a spear at a buffalo and placing one foot on the
head of the buffalo. 2279 seal impression, Mohenjodaro (DK
8165); after Mackay 1938: pl.88, no.279

ad.arincu, ad.arucu caus. of ad.a.ru = to shoot as a missile (Te.)

aduru = native metal (Ka.)

homa = bison (Ko.)

soma = electrum (Skt.); hom = gold (Ka.)

Motif of buffalo horns is
combined with six-pointed
star. [After Parpola, 1994,
Fig. 14.19: Painted pottery, c.
3000-2600 BCE. a. Kot Diji,
Sind; b,c. Gumla, NW
Frontier Province; d. Burzahom, a Kashmir Neolithic site.
After H.D. Sankalia, 1974, The prehistory and
protohistory of Bha_rata and Pakistan. Poona, 354, fig.
88: k].

Buffalo's horns. Gumla, NW Frontier province. After Sankalia 1974: 354, fig. 88: b (=b), c
(=c)

Buffaloes sitting with legs bent in yogic a_sana. Susa Cc-Da, ca. 3000-2750 BC, proto-
Elamite seals: (a-c) After Amiet 1972: pl. 25, no. 1017 (=a); and Amiet 1980a: pl. 38, nos.
581-2 (b-c)

sal Indian gaur; sal sakwa horns of indian gaur.

Furnace or forge of a smith; a goldsmith's smelting pot; torch: ukka_ (Vedic ulka_ and
ulkus.i_; Latin volcanus; Old Irish olca_n to be fiery) firebrand, glow of fire, torch; tin.-
ukka_ firebrand of dry grass; ukka_ a furnace or forge of a smith; a meteor; ukka_-
dha_ra a torch-bearer; ukka_-pa_ta falling of a firebrand, a meteor; ukka_-mukha the
opening or receiver of a furnace, a goldsmith's smelting pot = kamma_r'uddhana (Pali);
ukka_cana_ enlightening, clearing up, instruction; ukka_cita enlightened, made bright;
(fig.) or cleaned, cleared up; ukka_ceti to bale out water, to empty by means of buckets
(Pali)(Pali.lex.) Image: fireplace: cf. cu_l.ai kiln, furnace,
funeral pile (Ta.); culli_, ulli_ fireplace (Pkt.)(DEDR
41
2709)(CDIAL 4879). huko, hukko [Hem. Des. ukka_ fr. Skt. ulka_ a firebrand; Arabic
hukka a casket] a smoking apparatus; a hukkah (G.) huka the hooka, the hubble bubble
(Santali) sukar evening star (Santali.lex.) cukkai star (Ta.); cukka star (Te.); cikke, cikki
star (Ka.); sukka star (Kol.); cukka (c = ts) id. (Nk.); cukkin id. (Nk.); cukka id. (Pa.); sukka
star (Ga.); sukkum, huko, hukka, hukkom, hukka, ukkum, ukka, ukam id. (Go.); suka id.
(Kond.a); huka (pl. -n) id.; hukeran, hukerin (pl. only recorded) stars (Pe.); hukerin id.
(Mand..); suka star (Kui); hu_ka, hukka id.; suk'erika stars (Kuwi)(DEDR 2646).
http://www.hindunet.org/saraswati/dictionary/2863TO.HTM 3132.Bright; handsome:
s'ukra bright; brightness (RV.); s'ukla bright, white (AitBr.); bright half of month (Gr.S'r.);
sukka bright (Pali); s'ukar pretty, pleasant; s'uka_r quietly (Gypsy); s'u_kri naked
(woman)(Kal.); chuk good fortune (N.); suk bright, white; bright half of month (H.);
su_kad.i sandal-wood (OG.); sukhar. (G.); sukkila, sukkilla bright, white (Pkt.); s'ukl.i_
moon; s'uklo_ white (WPah.); s'ukula white (D..); sukilo white, shining (Ku.N.); xukula_
(A.); sukka planet, star (Pali); sukka the planet Venus (Pkt.); s'u_k-ta_ra_ (WPah.); suk-
ta_ra_ Venus (B.); su_k, suk Venus, Friday (H.); su_k Venus (M.)(CDIAL 12506).

