1

Nature of Indus writing system defined decipherment proved

Indus Script Corpora are hypertexts of metalwork catalogues

I submit with all humility that it is no longer necessary to add a footnote to narratives of Itihāsa

of Bhāratam Janam that Indus Script has not been deciphered so far The entire Indus Script

Corpora is a writing system based on Meluhha speech of Indian sprachbund (speech union) The

writing system was called mlecchita vikalpa (ie Meluhha cipher) by Vātsyāyana The Corpora

of inscriptions encoded Proto-Indo-European or Proto-Indo-Aryan speech variously called

Prākritam or Desi For a documentation on Desi see Sharma Sheo Murti

1980 Ācārya Hemacandra racita Deśī nāma mālā kā bhāshā vaijntildeānika adhyayana Jayapura

Devanagara Prakasana

In the monumental work Ācārya Hemacandra identifies one gloss ibbo This is

explained semantically as merchant This is signified by the hieroglyph ibha

elephant ibbo (merchant of ib iron) ibha elephant (Samskritam) Rebus

ibbhoHemacandra Desinamamala vaṇika) ib iron (Santali) karibha

elephant (Samskritam) See httpbharatkalyan97blogspotin201506sanchi-

stupa-message-karuja-silpi-ganahtml

Photo ca

1910

Hieroglyph multiplex capital on the architrave toraṇa of Sanchi stupa northern gateway four

elephants hold aloft the spoked-wheel standard [This can also be interpreted as upholding the

wheel of dharma-dhamma if the art historians interpretation of aniconic representations

represented the reality of the times]

2

The centre-piece on a Sanchi torana shows four elephants holding aloft the standard of spoked

wheel The rebus-metonymy-layered-cipher provides a reading ibbo vaThAra merchant quarter

of the town

In Besanagara as a trading center at a trade route intersection the hieroglyph multiplex denoted

collection of materials traded at the vaThAra quarter of the town -- denoted by the hieroglyph

circle with spokes vaTTa vRtta circle PLUS Ara spokes Just as the Dholavira sign board

announced metalwork at Kotda of Gujarat the pillars with capitals in Besanagara broadcast the

competence of artificers in artistic working with metals as armourers as brass-workers

lapidaries metalsmiths cire perdue metalcasters nakara-viṭuti n lt sup1 + A

lodging-place specially intended for Nāṭṭuk- kōṭṭai Cheṭṭies

Nāṭ

Cheṭṭi httpbharatkalyan97blogspotin201506itihasa-of-bharatam-janam-makara-

mandahtml

This monograph argues that the decipherment of Indus Script Corpora as metalwork

catalogues catalogus catalogorum is validated -- indeed proved --in the context of reading the

Corpora as hypertexts The tradition of Indus writing system continues into the historical periods

as evidenced by the continued use of the characteristic principles of the writing system in the

unique hieroglyph multiplexes displayed on sculptural artifacts of the Kushana and Satavahana

periods and on tens of thousands of punch-marked coins and cast coins (pace the documentation

of 342 symbols identified by W Theobald on punch-marked coins many of which are based on

Indus Script prototypes)

See httpbharatkalyan97blogspotin201506an-object-lesson-for-art-

historianshtml Monographs of Theobald (1890 1901) list 342 symbols deployed on punch-

marked coins These symbols also survive on later coinages of Ujjain or Eran or of many

janapadas One view is that early punch-marked coinage in Bharatam is datable to 10th century

BCE predating Lydias electrum coin of 7th cent BCE ldquoThe coins to which these notes refer

though presenting neither kingrsquos names dates of inscription of any sort are nevertheless very

interesting not only from their being the earliest money coined in India and of a purely

indigenous character but from their being stamped with a number of symbols some of which we

can with the utmost confidence declare to have originated in distant lands and inthe remotest

antiquityhellipThe coins to which I shall confine my remarks are those to which the term lsquopunch -

markedrsquo properly applies The lsquopunchrsquo used to produce these coins differed from the ordinary

dies which subsequently came into use in that they covered only a portion of the surface of the

coin or lsquoblankrsquo and impressed only one of the many symbols usually seen on their pieceshellipOne

thing which is specially striking about most of the symbols representing animals is the fidelity

and spirit with which certain portions of it may be of an animal or certain attitudes are

representedhellipMan Woman the Elephant Bull Dog RhinocerosGoat Hare Peacock Turtle

Snake Fish Frog are all recognizable

at a glancehellipFirst there is the historical record of Quintus Curtius who describes the Raja of

Taxila (the modern Shahdheri 20miles north-west from Rawal Pindi) as offering Alexander 80

talents of coined silver (lsquosignati argentirsquo) Now what other except these punch-marked coins

could these pieces of coined silver have been Again the name by which these coins are spoken

3

of in the Buddhist sutras about 200 BCE was lsquopuranarsquo which simply signies lsquooldrsquo whence the

General argunes that the word lsquoold as applied to the indigenous lsquokarsharsquowas used to distinguish

it from the new and more recent issues of the Greeks Then again a mere comparison of the two

classes of coins almost itself suffices to refute the idea of the Indian coins being derived from the

Greek The Greek coins present us with a portrait of the king with his name and titles in two

languages together with a great number and variety of monograms indicating in many instances

where they have been deciphered by the ingenuity and perseverance of General Cunningham and

others the names of the mint cities where the coins were struck and it is our ignorance of the

geographical names of the period that probably has prevented the whole of them receiving their

proper attribution but with the indigenous coins it is far otherwise as they display neither kingrsquos

head neame titles or mongrams of any descriptionhellipIt is true that General Cunningham

considers that many of these symbols though not monograms in a strict sense are nevertheless

marks which indicate the mints where the coins were struck or the tribes among whom they were

current and this contention in no wise invalidates the supposition contended for by me either that

the majority of them possess an esoteric meaning or have originated in other lands at a period

anterior to the

ir adoption for the purpose they fulfil on the coins in Hindustanrdquo

(W Theobald 1890 Notes on some of the symbols found on the punch-marked coins of

Hindustan and on their relationship to the archaic symbolism of other races and distant lands

Journal of the Asiatic Society of Bengal Bombay Branch (JASB) Part 1 History Literature

etc Nos III amp IV 1890 pp 181 to 184) W Theobald Symbols on punch-marked coins of

Hindustan (18901901)

See Fabri CL The punch-marked coins a survival of the Indus Civilization 1935 Journal of

the Royal Asiatic Society of Great Britain and Ireland Cambridge University Press pp307-318

A comparison of Punch-marked hieroglyphs with Indus Script inscriptions

This follows the insightful scintillating presentation by Dennys Frenez and Massimo Vidale

which presents an exposition of art appreciation of Indus Script Corpora with particular reference

4

to orthographic fidelity to signify hypertext components on inscriptions A paper by Dennys

Frenez and Massimo Vidale on composite Indus creatures and their meaning Harappa

Chimaeras as Symbolic Hypertexts Some Thoughts on Plato Chimaera and the Indus

Civilization at httpaharappacomcontentharappan-chimaeras

See httpbharatkalyan97blogspotin201506hieroglyphmultiplextext-sagad-vakyamhtml In

this post it has been argued that the hypertexts of pictorial motifs on Indus Script Corpora

discussed by Dennys Frenez and Massimo Vidale should be extended to hieroglyphs as signs

and ligatured hieroglyphs as signs on texts of the Indus inscriptions The entire Indus Script

Corpora consist of hieroglyph multiplexes -- using hieroglyphs as components -- and hence the

comparison with hypertexts need not be restricted to pictorial motifs or field symbols of Indus

inscriptions See also Massimo Vidale 2007 The collapse melts down a reply to Farmer

