Indus writing as metalware catalogs and not as agrarian accounting

Iravatham Mahadevan has drawn attention in his December 2012 article (cf. http://bharatkalyan97.blogspot.in/2013/05/agricultural-signs-in-indus-script.html ) to what he calls agicultural signs discussing two long inscriptions (1623 and 2847) of Indus writing. I do not treat this note as a critique of Mahadevans decipherment. Who knows, maybe, he is right. I suggest that this composite glyph (Sign 140) should be read as X (with) four sets of .

aar a splinter rebus: aduru native, unsmelted metal. gaa four (santali); rebus:
ka fire-altar, furnace (Santali). [khua] The square or area formed by the meeting of four roads; An end or a point of a street or road. Rebus: [ kha ] an ingot or wedge or old metal melted down (Marathi); alloy with 8 parts copper (mineral). Let us look at the pictorial narrative of Mohenjo-daro seal m1186 narrating an offering. M1186A Text 2430

Who knows if the ligaturing glyph with four sets of modifiers measure of the parts of a mineral

technique of modifying a denotes a share or a added to create an alloy

metal? bre, brae = an offering of food to a demon; a meal after fasting, a breakfast (Tu.) barada, barda, birada = a vow (G.lex.) Rebus: baran, bharat (5 copper, 4 zinc and 1 tin)(P.B.) kuila, katthl = bronze (8 parts copper and 2 parts tin) [cf. ra-ka, brass (Skt.) (CDIAL 3230) ran:ga, ran: pewter is an alloy of tin lead and antimony (ajana) (Santali). I would attempt to provide alternatives to Mahadevans readings consistent with the hypothesis that Indus writing corpora (which now runs to over 5000 inscriptions1) were metalware catalogs rendered rebus using Mleccha (Meluhha) sememes. I would like to pay a tribute to this savant who has made a stellar contribution to Indus studies by his painstaking compilation of Indus Script corpus and attempts at normalizing many sign variants. According to Mahadevan, modifying elements are considered to be semantic and not phonetic. I would add that it tantamounts to an article of faith to expect a land-lord or tenancy system in vogue to share crops or grains circa 4th-3rd millennium BCE, given the fact that the earliest evidence of Indus writing is dated to ca. 3500 BCE. I would suggest that any readings suggested should 1. be consistently applicable to occurrences of glyphs on the corpora of Indus inscriptions and 2. also include readings of narrative pictorials which are integral part of the inscriptions. I will point out examples for such consistency in readings of glyphs and readings of narrative pictorials in the context of the bronze-age which necessitated the invention and use of an Indus writing system. Alternative readings

Mahadevan interprets this as man. This may also denote semantically, body. Alternatives:1. me body(Mu.); rebus: iron (Ho.) 2.dhau body (Sindhi) rebus: dhatu ore (Santali) The glyph modifier may denote a splinter: aar a splinter (Ma.) aaruka to burst, crack, sli off,fly open; aarcca splitting, a crack; aarttuka to split, tear off, open (an oyster) (Ma.); aaruni to crack (Tu.) (DEDR 66) Rebus: aduru native, unsmelted metal (Kannada) aduru gan.iyinda tegadu karagade iruva aduru, = that is, ore taken from the mine and not subjected to melting in a furnace (Kannada).2 Glyph (Sign 176) interpreted as harrow by Mahadevan, apparently a toothed implement symbolizing cultivating tenant in the compound sign to which it is added: Sign 176 (harrow) + 001 (man) = 038 (ploughman, farmer)

Compound signs for tenant and tenants share of crop according to Mahadevan. Alternative 1. khareo = a currycomb (G.) Rebus: khard turner (G.) Alternative 2. Pk. kakaya -- m. comb , kakaya -- , ka -- m. name of a tree ; Gy. eur. kangli f.; Wg. kui -- p man's comb (for kui -- cf. kulk beside see prapavaa -- ); Bshk. kg comb , Gaw. khg,

kulk s.v. krmuka -- ; -- p

Sv. khgi, Phal. khygia, kg f., kga combing in i k dm I comb my hair ; Tor. kyg comb (Dard. forms, esp. Gaw., Sv., Phal. but not Sh., prob. L. P. type < *kagahi -- , see 3 below); Sh. kyi f. ( . k*li f.), gil. (Lor.) k f. man's comb , k m. woman's comb , pales. kgm. comb ; K. kanguwu m. man's comb , kanga f. woman's ; WPah. bhad. kkei a comb -- like fern , bhal. kkei f. comb, plant with comb -- like leaves ; N. kiyo, kyo comb , A. kkai, . kkui; Or. kaki, kaku comb , kaku ladder -- like bier for carrying corpse to the burning -- ghat ;