Meteor, to shine ul.ku, ul.uku (Ka.); ulka_ (Skt.); ul.ku = to shine (Ka.); ukka_ (Pkt.)
[Note two stars shown as phonetic determinants of a water-carrier on a Mesopotamian
Gadd seal]. ukka_, stars; rebus: ukka_, furnace; ka_~vad.iyo, water-carrier; rebus:
kamat.ha_yo, carpenter; alternative: kut.i woman water-carrier; rebus: kut.hi
furnace.


sukerika stars (Kuwi)(DEDR 2646) sukar, sukor the planet vennus as evening star
(Santali) Rebus: sokol fire (Santali)

Buffalo-horned divinity. Painting on a jar. Kot Diji. C.
2800-2600 BCE [After Khan 1965, pl. XVIIb; cf. Fig. 2.25
in JM Kenoyer, 1998, Ancient cities of the Indus Valley
Civilization, Karachi, Oxford University Press].
http://www.heritage.gov.pk/html_Pages/history1.html


mu~he~ = face; rebus: mu~ha_ = quantity of iron
smelted at one time in the earthen furnace of the Kolhes (Santali)

kad.a buffalo (Santali); Rebus: kad.iyo [Hem. Des. kad.a-i-o = Skt. sthapati a mason] a
bricklayer; a mason (G.)
Painted pottery, Mehergarh.
42
http://www.heritage.gov.pk/html_Pages/history1.html




bat., bat.e = a road; bat. par.a = a highwayman, a spy (Santali.lex.) bhat.akavum [Skt.
bhra_nta wandered fr. bhram to wander] to roam, to wander; bhat.aka_m pl.
wanderings (G.lex.) bhat.au to go about, to go here and there, as a dog in heat
(Santali.lex.) bha_t.iyo = a class of va_nia_s; a milkman; a vegetable-seller; bha_t.hela_
pl. a class of bra_hman.as (G.lex.) dobat.ia cross roads, the junction of two roads
(Santali) bat.oi traveller (Ku.); bat.ohi (N.); ba_t.oi, ba_t.ei (N.); bat.ohi_, bat.ohia_,
bat.ohini (Mth.); bat.o(h)i_ (H.)(CDIAL 11367).
Rebus: bat.a furnace (G.) Sibri-damb01A Sibri-
damb01B Tepe Yahya. Rectangular steatite (?) stamp seal with
perforated knob on the back with lines crossed from corner to opposite
corner. Impression on a pottery sherd of a Harappan seal of a type
illustrated by Joshi and Parpola (Joshi and Parpola 1987: 88-100).
Lamberg-Karlovsky and Tosi 1973: fig. 121.

kulhi = village street (Santali) kol metal (Ta.)

Smith, karma_ra

kamar a semi-hinduised caste of blacksmiths; kamari the work of a blacksmith, the
money paid for blacksmith work; nunak ato reak in kamarieda I do the blacksmith work
for so many villages (Santali) ka_rma_ra = metalsmith who makes arrows etc. of metal
(RV. 9.112.2: jarati_bhih os.adhi_bhih parn.ebhih s'akuna_na_m ka_rma_ro as'mabhih
dyubhih hiran.yavantam icchati_) kammar a, kamma_ra, kammaga_ra, karma_ra,
karmaka_ra, kammaga_ra, kamba_ra = one who does any business; an artisan, a
mechanic; a blacksmith (Ka.) kamma_l.a = an artisan, an artificer: a blacksmith, a
goldsmith (Ta.Ka.); a goldsmith (Ka.) kammara = the blacksmith or ironsmith caste;
kammaramu = the blacksmiths work, working in iron, smithery; kammarava_d.u,
kammari, kammari_d.u = a blacksmith, ironsmith; kammarikamu = a collective name for
the people of the kamma caste (Te.) karma_rasa_la = workshop of blacksmith (Skt.)
kamma_r-asa_le = the workshop of a blacksmith (Ka.); kamasa_lava_d.u = a blacksmith
(Te.) kamarsa_ri_ smithy (Mth.) kamba_r-ike, kamma_r-ike = a blacksmiths business
(Ka.Ma.)(Ka.lex.)(DEDR 1236). karmaka_ra = labourer (Pa_n.ini's As.t.a_dhya_yi:
43
ka_rukarma = artisan's work (Arthas'a_stra : 2.14.17); karma_nta = a workshop or
factory (Arthas'a_stra : 2.12.18, 23 and 27, 2.17.17, 2.19.1, 2.23.10).

