New copper plates from PakistanA group of nine Indus Valley copper plates (c.

2600–2000 BC), discovered from private collections in Pakistan, appear to be of an important type not previously described. The plates are significantly larger and more robust than those comprising the corpusof known copper plates or tablets. One of the plates bears 34 characters, which is the longest known single Indus script inscription. Unlike the relatively common steatite seals where the few incised characters are generally deemed not to relate to any image on the seal, the text on the copper plates described here relates directly to the images. It may thus present a unique tool to progress the epigraphic analysis of Indus script. (Shinde & Willis, 2014)

Figure 1: New copper plates from Pakistan.

Picture courtesy (Shinde & Willis, 2014)

The above-given picture is from the research paper presented by Shinde.

I have added numbers to each plate for easy reference. Let us consider the inscription on the firstplate. It is the longest known Indus inscription containing 34 characters. For a text check, only the first line is being analyzed; details of the analysis table are as given below:

(Serial.no.1) This symbol looks like the moon.But, the funeral related ceremonies are held on New moon day (Amavasya). So, it should be concluded that this symbol indicates an Amavasya day.

(Serial.no.3) This symbol looks like a water symbol. Most probably indicating god Varuna.

(Serial.no.5) the word ‘mams’ means ‘mamsastakaceremony. (Jeyakumar(Mams), 2014)

(Serial.no.7) Zuci ceremony means purificationceremony and also ceremony related to Agni and Soma.(Jeyakumar(Cone), 2016) See the respective reference articles on my website for more information.

(Serial.no.8) 'Indrasana' is a new word, whichemerges out of this inscription. 'Indrasana' means

throne of god Indra. In other seals, this god shown in this copper plate is always depicted as sitting in a throne. Most probably the throne is called as ‘Indrasana’. Indrasana also means five short syllables,(Spokensanskrit.de., 2014)which looks like a visual interpretationof 'five short stumps' depicted in the grapheme. Because of the said reason, it is assumed that that thegrapheme indicates the word 'Indrasana'. However, thereis one more additional meaning, which is more relevant than the meaning of the throne. 'Indrasana' also indicates an intoxicating drink which made out of 'Hemp' (Cannabis). (Spokensanskrit.de., 2014) It looks like all kinds of hallucinogenic drugs were freely used in thoseYajnas.

(Serial.no.9) The word ‘Zakha-sta' means 'branch-living'. There were three gods with that 'tree living' character; all earliest gods of Indus civilization were tree living. (Jeyakumar(Two-sasthas),2016). The word ‘Zakhasta' has been used as an equivalent to the word 'god.'

(Serial.no.22) this symbol could be indicating god ‘Karkinos’. For more information, read the article two Sastha and three tree gods. (Jeyakumar(Two-sasthas), 2016)

(Serial.no.23) This symbol may be indicating 'Preta stage'. For more information, read the article by Shukavak Dasa (Dasa, 2015).

(serial.no.34) this symbol could be indicating a fully developed Pithru stage. For more information, read the article by Shukavak Dasa (Dasa, 2015).

The inscription on this seal indicates the final funeral ceremony carried out for a dead person. This inscription is something similar to the Agnicayana ceremony carried out in the "Kabul manuscript'. The Kabul manuscript gives a detailed account of the funeral ceremony. Read the article on ‘Kabul Manuscript’ for more information on this issue. (Jeyakumar(Kabul-Manuscript), 2016)

1 2 3 4symbols

Identification of the symbol

Moon Burial mound water Horns of a bull, head reduced to just a line

Meaning The ceremony was conducted on Amavasya day

Ceremony on the day of burial

God Varuna Bull sacrifice

5 6 7 8 9

fish fish cone branchMams/meat sacrifice

Pithru Zuci ceremony to please Agni/ Soma

Indrasana Zakha-sta/ Sastha

10 11 12 13 14

Kavu -sacrifice The third eye

of Rudra symbol

15 16 17 18 19

Danda/ punishment

20 21 22 23 24 25

Three pithrus

Pithrus

Karkinos god

Preta stage of soul

God -X

26 27 28 29 30 31

Pura rites –lines are drawn

Karkida month ritual

Yajna /sacrifice

32 33 34 35

Smasana-cayana ritual

To GodVaruna

Preta hasreached Pithru stage

The final pinda /Tarpanafor thePithru

Figure 2: Copper plate.no.1.

.

Copper plate.No.3:

Figure 3: Copper plate.No.3

The graphemes available in this copper plate are tabulated in the below-given table for further analysis.symbols

Identification of symbols

Shield/Kedaga

Street corner sacrifice

messenger

cone comb

Meaning protection

Street corner sacrifice

messenger

Zuci ceremony/purification ceremony/ Agni/ Soma

Goddess Shashti

Kur / three nether worlds

kedaga Head of a bull

Water symbol

Nether worlds protection sacrifice God VarunaMeaning of the inscription is as given below: 'The

protection - sacrifice at the street corner – the sacrifice was sent to gods through messenger – zuci ceremony –goddess Shashti – three nether world – Kedaga– sacrifice – dedicated to god Varuna’.

The copper plate. No.4:

Figure 4: Copper plate.no.4

The graphemes available in this copper plate are tabulated in the below-given table for further analysis.

symbols

Identification of symbols

Tilak symbol

bird Brick making mould

‘Kur’ nether world symbol

meaning Yajna/sacrifice

The soul is reborn as a bird

Istika ceremony

fish Water symbol

Upraised hands

Mams/ meat/ Pithru

God Varuna

Ka-ceremony/ release of the soul as per Egyptian ideas,

The meaning of the inscription is as given below: 'Yajna – sacrifice was carried out – for the soul- which had become a bird – Istika ceremony – soul in nether world – mams (meat sacrifice) – for God Varuna –Release of the soul – from the dead body'.

All the seals put together indicates a funeral ceremony, where many rituals were carried out.

Dasa, S. (2015). final journey. Retrieved from www.finaljourneyseminars.com: http://www.finaljourneyseminars.com/?page_id=438

Jeyakumar(Cone). (2016). Cone_symbol_indicates_Purification_ceremony. Retrieved from www.academia.edu: https://www.academia.edu/25527164/Cone_symbol_indicates_Purification_ceremony

Jeyakumar(Kabul-Manuscript). (2016, June). Kabul manuscript. Retrieved from https://www.academia.edu/s/9f89bed11e: https://www.academia.edu/s/9f89bed11e

Jeyakumar(Mams). (2014, September 15). Mams_means_Mamsastaka_ceremony. Retrieved from https://www.academia.edu: https://www.academia.edu/8319850/Mams_means_Mamsastaka_ceremony

Jeyakumar(Two-sasthas). (2016, May). Two_Sasthas_and_three_different_tree_gods_of_Indus_civilization. Retrieved from academia.edu:

https://www.academia.edu/25651400/Two_Sasthas_and_three_different_tree_gods_of_Indus_civilization

Shinde, V., & Willis, R. J. (2014, October 8). http://www.ancient-asia-journal.com/article/view/aa.12317/97#how-to-cite. Retrieved from Ancient Asia journal.com: http://dx.doi.org/10.5334/aa.12317

Spokensanskrit.de. (2014, October). Retrieved from Spokensanskrit.de.: http://www.spokensanskrit.de/index.php?script=HK&beginning=0+&tinput=hataka+&trans=Translate&direction=AU