Bi. kakw comb , kakah, h, Mth. kakw, Aw. lakh. kakaw, Bhoj. kakah f.; H. kakaiy shaped like a comb (of a brick) ; G. (non -- Aryan tribes of Dharampur) kkh f. comb ; M. kakv m. comb , kka f. a partic. shell fish and its shell ; -- S. kagu m. a partic. kind of small fish < *kakuta -- ? -- Ext. with -- l -- in Ku. kgilo, klo comb .2. G. (Sorah) kga m. a weaver's instrument ?3. L. kagh f. comb, a fish of the perch family , aw. kagh comb ; P. kagh m. large comb , gh f. small comb for men, large one for women ( H.kagh m. man's comb , gah, gh f. woman's , kaghu m. rake or harrow ; Bi. kgah comb , Or. kagei, M. kagv); -- G. kgs f. comb , with metath. ksko m., k f.; WPah. kha. kg, eu. kk a comblike fern or < *kakataikha -- .*kakatakara -- , *kakataikha -- .Addenda: kkata -- : WPah.kg. kagi f. comb ; J. kgu m. small comb .kakatakara CDIAL 2599 *kakatakara comb -- maker . [kkata -- , kar -1]H. kgher m. caste of comb -- makers , r f. a woman of this caste . Rebus: kas1 m. metal cup AV., m.n. bell -- metal Pat. as in S., but would in Pa. Pk. and most NIA. lggs. collide with ksya -- to which L. P. testify and under which the remaining forms for the metal are listed. 2. *kasik -- . 1. Pa. kasa -- m. bronze dish; S. kajho m. bellmetal ; A. kh gong; Or. ks big pot of bell -- metal; OMarw. kso (= k -- ?) m. bell -- metal tray for food, food; G. ks m. pl. cymbals; -perh. Wo. kas m. metal pot Buddruss Wo 109. 2. Pk. kasi -- f. a kind of musical instrument; A. khi bell -- metal dish; G. k f. bell -- metal cymbal,kiy m. open bellmetal pan(CDIAL 2576) Glyph (Sign 162) referred to by Mahadevan as self-evident ideograph for crop (Sign

162) and variants:

Alternative

reading: kolmo seeding, rice-plant(Munda) rebus: kolami smithy; (Telugu) m h ingot (Santali).

Glyph (Sign 171) is called a rake by Mahadevan. Alternative reading: aar harrow; rebus: aduru native metal.

Glyph (Sign 178) is called a hoe by Mahadevan. Alternative reading: Gaw. kundl hoe ; Wg. kol, kondl mattock, hoe . (CDIAL 3286) Rebus: kundan gold carver

Glyph (Sign 254) is called a plough by Mahadevan

Glyph (Sign 336) is called mortar and pestle by Mahadevan. abu an iron spoon (Santali) Rebus: ab, himba, hompo lump (ingot?) (Mu.) mego = rimless vessels (Santali) Rebus: me iron (Ho.) Alternative: S. bahu m. large pot in which grain is parched, Rebus; bhah m. kiln (P.) bai 'smelting furnace' bhaa furnace. baa = a kind of iron (G.) bhaa furnace (G.) bhaa furnace (G.) baa = kiln (Santali); baa = a kind of iron (G.) bhaha -- m.n. gridiron (Pkt.) bahu large cooking fire bah f. distilling furnace; L. bhah m. grainparcher's oven, bhah f. kiln, distillery, aw. bhah; P. bhah m., h f. furnace, bhah m. kiln; S. bhah ke distil (spirits). (CDIAL 9656) The referenced inscriptions (with 26 glyphs) are on three-sided prism-like sealings from Mohenjodaro, m0494 and m0495:

These glyph variants (Sign 137) occur on the following two inscriptions;

this variant is seen by Mahadevan as grain-share (quote) This more elaborate sign can be interpreted as a combination of the X-like element to share with a pair of tall vertical lines representing grain-stalks, the whole sign having the meaning

share of crop. (Mahadevan)(unquote). Alternative reading: n. A head or ear of millet or maize.

[kae] kae. [Tel.]

. Four ears of millet or maize are joined [khua] The

together. The sememe for four is: gaa four (santali); rebus: ka fire-altar, furnace (Santali) The combined glyph appears like the meeting of four roads: road. Rebus: square or area formed by the meeting of four roads; An end or a point of a street or [ kha ] an ingot or wedge or old metal melted down (Marathi).