The seated person wears a waist-band.

Rebus: karma_rasa_la = workshop of blacksmith (Skt.)
[Note the pannier tied as a waist band to the one-horned
heifer.]

Glyph: kamarsa_la = waistband (Te.)

kamba, kambha = Tbh. of stambha or skambha = a post,
a pillar (Ka.Te.Tu.Ma.M.Skt.); a mast (Ta.Ma.)
kambhagat.t.u = a construction on pillars (Ka.)

kambu = a conch, a shell (Ka.); a bracelet (Ka.)

kamarasa_la = waist-zone, waist-band, belt (Te.) kammaru = the loins, the waist
(Ka.Te.M.); kamara (H.); kammarubanda = a leather waist band, belt (Ka.H.) kammaru =
a waistband, belt (Te.) kammarincu = to cover (Te.) kamari = a womans girdle (Te.)
komor = the loins; komor kat.hi = an ornament made of shells, resembling the tail of a
tortoise, tied round the waist and sticking out behind worn by men sometimes when
dancing (Santali) kambra = a blanket (Santali)

krammar-a = to turn, return (Te.); krammar-ilu, krammar-illu, krammar-abad.u = to turn,
return, to go back; krammar-u = again; krammar-incu = to turn or send back (Te.lex.)
[Note the glyph showing an antelope or a tiger turning back]. kraman.a = act of walking
or going (G.lex.) krama = step, series (AV); krame_n.a by degrees (R.); kama = step, way
(Pali); foot, series (Pkt.); -krem in oi~n-krem and u~_-krem = upper and lower teeth
(Wg.); krammar-ilu, krammar-illu, krammar-abad.u = to turn, return, to go back;
krammar-u = again; krammar-incu = to turn or send back (Te.lex.) [Note the glyph
showing an antelope or a tiger turning back]. kraman.a = act of walking or going (G.lex.)
krama = step, series (AV); krame_n.a by degrees (R.); kama = step, way (Pali); foot,
series (Pkt.); -krem in oi~n-krem and u~_-krem = upper and lower teeth (Wg.) *kamra =
the back (Skt.); krem = the back (Kho.)(CDIAL 2776). *parikamra = near the back (Skt.);
parikama_ = behind the shoulder (Ash.)(CDIAL 7799v). kamak =back (Sang.); com = back
of an animal (Shgh.); *kamak = back of an animal (G.M.); kama neck (Yghn.)(CDIAL
14356).

m309
m0309 k049 m0310AC 1355
44
Kalibangan049 8013 h163 h181A


m0504At m0504Bt 3323
m0505At m0505Bt 1702
m1452Act m1452Bct 2912 (Similar imagery of an
antelope looking back appears on m-1448 to m-1452).
m0438atcopper m0272 Goat-antelope with horns bending
backwards and neck turned backwards 2554
m0353
Prabhas Patan (Somnath) pbs-001 a,b Two sides of a
seal; obverse: three antelopes from top to bottom and in growing sizes; reverse: bottom
register: antelope and tiger looking backwards; middle: antelope; top: illegible, perhaps
the horns of the head of an antelope.
Substantive: aduru native metal.

ad.rna_ to twist back ones limbs or bend the body inward (as under threat of a
blow)(Kur.); ad.re to strut; ad.ro a swaggerer (Malt.)(DEDR 108). [cf. the glyphs of
antelope and tiger with their heads turned backwards.]