Sproat and Witzel East and West vol 57 no 1-4 pp 333

to 366)Mirror httpwwwdocstoccomdocsdocument-previewaspxdoc_id=9163376 The use

of the phrase hypertexts in the context of Indus Script is apposite because the entire Indus

Script Corpora is founded on rebus-metonymy-layered representations of Meluhha glosses from

Indian sprachbund speech area of ancient Bhāratam Janam of the Bronze Age

Since the entire Indus Scrip Corpora constitute metalwork catalogues it is but natural that the

Indus Script continuum is more pronounced in the array of symbols used by mints from Taxila to

Karur This continuum reinforces the validity of decipherment of the hypertexts of the Corpora

See httpswwwacademiaedu8776901Indus_script_hieroglyphs_continued_use_in_ancient_I

ndian_mints_evidenced_by_punch-marked_coins

Many hieroglyphs of Indus Script Corpora continue to be used in historical periods

From a review of Indus Script Corpora of nearly 7000 inscriptions the nature of Indus writing

system is defined while validating decipherment as catalogus catalogorum of metalwork by

Bronze Age artisans of Indian sprachbund

The Corpora will expand by over approximately 10000 inscriptions if the hieroglyphs (so-called

symbols such as svastika tree-on-railing elephant tiger fish crocodile srivatsa) deployed on

punch-marked coins cast coins and sculptural friezes and artifacts such as Begram ivories from

sites such as Bharhut or Sanchi stupas Kankali-Tila or Mathura AyAgapaTTa or artifacts of

Candi Sukuh Candi Setho Dong Son Bronze drums are taken into reckoning as Indus Writing

tradition continuum (either used as hieroglyphs or used together with Brahmi or Kharoshthi

syllabic scripts providing additional inscriptions say names of people or titles or references to

other texts such as Jataka tales in Bauddham tradition)

1 Composed of hieroglyph elements as pictorial motifs and signs on texts thus there are two

categories of hieroglyphs pictorial hieroglyphs and sign hieroglyphs

2 Orthographic construction of hieroglyph multiplexes using hieroglyph elements

3 Rebus-metonymy-layer to signify metalwork catalogues

4 Deciphered plain Meluhha or Indian sprachbund speech texts from hieroglyphmultiplex cipher

texts (ie hypertexts with both a) hieroglyphs on pictorial motifs and b) hieroglyphs as signs on

texts)

5

This definition will be explained in this note identifying some characteristic principles governing

design features of the Indus writing system

1 A good example of constructed orthography of hieroglyph multiplex is a seal impression from

Ur identified by CJ Gadd and interpreted by GR Hunter

Seal impression Ur (Upenn U16747) dia

26 ht 09 cm Gadd PBA 18 (1932) pp

11-12 pl II no 12 Porada 1971 pl9 fig5

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 whole object is

enclosed by parenthesis marks The

parenthesis is perhaps a way of splitting of

the ellipse (Hunter GRJRAS 1932 476)

An unmistakable example of an

hieroglyphic seal Hieroglyph kuṭi woman

water-carrier (Telugu) Rebus kuṭhi smelter

furnace for iron (Santali) Hieroglyph meḍha lsquopolar starrsquo (Marathi) Rebus meḍ lsquoironrsquo (HoMu)

Thus meḍ kuṭhi iron smelter (Parenthesis kuṭila is a phonetic determinan of the substantive

gloss kuṭhi smelter It could also denote a smelter for kuṭila tin metal)

kuṭi - 1953 a woman water-carrier

Splitting the ellipse () results in the parenthesis ( ) within which the hieroglyph multiplex (in

this case of Ur Seal Impression a water-carrier with stars flanking her head) is infixed as noted

by Hunter

6

The ellipse is signified by Meluhha gloss with rebus reading

indicating the artisans competence as a professional kōnṭa

corner (Nk) kōṇṭu angle corner (Tu) rebus kotildedā lsquoto turn in

a lathersquo (Bengali) Alternative reading kanac corner rebus

kancu bronze

kotildedā is a metals turner a mixer of metals to create alloys in

smelters

The signifiers are the hieroglyph components dula pair rebus dul cast metal meḍha lsquopolar

starrsquo rebus meḍ lsquoironrsquo kōnṭa corner rebus kotildedā lsquoto turn in a lathersquo kuṭi woman water-carrier

rebus kuṭhi smelter furnace for ironkuṭila tin metal)

The entire hieroglyph multiplex stands deciphered kotildedā metals turner (with) meḍ lsquoironrsquo kuṭhi

smelter kuṭila tin metal

2 This hieroglyph multiplex of the Ur Seal Impression confirms the rebus-metonymy-layered

cipher of Meluhha glosses related to metalwork

3 A characteristic feature of Indus writing system unravels from this example what is

orthographically constructed as a pictorial motif can also be deployed as a sign on texts of

inscriptions This is achieved by a stylized reconstruction of the pictorial motif as a sign which

occurs with notable frequency on Indus Script Corpora -- with orthographic variants (Signs 12

13 14)

Signs 12 to 15 Indus script

Identifying Meluhha gloss for parenthesis hieroglyph or ( ) split ellipse sup1 kuṭilam n

lt kuṭila 1 Bend curve flexure ( ) (Tamil) In this reading the Sign 12 signifies

a specific smelter for tin metal kuṭi woman water-carrier rebus rebus kuṭhi smelter furnace

for iron kuṭila tin (bronze)metal kuṭila katthīl = bronze (8 parts copper and 2 parts tin) [cf

āra-kūṭa lsquobrassrsquo (Samskritam)

See httpdownloaddocslideusuploadscheck_up031920155468918eb4af9f285a8b4c67pdf

It will be seen from Sign 15 that the basic framework of a water-carrier hieroglyph (Sign 12) is

superscripted with another hieroglyph component Sign 342 Rim of jar to result in Sign 15

Thus Sign 15 is composed of two hieroglyph components Sign 12 water-carrier hieroglyph

Sign 342 rim-of-jar hieroglyph (which constitutes the inscription on Daimabad Seal 1)

kaṇḍ kanka lsquorim of jarrsquo Rebus karṇaka lsquoscribersquo kaṇḍ lsquofurnace fire-altarrsquo Thus the

ligatured Glyph is decoded kaṇḍ karṇaka lsquofurnace scribe

Daimabad Seal 1 (Sign 342 Two hieroglyph components jar with short-neck and rim-of-jar) --

distringuished from broad-mouthed rimless pot which is another Sign hieroglyph

7

Each hieroglyph component of Sign 15 is read in rebus-metonymy-layered-meluhha-

cipher Hieroglyph component 1 kuṭi woman water-carrier rebus kuṭhi smelter furnace for

ironkuṭila tin metal Hieroglyph component 2 kanka kārṇī-ka rim-of-jar rebus kanka kārṇī-

ka m ʻsupercargo of a shipʼ scribe

Ligatured hieroglyph 15 using two ligaturing components 1 water-carrier 2 rim-of-jar The

lsquorim-of-jarrsquo glyph connotes furnace account (scribe) Together with the glyph showing lsquowater-

carrierrsquo the ligatured glyphs of kuṭi lsquowater-carrierrsquo + lsquorim-of-jarrsquo can thus be read as kuṭhi kaṇḍa

kanka lsquosmelting furnace account (scribe)rsquo

m1405 Pict-97 Person standing at the centre pointing with his right hand at a bison facing a

trough and with his left hand pointing to the Sign 15

This tablet is a clear and unambiguous example of the fundamental orthographic style of Indus