Glyph (Sign 149) interpreted by Mahadevan to depict pictorially crossroads and futher as share of croop/grain. Alternative readings are: 1. [khua] The square or area formed by the meeting of four roads. Rebus: kh alloy. 2. du, du to jump, pass or step over, cross, ford, go beyond, exceed, transgress, pass away, expire; n. passing over, jump across, etc.; disu, disu to cause to pass over. Ko. (Kar.) da- (-i-) to cross. Tu. duni to cross, ford, pass by. Te. d u to leap, jump, cross over, pass over, go beyond, transgress; n. a leap, jump, crossing or passing over. Kol. da- (dat-) to cross; daip(daipt-) to make to cross (DEDR 3158). Rebus: dhatu mineral (Santali) 6131 (Chanhudaro one-horned young bull seal)

The reading of the glyphs

has to be consistently applied on all readings of inscriptions. For example, the X glyph appears on two tin ingots of Haifa. Alternative reading: antelope; ranku

ranku liquid measure. Rebus: ranku tin.

[khua] The square or area formed by the meeting of four roads; An end or a point of a street or road. Rebus: [ kha ] an ingot or wedge or old metal melted down (Marathi). [ kh ] m A jag, notch, or indentation (as upon the edge of a tool or weapon). (Marathi) Rebus: kh tools, pots and pans, metal-ware. Thus, the inscriptions on the two pure tin ingots refer to metalware catalog item: tin alloy for metal ware ranku kh (for) kh that is, tin alloy (for) tools, pots and pans, metal-ware.

The circumgraphs are interpreted by Mahadevan as one-eighth share of grain crop (due to State). The two long linear lines intersecting the X may denote a peg or post. Hence, alternative reading: Or. khua, pillar, post J. khu m. peg to fasten cattle to. (CDIAL 3893) G. kho m. peg, kh, kh f. stopper (CDIAL 3202) Rebus: L. kho f. alloy, impurity, alloyed , aw. kho forged; P. kho m. base, alloy(CDIAL 3931)N. kso bronze, pewter, white metal, kas-- ku metal alloy M. kho

alloyed (CDIAL 2987) kuila, katthl = bronze (8 parts copper and 2 parts tin) [cf. raka, brass (Skt.) (CDIAL 3230) kui in cmpd. curve (Skt.)(CDIAL 3231). Allograph: Phal. khun corner; H. khu m. corner, direction ( P. kh f. corner, side; G. khu f. angle. <-> X ka -- : G. khu f., kh m. corner. 2. S. kua f. corner ; P. ku f. corner, side ( H.) (CDIAL 3898) Allographs: Or. khua, withered branch; OG. khua impotent, eunuch, G. kh m. entire bull used for agriculture but not for breeding, (Kathiawar) kh m. Brahmani bull (CDIAL 3899) Compound glyph (Sign 144) analysed by Mahadevan as streets (149) + share of crop (141) = streets share of the crop (144). Alternative reading: khua, pillar, post Rebus: kho alloy. roads Rebus: [khua] The square or area formed by the meeting of four

[ kha ] an ingot or wedge or old metal melted down (Marathi). The

circumgraph brackets enclosing the composite glyph is a determinant that it is a hieroglyph to be read rebus. Both these glyphs used as modifiers or superscripted to glyphs may NOT connote sky or upper/landlord but simply, a lid, say, on a pot. of grain/crop. Alternative readings: Glyph (Sign 134) superscript. aaren, aren lid, cover (Santali) The

superscripted glyphs are interpreted by Mahadevan as upper (landlords) share

Rebus: aduru native metal (Ka.)

Examples from Indus writing corpora for contextual interpretation of glyphs in the contect of metalware catalogs of the bronze-age:

1623

2847b

m0494BGt Prism Tablet in bas-relief. m0494At

m0495Bt

m0495gt

One glyph is treated as a variant of Sign 137 in Mahadevan corpus.

m0314

1400 (17 glyphs on 3 lines)

Lothal045

7028

m0831

2546 m1425At m1425Bt

m1162 Text 2058 Ligatured glyph of three sememes: 1. me body(Mu.); rebus: iron (Ho.); k 2 a man's length, the stature of a man (as a measure of length); rebus: k stone; Ga. (Oll.) kan , (S.) kanu (pl.

kankil) stone; 2. aar harrow; rebus: aduru native metal. ibha elephant; rebus:
ibbo merchant (Gujarati) m0391 310

Person kneeling under a tree facing a tiger. [Chanhudaro Excavations, Pl. LI, 18] 6118