kamari, kammari declivity, steep bank, cliff, ravine (Ka.); kamar chasm, crack, cleft in the
ground caused by drought (Ta.)(DEDR 1229).

kamar kidin a small species of scorpion; kidin, kidin kat.kom a scorpion; kidin marmar a
species of centipede (Santali)

An antelope is shown with a seven-pointed star around a dotted-circle on tablet h-349.
45

h349A h349B

Copper work

Copper work; brazier: kan copper work, copper; kan- n-a_n brazier (Ta.); bell metal
worker, one of the divisions of the Kamma_l.a caste (Ta.lex.) kanna_n id. (Ma.)(DEDR
1402). kan workmanship (Tiv. Tiruva_y. 5,8,3); kan mam (Tiv. Tiruva_y. 6,2,7)(Ta.)
kanaka = a metal (Pali); kanaka = gold (Skt.)

kan.d. furnace, altar (Santali) gan.d.a pit (furnace) kan.d.i = furnace, altar; khandha = a
trench used as a fireplace when cooking has to be done for a large number of people
(Santali.lex.) kandaka = a ditch, a trench (Ka.); khandaka (M.H.Te.)(Ka.lex.) This lexeme
can be denoted by the dotted circle which is often depicted on ivory (khan.d.) objects.
khan.d.ar.an:, khan.d.run: pit (furnace) (Santali)

me~rhe~t khan.d.a iron implements (Santali) This compound phrase indicates that
khan.d.a also meant implements. Thus the glyph of rim of jar kan.d.a kan-ka may
denote fire altar, furnace and also metal implements (or, more precisely, furnace/altar
for making metal implements).

khan.n.a = that which is dug (Pkt.lex.) khana = a trench, a pit, a hollow in the ground
(Santali.lex.) [khan = a mine (Santali) ?khani = mine (VarBr.S.); khan.i = mine (Pkt.); khani
(A.); khan (H.); khan. = mine, quarry (M.)(CDIAL 3813); cf. khana = a trench, a pit, a
hollow in the ground (Santali.lex.)].
V342

Glyph: rim of pot: kanna_ edge, handle, rim (H.); ka_nu end of a rope for supporting a
burden (N.); karn.a = the handle or ear of a vessel (RV 8.72.12; S'Br. 9); the helm or
rudder of a ship; karn.aka = a prominence on handle or projection on the side or sides
of a vessel [kan- (Santali) < karn.a (RV)]; karn.akita = having handles, furnished with
tendrils (Skt.lex.) karn.a = ear, handle of a vessel (Rv.); end, tip (RV 2.34.3); kan.n.a ear,
angle, tip (Pali)(CDIAL 2830). kan.n.aka = having ears or corners (Pali); kan.o = rim,
46
border (S.); ka_n.a_ brim of a cup (B.)(CDIAL 2831). kankha, kan:kha, khan:kha = rim of
a vessel; khan:kha habic perejme, fill it up to the brim; kan:khi = the rim of a vessel
(Santali.lex.) kan.d.a kan:kha, kan.d.a kankha = the rim of a waterpot (Santali.lex.)
kankha, kan:kha = brow of a hill (Santali.lex.)

kankha, kan.d.a kankha = brim, rim of a vessel (Santali); ka~kh; kanna_
(H.)(Santali.lex.Bodding) kan.t.u = the rim of a vessel (Ka.lex.) kan.d.a = an earthenware
pot (having a neck a little longer than that of a t.hili, but otherwise of about the same
shape as this, only somewhat larger; ghar.a kan.d.a = a waterpot of brass
(Santali.lex.Bodding)

kankha = rim. The orthographic focus of this most frequently occurring glyph is clearly
intended to denote the rim or handle of the short-necked jar to be distinguished, for
example, from a wide-mouthed pot without a rim.

khan.d.i_ = ivory in rough (Jat.ki_)

V245 V247 khan.d.a a division;
a section (G.)