Script inscriptions that both signs and pictorial motifs are integral components of the message

conveyed by the inscriptions Attempts at deciphering only what is called a sign in Parpola or

Mahadevan corpuses will result in an incomplete decoding of the complete message of the

inscribed object

barad barat ox Rebus भरत (p 603) [ bharata ] n A factitious metal compounded of copper

pewter tin ampc(Marathi)

pattar trough rebus pattar vartaka merchant goldsmith (Tamil) sup2 pattar

n lt T battuḍu A caste title of goldsmiths

eraka raised arm Rebus eraka metal infusion (Kannada Tulu)

Sign 15 kuṭhi kaṇḍa kanka lsquosmelting furnace account (scribe)rsquo

Thus the hieroglyph multiplex on m1405 is read rebus from r kuṭhi kaṇḍa kanka eraka bharata

pattar goldsmith-merchant guild -- smelting furnace account (scribe) molten cast metal

infusion alloy of copper pewter tin

Sign 13 is a composition of hieroglyph component Sign 12 kuṭi woman water-carrier PLUS

8

Sign which signifies hieroglyph notch Reading the two hieroglyph components together Sign

13 reads kuṭi woman water-carrier rebus kuṭhi smelter furnace for ironkuṭila tin

metalPLUS khāṇḍā lsquonotchrsquo Marathi [ khāṇḍā ] m A jag notch or indentation (as upon

the edge of a tool or weapon) Rebus khāṇḍā lsquometal tools pots and pansrsquo Thus the reading

is kuṭhi khāṇḍā smelter metal tools pots and pans

Sign 14 add the hieroglyph component kōla arrow or kaṇḍa arrow-head to Sign 12 This Sign

14 is deciphered as kuṭhi kaṇḍa smelter metal tools pots and pans (Thus a synonym of Sign

13) OR kuṭhi kola smelter working in iron or kuṭhi kolel smelter smithy

Hieroglyph eraka lsquoraised armrsquo (Telugu) Rebus eraka lsquocopperrsquo (Telugu) moltencast (Gujarati)

metal infusion (KannadaTulu)

Sign 15 occurs togethe with a notch-in-fixed fish hieroglyph on

Harappa 73 seal

Harappa seal (H-73)[Note the hieroglyph lsquowater carrierrsquo pictorial

of Ur Seal Impression becomes a hieroglyph sign] Hieroglyph

fish + notch aya fish + khāṇḍā m A jag notch Rebus aya

metal+ khāṇḍā lsquotools pots and pans metal-warersquo kuṭi water-

carrier Rebus kuṭhi smelter (p 216) [khōṇḍa] m A young

bull a bullcalf [ khōṇḍā ] m A of which one end is

formed into a cowl or hood [ khōṇḍarūṃ ] n A

contemptuous form of in the sense of -

cowl (Marathi) kōḍe dūḍa bull calf (Telugu) kōṛe young bullock (Konda) rebus kotildedā lsquoto turn

in a lathersquo (Bengali) [The characteristic pannier which is ligatured to the young bull pictorial

hieroglyph is a synonym cowl or pannier) [ khōṇḍī ] f An outspread shovelform

sack (as formed temporarily out of a to hold or fend off grain chaff ampc) ] (p 216) [

khōṇḍa ] m A young bull a bullcalf(Marathi) [ khōṇḍarūṃ ] n A contemptuous form

of in the sense of -cowl [ khōṇḍā ] m A of which one end is formed into

a cowl or hood [ khōṇḍī ] f An outspread shovelform sack (as formed temporarily out of

a to hold or fend off grain chaff ampc)

Hieroglyph kōḍ horn Rebus kōḍ place where artisans work workshop [

kun dana kōn dana ] n act of turning (a thing) on a lathe act of carving (Bengali) त र or

त र (p 154) [ kātārī or kāntārī ] m ( त ) A turner(Marathi)

Rebus [ khōdakāma ] n Sculpture carved work or work for the carver

9

र [ khōdagirī ] f Sculpture carving engraving also sculptured or carved work [

khōdaṇēṃ ] v c amp i ( H) To dig 2 To engrave [ khōdīṃva ] p of Dug 2 Engraved

carved sculptured httpbharatkalyan97blogspotin201504excavations-at-dholavifra-1989-

2005-rshtml

The intimations of a metals turner as a scribe are also gleaned from the gloss or [

khōḍākhōḍa or ḍī ] f ( ) Erasing altering interlining ampc in numerous places also the

scratched scrawled and disfigured state of the paper so operated upon [ khōḍīṃva

] p of v c Erased or crossed outMarathi) [ khōḍapatra

] n Commonly [ khōṭapatra ] n In law or in caste-adjudication A written

acknowledgment taken from an offender of his falseness or guilt also in disputations from the

person confuted (Marathi) Thus khond turner is also an engraver scribe

That a metals turner is engaged in metal alloying is evident from the gloss [ khōṭa ] f A

mass of metal (unwrought or of old metal melted down) an ingot or wedge Hence 2 A lump or

solid bit (as of phlegm gore curds inspissated milk) any concretion or clot Composed

or made of as भ

See httpbharatkalyan97blogspotin201503xhtml

See httpbharatkalyan97blogspotin201506hieroglyphmultiplextext-sagad-

vakyamhtml Thanks to Dennys Frenez and Massimo Vidale who compared Indus Script

chimaera to hypertext A paper (2012) by Dennys Frenez and Massimo Vidale on Composite

Indus creatures and their meaning Harappa Chimaeras as Symbolic Hypertexts Some

Thoughts on Plato Chimaera and the Indus Civilization

at httpaharappacomcontentharappan-chimaeras

Mirror httpswwwscribdcomdoc270086643Harappan-chimaeras-as-symbolic-hypertexts-

Some-thoughts-on-Plato-Chimaera-and-the-Indus-Civilization-Dennys-Frenez-Massimo-Vidale-

2012

This note elaborates on this splendid insight argued archaeologically and orthographically in

their monograph

Arguments of Dennys Frenez and Massimo Vidale

The arguments of Dennys Frenez and Massimo Vidale are framed taking the example of a

Mohenjo-daro seal m0300 with what they call symbolic hypertext or Harappan chimaera and

its hypertextual components

10

m0300 Mohenjo-daro seal

Harappan chimaera and its hypertextual components Harappan chimera and its hypertextual

components The expression summarizes the syntax of Harappan chimeras within round

brackets creatures with body parts used in their correct anatomic position (tiger unicorn

markhor goat elephant zebu and human) within square brackets creatures with body parts

used to symbolize other anatomic elements (cobra snake for tail and human arm for elephant

proboscis) the elephant icon as exonent out of the square brackets symbolizes the overall

elephantine contour of the chimeras out of brackes scorpion indicates the animal automatically

perceived joining the lineate horns the human face and the arm-like trunk of Harappan

chimeras (After Fig 6 in Harappan chimaeras as symbolic hypertexts Some thoughts on Plato

Chimaera and the Indus Civilization (Dennys Frenez amp Massimo Vidale 2012)

Framework and Functions of Indus Script

The unique characteristic of Indus Script which distinguishes the writing system from Egyptian

hieroglyphs are as follows

1 On both Indus Script and Egyptian hieroglyphs hieroglyph-multiplexes are created using

hieroglyph components (which Dennys Frenez and Massimo Vidale call hypertextual

components)

2 Indus Script denotes expressions or speech-words for every hieroglyph while Egyptian

hieroglyphs generally denote syllables (principally consonants without vowels)