These glyph variants (Sign 141) occur on the following inscriptions:

m0655

2098

h043

4077

Lothal048

7025

Lothal014a

7094

h043

4077

Person kneeling under a tree facing a tiger. [Chanhudaro Excavations, Pl. LI, 18] 6118

Chanhudaro Seal obverse and reverse. The water-carrier and X signs of this so-called Jhukar culture seal are comparable to other inscriptions. Fig. 3 and 3a of Plate L. After Mackay, 1943. 6120

Chanhudaro22a

6115

m0103

1076

m0292 Gharial

1361

m0734

1539

m0278 5123

2648

Lothal037

7034

Kalibangan028

8038

Kalibangan098A

8201

Lothal045

7028

Daimabad seal (Glyph 342 and allographs or glyph variants) . kaa

kanka Rim of jar (Santali); karaka rim of jar(Skt.) Rebus: karaka

scribe (Telugu); gaaka id. (Skt.) (Santali) The orthography of jar glyph (Glyph 342) clearly emphasizes the rim of a jar. The glyph has a frequency of 1395 occurrences in the corpus of inscriptions (Mahadevan) The rim of a jar is ka kan-ka (Santali). ka denotes a brass pot; Rebus: ka karaka furnace scribe (Skt.) kaa pot (Santali) kam , n. < ka. 1. Water; sacred water; pot . (Tamil) k n or k na ; kam ewer,

m. a kind of large bowl or basin

made of metal or earthenware (Gr.Gr. 145)(Kashmiri) Kan. gui, Pk. kaya -- , ia -n. small earthen pot; Dm. k milking pail; G. koiy n. earthen cup for oil and wick ; M. ko n. earthen saucer for a lamp. (CDIAL 3227). Rebus: ka = altar, furnace (Santali) f. a blacksmith's smelting furnace (Kashmiri) pay n-koda - f. a kiln (a potter's, a lime-kiln, and brick-kiln, or the like); a furnace (for smelting) kua round hole in ground (for water or sacred fire), as in agni kua (Skt.)

kha tools, pots and pans, metal-ware.

m0478A On this tablet, lid glyph is ligatued to a rim-of-jar glyph. aren, aaren cover, lid (Santali); rebus: aduru native metal (Ka.)

Other glyphs of the tablet have been decoded: kola tiger, jackal (Kon.); rebus: kol working in iron, blacksmith, alloy of five metals, panchaloha (Tamil) kol furnace, forge (Kuwi) kolami smithy (Te.) erg a = act of clearing jungle (Kui) [Note image showing two men carrying uprooted trees]. This glyptic composition depicting the act of clearing jungle may be a phonetic determinant for the person seated on the tree branch and the glyph of a woman pushing them apart: eraka, hero = a messenger; a spy (G.lex.) heraka = spy (Skt.); er to look at or for (Pkt.); er uk- to play 'peeping tom' (Ko.) Rebus: eraka copper (Ka.) kol working in iron, blacksmith (Ta.); kollan- blacksmith (Ta.); kollan blacksmith, artificer (Ma.)(DEDR 2133) kolme = furnace (Ka.) kole.l 'temple, smithy' (Ko.); kolme smithy' (Ka.) kol = pacaloha (five metals); kol metal (Ta.lex.) pan~caloha = a metallic alloy containing five metals: copper, brass, tin, lead and iron (Skt.); an alternative list of five metals: gold, silver, copper, tin (lead), and iron (dhtu;Nnrtharatnkara 82; Mangarjas Nighau. 498)(Ka.) kol, kolhe, the koles, an aboriginal tribe if iron smelters speaking a language akin to that of Santals (Santali)

Listed by Koskenniemi and Parpola and cited by Diwiyana3. Ligatured glyph of three sememes: 1. me body (Mu.); rebus: iron (Ho.); 2. kui water carrier (Te.) Rebus: kuhi smelter furnace (Santali); 3. [kh] m a jag, notch, or indentation (as upon the edge of a tool or weapon); rebus: kh metal tools, pots and pans. An alternative for 1: dhau body (Sindhi) rebus: dhatu ore (Santali) Kalyanaraman Sarasvati Research Center May 21, 2013

Indus writing in ancient near East Corpora and a dictionary, S. Kalyanaraman,

Siddhnti Subrahmaya astris New interpretation of the Amarakoa, Bangalore, http://indusscriptmore.blogspot.com/2011/08/problematic-13-stroke-signs-in-indus.html

Sarasvati Research Center, 2013

2

Vicaradarpana Press, 1872, p. 330.

3