Complex Signs in Proto-Elamite and Indus Script

Handmade replica of a proto-Elamite tablet.  Repeated symbols are numerical.
The third from the bottom on the left shows a symbol between "less than" and
"greater than" signs, a form of ligature also found in the Indus script (A + B + A).

I recently reread J.L. Dahl’s article on complex graphemes (or signs) in proto-Elamite and noted how often this author’s remarks also apply to the Indus script.  For example, he begins by noting that, although proto-Elamite was clearly inspired by proto-cuneiform, the Iranian system “exhibits a high degree of independent development of both sign repertoire and text structure” (2005: 1).  Similarly, the Indus script arose around the time that contact between the Indus Valley and Mesopotamia is documented in cuneiform, so it is quite reasonable to suggest that cuneiform (and perhaps Linear Elamite from Iran) influenced the development of the Indus script (see dates in Parpola 1994: 18).  However, even if the idea for the Indus script came from outside – from Iraq or Iran – the forms of the signs and the patterns of their use differ, indicating that same “high degree of independent development” cited by Dahl for proto-Elamite.

Dahl divides the complex signs of proto-Elamite into two basic types, with further subdivisions.  The first category is formed by the placement of a numeral in, on, or next to a non-numerical sign.  He terms these Complex Capacity Signs (CCS).  While we cannot tell whether Indus signs represent symbols for capacity, there are signs resembling CCS’s in this script.  For example, the POT acts as a terminal marker when there is nothing inside it.  But when an almost identical sign contains an apparent numeral (one to four “quotes”), the result is a ligature that behaves quite differently.  POTTED ONE, POTTED TWO, and so on are medial signs, not terminals.  Similarly, the CUP sometimes contains an apparent numeral, so there is a CUPPED TWO and a CUPPED THREE (KP signs 311 and 312). 

Seal H-76 with inscription, using a proto-Elamite transcription method, as described in this post:
MAN+FORK / HUNCHBACK / POTx1Q / CHEVRON%FISH / WHISKERED FISH / WINGED MAN / POT.
(Note that the addition of a "quote" inside the "pot" changes the sign's position from terminal to medial).

In a discussion of the BLANKET sign in a previous post, I noted the hypothesis of W. Fairservis that the differing numbers of “ticks” inside the rectangle might have significance (1992: 100-101).  There are BLANKETS with 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, and 10 short strokes (“ticks”) attached to the inner top and bottom.  In addition, sometimes those with 4 such strokes also have additional strokes in the center, usually two (“dashes”).  Occasionally, the sign contains “ticks,” “dashes,” and an additional “C” shaped mark attached to one side.  Fairservis thinks it possible these represent various weights.  However, he consider it unlikely that the CUP and POT containing “numerals” represent quantities (1992: 87). Without claiming to know the purpose of such “numerical” inclusions, I merely point out the existence of Indus ligatures containing both “numerical” and “non-numerical” elements.

The second type of complex grapheme in proto-Elamite is that containing two non-numerical symbols, according to Dahl (2005: 1).  These can be subdivided into three groups, the first of which is termed framing (written A + B + A).  The second subtype is formed by placing one symbol inside another (written A x B).  The third is simply the grouping of two symbols in close proximity, one after the other (A + B).  We can symbolize several Indus ligatures in a similar fashion.  The CEE symbol, for example, can appear singly (CEE) or doubled (CEE + CEE).  Additionally, a different sign may stand between two CEES (e.g., CEE + WINGED MAN + CEE).  Since there is also a reversed CEE (BACK CEE), a symbol can also be framed by “parentheses” (CEE + BIRD + BACK CEE).  In some cases, the positions of the “parentheses” seem to be reversed (BACK CEE + SKEWERED CHEVRON + CEE).  Less frequently, one sign appears inside another (MALLET x FOOTED STOOL).  Using the same type of notation, we can rewrite POTTED ONE as POT x SINGLE QUOTE (or, more briefly, as POT x 1Q). 

Detail of seal fragment M-1106 with partial inscription, now transcribed:
CUPxSPOON / MALLETxFOOTED STOOL / FOOT (?) ....

Not all types of ligatures can be written with these symbols, when it comes to the Indus script.  In some cases, the choice of one transcription system over another must be purely subjective.  For example, “caging” is a relatively common qualification of an Indus sign.  If we wish to define this as framing, then CAGED MALLET consists of three signs: STACKED 2 + MALLET + STACKED 2.  But if we wish to define this as enclosing one sign in another, then the same sign becomes STACKED 4 x MALLET (because the MALLET is inside STACKED 4).  Where a POST is attached to another element by a slanted line, we might choose to “read” the group from left to right on seals, from right to left on tablets (e.g., KP 31 is MAN + SINGLE POST, or more succintly, MAN + 1P; KP 74 is 1P + PRAWN).  Alternatively, it might be better to ignore the side an attachment is on, instead always writing the name of the dominant element first, followed by the (often smaller) attached portion (MAN + 1P, PRAWN + 1P).