3 While Egyptian hieroglyphs are generally deployed to derive names of people or expressions

denoting administrative divisions deploying nomes Indus Script is NOT used for syllabic

combinations which result in names of people or designations As evidenced by the use of

11

Brahmi or Kharoshthi script together with Indus Script hieroglyphs on tens of thousands of

ancient coins the Brahmi or Kharoshthi syllabic representations are generally used for names of

people or designations while Indus Script hieroglyphs are used to detail artisan products

metalwork in particular

The framework of Indus Script has two structures 1) pictorial motifs as hieroglyph-multiplexes

and 2) text lines as hieroglyph-multiplexes

Dennys Frenez and Massimo Vidale focus attention on pictorial motifs and on m0300 seal

identify a number of hieroglyph components constituting the hieroglyph-multiplex -- on the

pictorial motif of composite animal seen are hieroglyph components (which they call

hypertextual components) serpent (tail) scorpion tiger one-horned young bull markhor

elephant zebu standing man (human face) man seated in penance (yogi)

The yogi seated in penance and other hieroglyphs are read rebus in archaeometallurgical

terms kamaDha penance (Prakritam) rebus kampaTTa mint Hieroglyph kola tiger xolA

tail rebus kol working in iron kolle blacksmith kolhe smelter kolel smithy kolimi smithy

forge [ khōṇḍa ] m A young bull a bullcalf (Marathi) rebus khond turner dhatu scarf

rebus dhatu minerals bica scorpion rebus bica stone ore miṇḍāl markhor

(Torwali) meḍho a ram a sheep (Gujarati) Rebus meḍ (Ho) mẽṛhet lsquoironrsquo

(MuHo) mẽṛhet iron ispat m = steel dul m = cast iron (Munda) kara elephants trunk

Rebus khar blacksmith ibha elephant rebus ib iron Together karaibā maker builder

Use of such glosses in Meluhha speech can be explained by the following examples

of vAkyam or speech expressions as hieroglyph signifiers and rebus-metonymy-layered-cipher

yielding signified metalwork

Example 1 mũh opening or hole (in a stove for stoking (Bi) ingot (Santali) mũh metal ingot

(Santali) mũh = the quantity of iron produced at one time in a native smelting furnace of the

Kolhes iron produced by the Kolhes and formed like a four-cornered piece a little pointed at

each end mūhā mẽṛhẽt = iron smelted by the Kolhes and formed into an equilateral lump a little

pointed at each of four ends kolhe tehen mẽṛhẽt ko mūhā akata = the Kolhes have to-day

produced pig iron (Santali) kaula mengro lsquoblacksmithrsquo (Gypsy) mleccha-mukha (Samskritam)

= milakkhu lsquocopperrsquo (Pali) The Samskritam gloss mleccha-mukha should literally mean copper-

ingot absorbing the Santali gloss mũh as a suffix

Example 2 samṛobica stones containing gold (Mundari) samanom = an obsolete name for gold

(Santali) [bica lsquostone orersquo (Munda) meṛed-bica = iron stone ore in contrast to bali-bica iron

sand ore (Munda)]

In addition to the use of hieroglyph-components to create hieroglyph-multiplexes of pictorial

motifs such as composite animals the same principle of multiplexing is used also on the so-

called signs of texts of inscriptions

Smithy with an armourer

12

httpwwwharappacomindus32html Seal Mohenjo-daro Terracotta sealing from Mohenjo-

daro depicting a collection of animals and some script symbols In the

centre is a horned crocodile (gharial) surrounded by other animals

including a monkey

In these seals of Mohenjo-daro lsquohorned crocodilersquo hieroglyph is the center-piece surrounded by

hieroglyphs of a pair of bullocks elephant rhinoceros tiger looking back and a monkey-like

creature

Obverse of m1395 and m0441 had the following images of a multi-headed tiger

Ta kōṭaram monkey Ir kōḍa (small) monkey kūḍag monkey Ko koṛṇ small

monkey To kwṛṇ monkey Ka kōḍaga monkey ape Koḍ koḍeuml monkey Tu koḍantildeji

koḍantildeja koḍaṅgů baboon (DEDR 2196) kuṭhāru = a monkey (Sanskrit) Rebus kuṭhāru

lsquoarmourer or weapons makerrsquo(metal-worker) also an inscriber or writer

11

Brahmi or Kharoshthi script together with Indus Script hieroglyphs on tens of thousands of

ancient coins the Brahmi or Kharoshthi syllabic representations are generally used for names of

people or designations while Indus Script hieroglyphs are used to detail artisan products

metalwork in particular

The framework of Indus Script has two structures 1) pictorial motifs as hieroglyph-multiplexes

and 2) text lines as hieroglyph-multiplexes

Dennys Frenez and Massimo Vidale focus attention on pictorial motifs and on m0300 seal

identify a number of hieroglyph components constituting the hieroglyph-multiplex -- on the

pictorial motif of composite animal seen are hieroglyph components (which they call

hypertextual components) serpent (tail) scorpion tiger one-horned young bull markhor

elephant zebu standing man (human face) man seated in penance (yogi)

The yogi seated in penance and other hieroglyphs are read rebus in archaeometallurgical

terms kamaDha penance (Prakritam) rebus kampaTTa mint Hieroglyph kola tiger xolA

tail rebus kol working in iron kolle blacksmith kolhe smelter kolel smithy kolimi smithy

forge [ khōṇḍa ] m A young bull a bullcalf (Marathi) rebus khond turner dhatu scarf

rebus dhatu minerals bica scorpion rebus bica stone ore miṇḍāl markhor

(Torwali) meḍho a ram a sheep (Gujarati) Rebus meḍ (Ho) mẽṛhet lsquoironrsquo

(MuHo) mẽṛhet iron ispat m = steel dul m = cast iron (Munda) kara elephants trunk

Rebus khar blacksmith ibha elephant rebus ib iron Together karaibā maker builder

Use of such glosses in Meluhha speech can be explained by the following examples

of vAkyam or speech expressions as hieroglyph signifiers and rebus-metonymy-layered-cipher

yielding signified metalwork

Example 1 mũh opening or hole (in a stove for stoking (Bi) ingot (Santali) mũh metal ingot

(Santali) mũh = the quantity of iron produced at one time in a native smelting furnace of the

Kolhes iron produced by the Kolhes and formed like a four-cornered piece a little pointed at

each end mūhā mẽṛhẽt = iron smelted by the Kolhes and formed into an equilateral lump a little

pointed at each of four ends kolhe tehen mẽṛhẽt ko mūhā akata = the Kolhes have to-day

produced pig iron (Santali) kaula mengro lsquoblacksmithrsquo (Gypsy) mleccha-mukha (Samskritam)

= milakkhu lsquocopperrsquo (Pali) The Samskritam gloss mleccha-mukha should literally mean copper-

ingot absorbing the Santali gloss mũh as a suffix

Example 2 samṛobica stones containing gold (Mundari) samanom = an obsolete name for gold

(Santali) [bica lsquostone orersquo (Munda) meṛed-bica = iron stone ore in contrast to bali-bica iron

sand ore (Munda)]