gha~_t. = protuberance of snout of alligator (A.) gan.d.e (Te.) gha~r.iya_l (A.B.);
ghar.ya_lu = long-nosed porpoise (S.); gha~t. = protuberance on the snout of an alligator
(A.)
(70) (21) Sign 245 (207) Copper tablets (48) Field
Symbol 14 (20) Field Symbol 29 (10)
(25) Sign 25 (53) Copper tablets (12)

Pairing glyph: nine divisions; lo nine (Santali) rebus: loh iron, metal (Skt.); khan.d.a
division (Skt.); kan.d. = furnace, altar (Santali) lokhan.d. iron, ironware, tools (G.) lo +
khan.d. = rebus: loh iron + kan.d. furnace, altar (Santali)
Signs using four short strokes to subscribe another
glyph. gan.d.a a set of four; gan.d.a gut.i to divide, to make up an account (Santali)
gan.d.i hole, orifice (Te.); kan.d.i, gan.d.i opening, hole, window (Tu.)(DEDR 1176).
Rebus: kand. altar, furnace (Santali)
47


M375 m314

pon,
ponea, ponon =
four (Santali) Rebus: pon, hon = a gold coin, the half of a varaha
(Ka.); honnu = gold (Ka.); ponnu (Te.); pon-, por- = metal, gold, luster, beauty (Ta.); pol =
gold (Ma.)

Substantive: pit? gan.d.i hole, orifice (Te.); kan.d.i, gan.d.i opening, hole, window
(Tu.)(DEDR 1176).
Glyph: gan.d.e to place at a right angle to something else, cross, transverse; gan.d.
gan.d. across, at right angles, transversely (Santali)

a~s = scales of fish (Santali) ayas = metal (RV)
badhor. a species of fish with many bones (Santali) Rebus: barduga = a man of
acquirements, a proficient man (Ka.) bar.ae = a blacksmith; bar.ae kudlam = a country
made hoe, in contrast to cala_ni kudlam, an imported hoe (Mundari)

Bat, flying-fox = vagguli (Pali), ba_vali, ba_voli (Tu.), va_til (Ma), vavva_l (Ta.)
Bat = va_lgu.da (Skt.)

Rebus: bha~wa~r, bha~ora = a boring instrument resembling a brace (Santali)
cf. bhramara turning (Skt.lex.)
48
Index