Indus ligatures sometimes add an element above or below the main sign as well, something not demonstrated for proto-Elamite.  We could press the symbol for division into service to represent this relationship, placing the upper element first in the “equation,” followed by the lower element.  Thus, FISH UNDER CHEVRON would become CHEVRON ÷ FISH.  Since this symbol is not on the standard keyboard, this is not convenient, however.  Since the percentage sign resembles the mathematical division sign, I suggest we use it instead: CHEVRON % FISH; TABLE % EX.

Seal L-45 with inscription, now transcribed: BLANKETx8Q / POTx1Q / FISH /
4Sx(CHEVRON%FISH) / TABLE / GRAIN EAR.

In proto-Elamite, the third type of complex grapheme consists of two signs placed side by side.  The result is not a true ligature, but “it can be established that they form a distinct semantic unit that can be replaced by a CG of the second type” (Dahl 2005: 1).  In other words, a single concept is sometimes written A x B (with B inside A) and sometimes A + B (with B next to A).  This kind of replacement of a sign pair by a ligature cannot be demonstrated for the Indus script.  Thus, it is not a good idea to write the pair with the same “+” sign used in examples of attached elements.  Instead, we can pull the equal sign into use for this.  Thus, the common pair TWO POSTS plus FISH can be rewritten as 2P = FISH.

Another complication introduced by the Indus script is the combination of three elements in a single ligature.  For example, using notation similar to that for proto-Elamite, we can rewrite CIRCLED FORK as CIRCLE x FORK.  But if CAGED CIRCLED FORK is a FORK inside a CIRCLE inside a STACKED 4, how do we write it?  It seems reasonable to simply extend the system, writing the outermost element first and proceeding toward the inside: STACKED FOUR x CIRCLE x FORK (or more succintly 4S x CIRCLE x FORK).  Similarly, CARTWHEEL IN FAT EX IN DIAMOND can be shortened to CARTWHEEL x FAT EX x DIAMOND.  Or the BOXED BI-RAKE WITH EAR can be rewritten as (BOX x BI-RAKE) + EAR, using parentheses to show that the EAR is not attached to the BI-RAKE inside the “box” but to the BOX (the outer symbol containing the BI-RAKE).  When the attachment is inside, the position of the parentheses can show this as well.  Thus, TRI-FORK & VEE IN DIAMOND becomes DIAMOND x (VEE % FORK) – the VEE and FORK touch one another, both being inside the DIAMOND, with the VEE above the FORK (KP 390).  Where the FORK attached on the outside of the DIAMOND and the VEE is inside (KP 392), the transcription differs: (DIAMOND x VEE) + FORK – the FORK is attached to the outside of the DIAMOND, which encloses the VEE.

Detail from seal M-831 with inscription, now transcribed: COMB$MAN / CIRCLEx1Q.

Occasionally, one element is placed right on top of another element, so that the two overlap.  This is sometimes seen in Egyptian hieroglyphs, where a long but short glyph crosses the median of a tall and thin glyph, e.g., D59, where the arm, D36, forms the horizontal portion of a sort of cross shape and the leg, D58, forms the vertical portion.  Often such a ligature is read as if one glyph sat next to the other.  This type of ligature appears in the Indus script in the COMB BELTED MAN, where a horizontal “comb” seems to lie right on top of the MAN’s waist.  To represent this type of combination, I suggest using the dollar sign which itself resembles the letter “S” with a vertical stroke drawn right through it ($).  Thus, the COMB BELTED MAN becomes COMB $ MAN.  The signs I term “skewered” show this type of combination as well: SKEWERED CHEVRON is thus rewritten 1P $ CHEVRON.  This same character framed by inverted parentheses (formerly SKEWERED CHEVRON BETWEEN BACK CEE & CEE) can now be rewritten thus: BACK CEE + (1P $ CHEVRON) + CEE.

In some cases, though, it may be preferable to continue referring to a complex symbol with a simple name.  The BEARER, for example, might be seen as a ligature of MAN with two CIRCLES and possibly the TABLE (as the shoulder yoke).  But BEARER is much briefer and clearer than CIRCLE + (TABLE $ MAN) + CIRCLE.  When doing so shortens some of the clumsier designations, the use of symbols +, x, =, %, $, and parentheses is useful.  When the use of such symbols obscures the unity of a sign or becomes cumbersome, a simple name is preferable.