In addition to the use of hieroglyph-components to create hieroglyph-multiplexes of pictorial

motifs such as composite animals the same principle of multiplexing is used also on the so-

called signs of texts of inscriptions

Smithy with an armourer

12

httpwwwharappacomindus32html Seal Mohenjo-daro Terracotta sealing from Mohenjo-

daro depicting a collection of animals and some script symbols In the

centre is a horned crocodile (gharial) surrounded by other animals

including a monkey

In these seals of Mohenjo-daro lsquohorned crocodilersquo hieroglyph is the center-piece surrounded by

hieroglyphs of a pair of bullocks elephant rhinoceros tiger looking back and a monkey-like

creature

Obverse of m1395 and m0441 had the following images of a multi-headed tiger

Ta kōṭaram monkey Ir kōḍa (small) monkey kūḍag monkey Ko koṛṇ small

monkey To kwṛṇ monkey Ka kōḍaga monkey ape Koḍ koḍeuml monkey Tu koḍantildeji

koḍantildeja koḍaṅgů baboon (DEDR 2196) kuṭhāru = a monkey (Sanskrit) Rebus kuṭhāru

lsquoarmourer or weapons makerrsquo(metal-worker) also an inscriber or writer

12

httpwwwharappacomindus32html Seal Mohenjo-daro Terracotta sealing from Mohenjo-

daro depicting a collection of animals and some script symbols In the

centre is a horned crocodile (gharial) surrounded by other animals

including a monkey

In these seals of Mohenjo-daro lsquohorned crocodilersquo hieroglyph is the center-piece surrounded by

hieroglyphs of a pair of bullocks elephant rhinoceros tiger looking back and a monkey-like

creature

Obverse of m1395 and m0441 had the following images of a multi-headed tiger

Ta kōṭaram monkey Ir kōḍa (small) monkey kūḍag monkey Ko koṛṇ small

monkey To kwṛṇ monkey Ka kōḍaga monkey ape Koḍ koḍeuml monkey Tu koḍantildeji

koḍantildeja koḍaṅgů baboon (DEDR 2196) kuṭhāru = a monkey (Sanskrit) Rebus kuṭhāru

lsquoarmourer or weapons makerrsquo(metal-worker) also an inscriber or writer

13

Pa kōḍ (pl kōḍul) horn Ka kōḍu horn tusk branch of a tree kōr horn Tu kōḍů kōḍu horn Ko

kṛ (obl kṭ-)( (DEDR 2200) Paš kōṇḍā lsquobaldrsquo Kal rumb kōṇḍa lsquohornlessrsquo(CDIAL 3508) Kal

rumb khōṇḍ a lsquohalfrsquo (CDIAL 3792)

Rebus koḍ workshop (Gujarati) Thus a horned crocodile is read rebus koḍ khar blacksmith

workshop khar lsquoblacksmithrsquo (Kashmiri) kāruvu lsquocrocodilersquo Rebus lsquoartisan blacksmithrsquo

Hieroglyph Joined animals (tigers) sangaḍi = joined animals (M)

Rebus 1 s aṛh m ʻ line of entrenchments stone walls for defence ʼ (Lahnda)(CDIAL 12845)

Rebus 2 sang m a stone (Kashmiri) sanghāḍo (G) = cutting stone gilding sangatarāśū =

stone cutter sangatarāśi = stone-cutting sangsāru karanu = to stone (S) cankatam = to scrape

(Ta) sankaḍa (Tu) sankaṭam = to scrape (Skt)

kol tiger Rebus kol working in iron Thus the multi-headed tiger yields one reading

rebus kol sangaḍi fortified place for metal (amp ore stone) workers

Rebus 3 saMghAta caravan

Thus the three tigers together with wings reads eraka kol saMghAta moltencast metal iron

worker caravan

- त b [p= 11301] a company of fellow-travellers caravan VP close union or combination

collection cluster heap mass multitude TS MBh ampc (Monier-Williams)

- त [p= 11282] mfn come together met encountered joined united AV ampcm (scil )

an alliance or peace based on mutual friendship Ka1m Hitn frequent meeting intercourse

alliance association friendship or intimacy with (instr gen

or comp) Kat2hUp Mn MBh ampn agreement MBhfitted together apposite proper suitable

according with or fit for (comp) Ka1v Katha1s (Monier-Williams)

Three entwined winged tigers (Sanchi) kola lsquotiger jackalrsquo (Konkani) kul lsquotigerrsquo

(Santali) kōlu id (Telugu) kōlupuli = Bengal tiger (Te) कोलहा [ kōlhā ] कोलह [kōlhēṃ] A

jackal (Marathi) Rebus kol kolhe lsquothe koles iron smelters speaking a language akin to that of

Santalsrsquo (Santali) kol lsquoworking in ironrsquo (Tamil)

Phonetic determinant glyph kola kōlu lsquojackal jackalrsquo (KonTelugu) kul lsquothe tiger felis tigrisrsquo

(Santali) [ kōlā ] m (Commonly ) A jackal [ kōlhēṃ ] n A jackal Without

reference to sex Pr Even the yelling jackal can sing pleasantly when he is

in distress Applied to a practical joke or [ kēlhēṭēkaṇē or

ṅkōlhēṭēkaṇa ] n Gen in obl cases with or as To sit cowering to sit as

a jackal To be arrived at or to be approaching the infirmities of age 2 To be

14

approaching to setting--used of the sun or the day when the sun is conceived to be about that

distance from the horizon as a jackal when he rests on his hinder legs is from the ground

भ [ kōlhēbhūṅka ] or -भ f ( amp भ To bark) The yelling of jackals 2 Early

dawn peep of day [ kōlhēhūka ] f The yelling of jackals 2 fig Assailing or setting

upon with vehement vociferations (Marathi)

See httpbharatkalyan97blogspotin201110itihasa-and-eagle-narrativeshtml

kul tiger kul dander den of tiger andkul to become tiger hudur to growl as tiger maran

datkap kul a big-headed tiger (Santalilex) kolo kolea_ jackal (Konlex) ko_lhuya- kulha-

jackal (Pkt)[cf kulla-nari jackal (Ta)(DEDR 1839)] kolha_ ko_ jackal adj crafty (H)

kohlu~ kolu~ jackal (G) kolha_ kola_ (M)(CDIAL 3615) karaj a jackal (Santalilex) kudke

fox (Kor) kudike jackal (Tu) kudka id (Ka) kor-o naka jackal (small in size opposed to peri

naka)(Konda)(DEDR 1851) kulaippu barking snarling (Ta)(DEDR 1811) ko_lupuli = big

tiger (Te)

Allograph kola lsquowomanrsquo (Nahali) kolami lsquoforgersquo (Te)kolhe lsquoiron smelterrsquo (Santali) kol kolhe

lsquothe koles an aboriginal tribe of iron smelters akin to that of the Santalsrsquo (Santali) kola bride

sons wife younger brothers wife (Nk) koral younger brothers wife kommal (pl kommasil)

daughter (Nk) korol bride (Pa) koral sons wife younger brothers wife kodus- kodc- to

sprout (Ga) koriya ga_r sons wife younger brothers wife (Mand) kura krua kruha wife

(Kui) kuria ku_ria daughter-in-law kurva younger brothers wife (Kuwi) korgi young (of

children) qro infant (Malt) xarruni_ wife (Br)(DEDR 2149) kuri_ woman wife (Phal) ku_ru

young girl ko_ri_ kurhi_ (K) kura_ bridegroom (L) kuri_ girl virgin bride woman (L)

girl daughter (P) kuri kuli_ kola_ boy kuri_ girl (WPah) a~_t-kura_ childless (a~_ta

tight)(B) ko_ son ku_i_ daughter (WPah) ko son koi daughter kua_ ko_i_ koa_ ku_i_

(WPah)(CDIAL 3245) kurmatt relationship by marriage (P)(CDIAL 3234) kola lsquowomanrsquo