Akkadian, 14
Allahdino, 22
Amri, 22
antelope, 3, 14, 35, 46, 47
arch, 24
archer, 27, 28
arrow, 10, 26, 40
axe, 14, 24, 29, 40
Baluchistan, 22, 35
Banawali, 22
bed, 9, 12, 25, 29
belt, 46
Bha_rata, 42
BMAC, 22
boat, 30, 36, 52
bone, 20
bow, 27, 28, 40
brass, 26, 37, 49
brazier, 12, 36, 48
brick, 31
bronze, 2, 11
Buddha, 36
buffalo, 24, 41, 42, 44, 52
bull, 3, 4, 5, 13, 17, 24, 42
carnelian, 7
carpenter, 28, 43
cart, 11, 12, 25
cattle, 39
Central Asia, 22
ceramic, 42
chisel, 7
cistern, 9
cities, 44
city, 41
clay, 31
clothing, 7
cobra, 34
copper, 2, 3, 5, 8, 11, 21, 26, 39, 40, 48
crown, 30
cylinder seal, 39
dagger, 7, 14
deity, 9, 41
Dholavira, 8, 20, 22, 24
dice, 20
dog, 44
dotted circle, 48
Durga, 39
elephant, 33, 39, 41
faience, 20
farm, 34
figurine, 41
fish, 12, 14, 18, 25, 29, 31, 50
gateway, 8, 20
glass, 35
goat, 30, 39
godess, 36
gold, 6, 8, 12, 25, 27, 28, 35, 36, 37, 42,
48, 50
goldsmith, 11, 25, 28, 33, 35, 36, 37, 43,
45
grapheme, 19
Gujarati, 21
Harappa, 21, 22, 24, 28, 34, 41
hare, 14, 31, 40
headdress, 33, 41, 42
hearth, 11, 12, 29, 31
horned, 5, 13, 14, 30, 32, 33, 38, 41, 44,
45
horse, 25
ingot, 10, 12
inscription, 16, 42
ivory, 4, 48, 49
Jarrige, 35
Jat.ki_, 49
Jhukar, 22
Kalibangan, 22
Kashmir, 42
Kenoyer, 22, 24, 41, 44
kiln, 28, 31, 32, 43
Kish, 22
kneeling, 17, 34
Kon
kan.i, 33
Kot Diji, 42, 44
49
language, 2, 22
languages, 1, 2, 21
lattice, 6
lead, 33
Lothal, 22
Mackay, 42
Mahadevan, 2, 13, 15, 16, 17, 19
Meadow, 22, 41
Mehrgarh, 22
Mesopotamia, 42
metal, 3, 6, 7, 8, 10, 11, 12, 24, 26, 29,
30, 31, 32, 34, 35, 40, 42, 45, 47, 48,
49, 50
metals, 2, 7, 12, 28
Mohenjodaro, 21, 22, 42
mould, 10, 32
Mundari, 4, 30, 38, 50
Nausharo, 22, 35
Neolithic, 42
one-horned, 3, 45
ore, 1, 24, 26, 29, 33, 35
organization, 41
Pakistan, 35, 41, 43
Parpola, 2, 13, 20, 21, 26, 41, 42, 45
peacock, 33
perforated, 45
Persian Gulf, 22
pipal, 30, 34
Pirak, 22
plant, 6, 7, 31, 33, 38, 39
platform, 30, 33
Pleiades, 36
pottery, 35, 42, 44, 45
Rakhigarhi, 22
ram, 39
rebus, 1, 2, 3, 5, 6, 7, 10, 12, 13, 14, 24,
27, 29, 30, 32, 33, 35, 40, 42, 43, 44,
49
reservoir, 9
rice, 6, 7, 38, 39
Rojdi, 22, 37
Ropar, 22
Santali, 1, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 14, 24,
25, 26, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35,
36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 43, 44, 45, 46, 47,
48, 49, 50, 52
Sarasvati, 1, 2, 13, 21, 22, 24, 36
serpent, 34
sheep, 39
shell, 46
ship, 48
Sindh, 13
snake, 34
soma, 42
spear, 14, 26, 31, 40, 42
spearing, 40, 41
squirrel, 7
standing person, 5, 17, 38
steatite, 45
stool, 31, 34
Susa, 22, 29, 43
symbols, 2
tablets, 2, 20, 21, 32, 41, 49
Tamil, 38, 39
Telugu, 21
temple, 11, 37
Tepe Yahya, 45
terracotta, 2, 20, 41, 42
terracotta tablet, 41
tiger, 14, 24, 29, 32, 35, 41, 42, 46, 47
tin, 10, 39, 40, 43
tools, 2, 49
tortoise, 28, 46
tree, 10, 14, 32, 33, 35, 38, 40, 41, 52
Ur, 1, 22, 26, 39
vessels, 40
war, 22, 27, 33
weapons, 2, 4, 5, 20
weights, 29
workshop, 5, 7, 8, 10, 24, 25, 31, 37, 45
writing, 1, 2, 6, 15, 21, 22, 24
writing system, 1, 2, 21, 22, 24
yogic, 30, 43
Zebu, 13

50


i
Other homonyms: d.hon.d. = a big wood pigeon (P.lex.)

dondhor.o, dondkor.o squatting, cowering, sitting close to the ground (Santali)

d.on.d.o polled, as an ox or buffalo (G.)

d.on.d.obot to salute by bowing down (Santali)

d.ondor a cave, den; don.d.hor a hole, a hollow; d.od.hio hollow; d.od.hor a hole, a
hollow; a cavity, hollow (Santali)

d.on.t.ho, dhon.t.ho, dhon.t.o a knot (Santali)

dod.o = an ear of corn (G.lex.)

dhon.d.ra khalak a large leaf cup; d.hon:ga a dugout, a boat made from a hollowed out
tree, a wooden trough (Santali) don a wooden trough (Santali)