(Nahali Assamese)

Furnace kola_ burning charcoal (LP) ko_ila_ burning charcoal (LPN) id (OrHMth) kolla

burning charcoal (Pkt) koilo dead coal (S) kwelo charcoal (Ku) kayala_ charcoal (B) koela_

id (Bi) koilo (Marw) koyalo (G)(CDIAL 3484) lt Proto-Munda ko(y)ila = kuila black

(Santali) all NIA forms may rest on ko_illa] koela kuila charcoal khaura to become charcoal

kere to prepare charcoal (Santalilex) kolime mulime kolume a fire-pit or furnace (Ka) kolimi

(Te) pit (Te) kolame a very deep pit (Tu) kulume kanda_ya a tax on blacksmiths (Ka) kol

kolla a furnace (Ta) kolla a blacksmith (Ma) kol metal (Ta)(Kalex) kol iron smelters

(Santalilex) cf kol working in iron blacksmith (Ta)(DEDR 2133) Temple smithy kol-l-ulai

blacksmiths forge (kollulaik ku_tattin-a_l Kumara Pira Ni_tiner-i 14)(Talex) kollu- to

neutralize metallic properties by oxidation (Talex) kolel smithy temple in Kota village (Ko)

kwalal Kota smithy (To) kolmi smithy (Go)(DEDR 2133) kollan--kamma_lai lt +

karmasa_la_ kollan--pattarai kollan-ulai-k-ku_tam blacksmiths workshop smithy (Talex)

lohsa_ri_ smithy (Bi)(CDIAL 11162) cf ulai smiths forge or furnace (Na_lati 298) ulai-k-

kalam smiths forge ulai-k-kur-atu smiths tongs ulai-t-turutti smiths bellows ulai-y-a_ni-k-

ko_l smiths poker beak-iron (Talex) Self-willed man lo_hala made of iron (Skt) lohar

lohariyo self-willed and unyielding man (G)(CDIAL 11161) cf gouli goulia_ herdsman

(Konlex) goil cowhouse hut pasture ground (P) gol drove of cattle sent to another village

15

(P) go_uliya herdsman (Pkt) goili_ (P)(CDIAL 4259) kol brass or iron bar nailed across a

door or gate kollu-t-tati-y-a_ni large nail for studding doors or gates to add to their strength

(Talex) Tool-bag lokhar bag in which a barber keeps his tools (N) iron tools pots and pans

(H) lokhar iron tools (Ku) lokhand iron tools pots and pans (H) lokha~d tools iron

ironware (G) iron (M)(CDIAL 11171) lodhu~ pl carpenters tools (G)(CDIAL 11173)

karuvi-p-pai instrument-case barbers bag (Talex) cf karuvu-kalam treasury treasure-house

(Talex) Cobblers iron pounder lohaga~ga_ lahau~ga_ cobblers iron pounder (Bi) leha~ga_

(Mth) luha~_gi_ staff set with iron rings (P) loha~_gi_ (HM) lavha~_gi_ (M) laha~_gi_

loha~gi_ (M)(CDIAL 11174) Image frying pan lohra_ lohri_ small iron pan (Bi)(CDIAL

11160) lo_hi_ any object made of iron (Skt) pot (Skt) iron pot (Pkt) lo_hika_ large shallow

wooden bowl bound with iron (Skt) lauha_ iron pot (Skt) loh large baking iron (P) luhiya_

iron pan (A) lohiya_ iron or brass shallow pan with handles (Bi) lohiyu~ frying pan

(G)(CDIAL 11170) lauhabha_nda iron pot iron mortar (Skt) lo_habhanda copper or brass

ware (Pali) luha~_diri_ iron pot (S) luha~_da_ (L) frying pan (P) lohnda_ lo~_hda_

(P) luhu~re iron cooking pot (N) lohora_ iron pan (A) loha~ra_ iron vessel for drawing

water for irrigation (Bi) lohanda_ luhanda_ iron pot (H) lodhu~ iron razor (G)[cf xolla_

razor (Kur) qole id (Malt) holad razor (Santali)(DEDR 2141)] lodhi_ iron pan (G)(CDIAL

11173)

Rebus kolimi smithy-forge kola tiger Rebus kol working in iron kolhe smelters kolel

smithy temple eraka wing Rebus eraka copper

The artistic entwining of three tigers is seen on a seal with Indus Script from Mohenjo-daro

This can be seen as a precursor model for the three tigerslions shown on a Sanchi torana

(gateway) Out of the seven friezes showing a hieroglyph-multiplex of three winged tigers one

frieze adds hieroglyphs leafless stalks as horns of two tigers two riders are also added to

signify the artisans at work

Thus tigers with wings joined reads eraka kol saMghAta

moltencast metal iron worker caravan With karaṇḍā stalks

as koD horns and artisans (carrying goads or weapons or

kANDI little stalk or stem) hieroglyph

components added karaḍā eraka kol saMghAta hard alloy

moltencast copper working in iron caravan PLUS kuThAru

armourer or kamar artisan PLUS koD workshop [In Udipi

and coastal Dakshina Kannada districts of Karnataka there is a

practice of lsquoPili Kolarsquo worshiping Tiger The festival is

conducted once in every two years in Muggerkala Temple in Kaup

httpwwwbellevisioncombelleindexphpaction=topnewsamptype=3842

httpwwwmangaloreancomspecialsspecialnewsphpnewsid=481755ampnewstype=local]

Rebus (p 202) [ khāṇḍa as in lokhaṇḍa metal tools pots and pans metalware (Marathi)

Thus the two riders of the hieroglyph-multiplex of stalk-as-horn PLUS winged tigers can be read

as armourers working in a smithy-forge kolimi and with hard alloy karaDa moltencast

16

metal eraka The riders seem to be arrying र (p 167) [ kuṭhāra ] m S An ax or a hatchet

Hence they are kuThAru armourers

mAtri is a knower one who has true knowledge hence mahAmAtra is an elephant trainer A

mahout is a person who rides an elephant The word mahout comes from the Hindi words

mahaut ( त) and mahavat ( त) which eventually goes back to Sanskrit mahamatra

( ) Another term for mahout is cornac (as in French from the Portuguese kornak in

Polish also a rather current last name) This word comes form Sanskrit term karināyaka the

compound of Sanskrit words karin (elephant) and nayaka (leader) In Tamil the word used is

pahan which means elephant keeper and in Sinhalese kurawanayaka (stable master) In

Malayalam the word used is paappaanIn Burma the profession is called oozie in Thailand

kwan-chang and in Vietnam quản tượng httpsenwikipediaorgwikiMahout

The horns are stalks hieroglyphs र [ kāraṇḍā ] र [ karaṇḍā ] m A chump or block the

stock or fixed portion of the staff of the large leaf-covered summerhead or umbrella A clump

chump or block of wood र [ karāṇḍā ] m C A cylindrical piece as sawn or chopped off the

trunk or a bough of a tree a clump chump or block र [ karōḷā ] m The half-burnt grass of

a Potters kiln also a single stalk of it Kalanda [cp Sk karaṇḍa piece of wood] heap stack

(like a heap of wood cp kalingara) Miln 292 (sīsa˚) (Pali) र [L=44277] n a piece of wood

block Bhpr

Rebus fire-god B27990 16671 Remo ltkarandigtE155 N ``^fire-^god(Munda)

Allograph र [ karaḍī ] f (See र ई) Safflower also its seed

Rebus karaḍa lsquohard alloyrsquo (Marathi) See httptinyurlcomqcjhwl2

It is notable that the stalks as horns of tigers on Sanchi South stupa architrave pillar are

comparable to the three leafless stalks displayed on Sit Shamshi Bronze

Why three kolmo three rebus kolimi smithy forge kolel smithy temple

Wooden marker or stone planted for the dead on Sit Shamshi bronze model

17

kol pancaloha alloy of five metals (Tamil)

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 kathi horo = a certain variety of the

paddy plant (Santali) kolom (B) kolom mit = to engraft kolom porena = the cutting has struck

root kolom kathi = a reed pen (Santalilex) ku_le stump (Ka) [ku_li = paddy (Pe)] xo_l =

rice-sheaf (Kur) ko_li = stubble of jo_la (Ka) ko_ra = sprout (Kui) ko_le = a stub or stump of

corn (Te)(DEDR 2242) kolake kolke the third crop of rice (Ka) kolake kolake

(Tu)(DEDR 2154) kolma = a paddy plant kolma horo lsquo a variety of rice plantrsquo (Santalilex)

[kural = corn-ear (Ta)]

Three stalks are adjacent to a stele which could have denoted the stone marker planted for the

dead Pitr-s It may also denote meḍ lsquostakersquo Rebus mẽṛhẽt meḍ lsquoironrsquo(Munda Ho) Note meḍ

may refer to meteorite iron m nḍ 1 m (in Hindū mythology) the N of a demon (in Skt

Muṇḍa) who with Caṇḍa was killed by Dēvī the consort or akti of iva m nḍa-daham -

त the Muṇḍatenth the tenth lunar day of the dark half of the month of Wāh kh

(Skt Vaiśākha) (April-May) on which the slaughter of Caṇḍa and Muṇḍa is celebrated

ltmundagt N ``wooden ^marker or stone planted for the dead 7722 20071wana munda

the log harrow over which rice is threshed (sic L 464 wana-mo nḍu) mo nḍu m the

trunk or stump of a tree including the solid part of the root (cf mo nḍ 1) (El m nd) (cf kh ḍa-

mo p 392a l 5 and nasta-mo sv nast) a log a heavy block of wood (GrGr 37 iv 1856) a

pillar -- ˚ any clumsy lump (Rām 631)(Kashmiri) muṇḍaka -- m ʻ trunk of lopped tree ʼ lex

[Prob of Drav origin (A Master BSOAS xii 354) with coalescence of two Drav wordgroups

(DED 4199 4200) less likely Mu connexions (J Przyluski BSL xxx 199 PMWS 102) Not

with P Thieme DMG 93 134 mr ṁṣṭa -- nor with P Tedesco JAOS 65 82 vr ddha -- K

m nḍ m ʻ stump of a tree ʼ f ʻ thick underground stalk ʼ m nḍuru m ʻstump of a tree ʼ S

muno ʻ blunt less by a quarter ʼ m ʻ upright post of water -- or spinning -- wheel ʼ munī f ʻ

post stake ʼ L munn m ʻ pillar post ʼ munnī f ʻ post in middle of threshing floor upright

gravestone ʼ P munnī f ʻ girl ʼ muṇḍā m ʻ boy ʼ munnā m ʻ penis plough -- handle ʼ Ku

mũṛo ʻ stump ʼ Or muṇḍa ʻ pollard trunk ʼ muṇḍā ʻ stump ʼ Bi mu ṛ degṛā degṛī ʻ ball at end of

beam of sugar -- mill ʼ Mth mu ṛ ʻ trunk of cut tree ʼ mu ṛā ʻ hornless ox ʼ muṇḍā ʻ round cap

covering the ears (worn by Brahmans) ʼKho mun ʻ stump of tree ʼ (Lor) Sh (Lor) mūn pl

degn ʻ stump or bole of tree stump of amputated leg or arm maize stubble ʼ are either Bi mũṛer

(Camparan) mũṛerā (Gaya) mũṛerī ʻ masonry work at head of a well ʼ (semant cf SEBi mūṛhā

18

lt muḍḍha -- 1 and another name for the same nirārī nirākāra -- ʻ shapeless ʼ)WPahkṭg

məṇḍēr məḍēr f (obl -- a) ʻ fence railing ʼ (CDIAL 10191 10192)

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) kolel smithy temple in Kota village (Ko) kwalal 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 (Telex) kollu- to neutralize

metallic properties by oxidation (Ta) kol = brass or iron bar nailed across a door or gate kollu-t-

tati-y-a_ni large nail for studding doors or gates to add to their strength (Talex) kollan--

kamma_lai lt + karmasa_la_ kollan--pattarai kollan-ulai-k-ku_tam blacksmiths workshop

smithy (Talex) cf ulai smiths forge or furnace (Na_lati 298) ulai-k-kalam smiths forge ulai-

k-kur-atu smiths tongs ulai-t-turutti smiths bellows ulai-y-a_ni-k-ko_l smiths poker beak-

iron (Talex) [kollulaive_r-kanalla_r naitata na_ttup) mitiyulaikkollan- mur-iotirran-n-a

perumpa_)(Talex) Temple smithy kol-l-ulai blacksmiths forge (kollulaik ku_tattin-a_l

Kumara Pira Ni_tiner-i 14)(Talex) cf kolhua_r sugarcane milkl and boiling house (Bi)

kolha_r oil factory (P)(CDIAL 3537) kulhu lsquoa hindu caste mostly oilmenrsquo (Santali) kolsa_r =

sugarcane mill and boiling house (Bi)(CDIAL 3538)

dabe dabea lsquolarge horns with a sweeping upward curve applied to buffaloesrsquo (Santali)

dab dhimba dhompo lsquolump (ingot)rsquo clot make a lump or clot coagulate fuse melt together

(Santali) dhimba = become lumpy solidify a lump (of molasses or iron ore also of earth)

sadaere kolheko tahe_kanre dhimba me~rhe~t reak khandako bena_oet tahe_kana_ = formerly

when the Kolhes were here they made implements from lumps of iron (Santali)

18

lt muḍḍha -- 1 and another name for the same nirārī nirākāra -- ʻ shapeless ʼ)WPahkṭg

məṇḍēr məḍēr f (obl -- a) ʻ fence railing ʼ (CDIAL 10191 10192)

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) kolel smithy temple in Kota village (Ko) kwalal 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 (Telex) kollu- to neutralize

metallic properties by oxidation (Ta) kol = brass or iron bar nailed across a door or gate kollu-t-

tati-y-a_ni large nail for studding doors or gates to add to their strength (Talex) kollan--

kamma_lai lt + karmasa_la_ kollan--pattarai kollan-ulai-k-ku_tam blacksmiths workshop

smithy (Talex) cf ulai smiths forge or furnace (Na_lati 298) ulai-k-kalam smiths forge ulai-

k-kur-atu smiths tongs ulai-t-turutti smiths bellows ulai-y-a_ni-k-ko_l smiths poker beak-

iron (Talex) [kollulaive_r-kanalla_r naitata na_ttup) mitiyulaikkollan- mur-iotirran-n-a

perumpa_)(Talex) Temple smithy kol-l-ulai blacksmiths forge (kollulaik ku_tattin-a_l

Kumara Pira Ni_tiner-i 14)(Talex) cf kolhua_r sugarcane milkl and boiling house (Bi)

kolha_r oil factory (P)(CDIAL 3537) kulhu lsquoa hindu caste mostly oilmenrsquo (Santali) kolsa_r =

sugarcane mill and boiling house (Bi)(CDIAL 3538)

dabe dabea lsquolarge horns with a sweeping upward curve applied to buffaloesrsquo (Santali)

dab dhimba dhompo lsquolump (ingot)rsquo clot make a lump or clot coagulate fuse melt together

(Santali) dhimba = become lumpy solidify a lump (of molasses or iron ore also of earth)

sadaere kolheko tahe_kanre dhimba me~rhe~t reak khandako bena_oet tahe_kana_ = formerly

when the Kolhes were here they made implements from lumps of iron (Santali)

19

Sanchi Stupa West gateway

Detail of three winged tigers on Sanchi Stupa as centre-piece on the top architrave and on left

and right pillars (in three segments)

20

Left pillar

Right pillar

21

m0295 Mohenjo-daro seal

This is a good example of hypertext with two categories of hypertext components 1 pictorial

motif hieroglyphs 2 text hieroglyphs called signs in Indus Script Concordances such as those of

Parpola and Mahadevan

cāli Interlocking bodies (IL 3872) Rebus sal workshop (Santali) Allograph sal lsquosplinterrsquo

Pict-61 Composite motif of three tigers

Text1386 Note how the hieroglyph components of the text are displayed in

the space available on the seal after the pictorial motif hieroglyphs have been put together as part

of the hypertext The broken corner of the seal may have included other text hieroglyphs called

signs

22

Hieroglyph of lsquolooking backrsquo is read rebus

as kamar artisan [krammaru] krammaru [Tel] v n To turn return go

back or krammarinṭsu V a To turn send back

recall To revoke annul rescind krammara Adv

Again or Same as krəm backʼ(Kho)(CDIAL

3145) Kho Krəm ʻ back ʼ NTS ii 262 with () (CDIAL 3145)[Cf Ir kamaka ndash or kamraka -- ʻ

back ʼ in Shgh Čůmč ʻ back ʼ Sar Čomǰ EVSh 26] (CDIAL 2776) cf Sang kamak ʻ back ʼ

Shgh Čomǰ ( kamak GM) ʻ back of an animal ʼ Yghn Kama ʻ neck ʼ (CDIAL 14356) Kaacuter

katilder lsquoneckrsquo (Kashmiri) Kal Gřauml ʻ neck ʼ Kho Goḷ ʻ front of neck throat ʼ Gala m ʻ throat neck

ʼ MBh (CDIAL 4070) Rebus karmāra lsquosmith artisanrsquo (Skt) kamar lsquosmithrsquo (Santali)

kolmo three Rebus kolimi smithy forge

kola tiger Rebus kol working in iron kolle blacksmith kolimi smithy forge kolel smithy

temple

meḍ lsquobodyrsquo Rebus meḍ lsquoironrsquo (Mu) Vikalpa kāḍ 2 a mans length the stature of a man (as

a measure of length) rebus kāḍ lsquostonersquo Ga (Oll) kanḍ (S) kanḍu (pl kanḍkil) stone

kaṇḍ kanka lsquorim of jarrsquo Rebus karṇaka lsquoscribersquo kaṇḍ lsquofurnace fire-altarrsquo Thus the ligatured

Glyph is decoded kaṇḍkarṇaka lsquofurnace scribe

kolel smithy temple in Kota village (Ko)

kōnṭa corner (Nk) tu kōṇṭu angle corner (Tu) rebus kotildedā lsquoto turn in a lathersquo

(Bengali) Alternative reading kanac corner rebus kancu bronze

sal splinter Rebus sal workshop

Thus the message on the seal reads meḍ lsquoironrsquo kāḍ lsquostonersquo karṇaka lsquofurnace

scribe kolimi smithy forge kolel smithy temple sal lsquoworkshoprsquo PLUS kotildedā sal turner

workshop (Alternative kancu sal bronze workshop)

The entire hypertexts of pictorial and text hieroglyph components can thus be read using rebus-

metonymy-layered-meluhha cipher as iron stone furnace scribe smithy-forge temple turner or

bronze workshop

httpbharatkalyan97blogspotin201308dholavira-gateway-to-meluhha-gateway-tohtml

cāli Interlockin bodies (IL 3872) Rebus sal workshop (Santali) Did the Bharhut architect

who designed the Western Torana (Gateway) with hieroglyph multiplex of 3 tigers (winged)

23

intend to send the message that the precincts are Hieroglyph cAli interlocking bodies

Rebus sal workshop

Hieroglyph kul tiger (Santali) [ kōlhēṃ ] A jackal (Marathi) kol tiger jackal (Konkani)

kOlupuli tiger (Telugu) [ kōlu ] kōlu [Tel] adj Big great huge

or a royal tiger Rebus kolimi smithy temple kol working in iron

Thus kol(m) could have connoted a tiger

ut-- śāla ʻ leaping up ʼ (CDIAL 1846) śāˊlā f ʻ shed stable house ʼ AV śālaacutem adv ʻ at home

ʼ Br śālikā -- f ʻ house shop ʼ lex Pa Pk sālā -- f ʻ shed stable large open -- sided hall

house ʼ Pk sāla -- n ʻ house ʼ Ash sal ʻ cattleshed ʼ Wg šāl Kt šaringl Dm šacircl Pašweg sāl

ar šol ʻ cattleshed on summer pasture ʼ Kho šal ʻ cattleshed ʼ šeli ʻ goatpen ʼ K hal f ʻ hall

house ʼ L sālh f ʻ house with thatched roof ʼ A xāl xāli ʻ house workshop factory ʼ B sāl ʻ

shed workshop ʼ Or sāḷa ʻ shed stable ʼ Bi sār f ʻ cowshed ʼ H sāl f ʻ hall house school

ʼ sār f ʻ cowshed ʼ M sāḷ f ʻ workshop school ʼ Si sal -- a hadeg ʻ hall market -- hall

ʼ(CDIAL 12414) kōlhuśālā ʻ pressing house for sugarcane or oilseeds ʼ [ kōlhu -- śāˊlā --

] Bi kolsār ʻ sugarcane mill and boiling house ʼ(CDIAL 3538) karmaśālā f ʻ workshop ʼ MBh

[kaacuterman -- 1 śāˊlā -- ]Pk kammasālā -- f L kamhāl f ʻ hole in the ground for a weavers feet ʼ

Si kamhala ʻ workshop ʼ kammala ʻ smithy ʼ(CDIAL 2896) 2898 karmāˊra m ʻ blacksmith ʼ

RV [EWA i 176 lt stem karmar -- ~ karman -- but perh with ODBL 668 larr Drav cf

Tam karumā ʻ smith smelter ʼ whence meaning ʻ smith ʼ was transferred also to karmakāra --

] Pa kammāra -- m ʻ worker in metal ʼ Pk kammāra -- degaya -- m ʻ blacksmith ʼ A kamār

B kāmār Or kamāra ʻ blacksmith caste of non -- Aryans caste of fishermen ʼ Mth kamār ʻ

blacksmith ʼ Si kam burā Md kan buru ʻ blacksmith ʼ(CDIAL 2898) karmāraśālā ʻ smithy ʼ

[karmāˊra -- śāˊlā -- ] Mth kamarsārī -- Bi kamarsāyar(CDIAL 2899)

I suggest that the three tigers with interlocked bodies DOES connote cāli interlocked bodies

Rebus-metonymy layered cipher yields the plain text message kola tiger gt kolom three

PLUS cāli interlocked bodies kammasālā workshop (Prakritam) lt kol(m) PLUS śāˊlā ie

smithy workshop

See httpbharatkalyan97blogspotin201506bharhut-stupa-torana-architecturalhtml

S Kalyanaraman

Sarasvati Research Center

July 2 2015