As a final note, Dahl observes that while proto-Elamite scribes shared a common stock of symbolic elements, the system was not fully standardized, a characteristic that “allowed the scribes who wrote the proto-Elamite tablets to generate signs in an ad hoc manner when needed, usually relying on a set of basic signs” (2005: 7).  This same situation characterized proto-cuneiform as well.  It seems quite likely that it was true of the Indus script, too.  This may be the reason that (1) there are so many rare signs (they were invented on the spot and used only for a short period by a small number of “scribes”) and (2) so many signs are vanishingly rare (the vast majority occur in the Corpus fewer than 100 times).

REFERENCES

Dahl, J.L. 2005: “Complex Graphemes in Proto-Elamite” in Cuneiform Digital Library Journal (3): 1-15. http://cdli.ucla.edu/pubs/cdlj/2005/cdlj2005_003.html

Fairservis, W.A. 1992. The Harappan Civilization and Its Writing: A Model for the Decipherment of the Indus Script. Leiden: E.J. Brill.

Parpola, A. 1994 and 2009. Deciphering the Indus Script. Cambridge: Cambridge University.

Repetition of Signs in the Indus Script

Detail from seal H-67 with inscription: SINGLE POST / CAGED MALLET
(if the post means "one" then the caging should not indicate plural number).

I. Mahadevan article on the Indus FISH signs suggests, among other things, that the marks I term caging (following Wells) indicate plural number (2011: 6).  Although most hypothetical readings of Indus signs cannot be tested or proved, this one should be testable.  If caging indeed represents plural number and if indeed apparent numerals are numerical, then it follows there should be no instances of SINGLE POST + CAGED SIGN.  Such an occurrence would have to be interpreted as something like "one fishes" if both hypotheses are correct.  A search of my database of Indus inscriptions (based on my readings of the inscriptions from the first two volumes of the Corpus) yields two problematic examples.  The first is M-202: CARTWHEEL / PINCH // SINGLE POST / CAGED WHISKERED FISH // COMB.  The first two signs form the prefix and the last sign is a terminal.  Thus, the medial segment comprises an apparent refutation of Mahadevan’s hypothesis because SINGLE POST does indeed precede a caged sign, CAGED WHISKERED FISH.  The second example is H-67: SINGLE POST / CAGED MALLET.  Here, there is neither a prefix nor a terminal, but only the medial segment.  Taken at face value, the “post” would seem to indicate a single item and thus the caged sign should not represent the plural.

But, of course, this test relies on the strength of two independent hypotheses.  If the apparent numerals are not really numerical -- something I have argued previously -- then this refutation has not actually refuted Mahadevan's hypothesis.  Alternatively, if Mahadevan's further suggestion that the "numerals" indicate ordinal rather than cardinal numbers, then it might be possible to come up with a meaning combining "first" and a plural noun.  This little exercise gets us nowhere, in the end.  Unfortunately, this is usually the case when dealing with proposed decipherments of the Indus script.

Round seal from the Persian Gulf with an inscription in Indus signs (from right):
DOUBLE MEN (?) / QUADRUPED / STRIPED FAT CEE / FISH / 4 BLADE PINWHEEL
(some scholars read two "men" here, a common occurrence on Gulf seals but rare in Indus script). 

Moving on to another topic, signs sometimes appear doubled, a situation that Wells interprets as a distinct sign.  That is, GRID is one sign for Wells but DOUBLE GRIDS is a different sign, not a repetition of the first.  It is not entirely clear whether Wells is correct, although the KP concordance does show some doubled occurrences to be independent signs.  Confusing the issue, occasionally a sign is even repeated three or more times.  Again, it is not entirely clear how this should be interpreted (possibly as pseudo-numerical notation).  The signs that occur doubled include:

·         MAN (H-427, M-1236, M-1370, KP 9902 shown side by side but not touching; KP 2561, K-69-75, KP 3386, KP 9851, KP 1084 shown touching; cf. BM 123059 and other Gulf seals where DOUBLE MAN is more common) (10 total)

·         FISH (KP 2592, H-230, H-815, KP 2436, H-85, M-868, KP 588, M-355) (8 total)

·         STANDING BIRD (WITH WING) (KP 1338) (1 only)

·         FEATHERED DUCK HEAD (KP 1083, M-471) (2 total)

·         FORK (x3 KP 2795, x4 KP 2803, x4 M-1123, x3 KP 6001A; not in the KP concordance Rjd-1, L-37) (6 total)

·         CARPET RAKE (C-6) (1 only)

·         COMB (M-1224, M-311, KP 1545, KP 2035, M-373, M-108, M-967, KP 101, M-1134, M-317) (10 total)

·         SKEWERED CHEVRON (KP 2581/BM Dk 10049) (1 only)

·         BI-QUOTES (may be distinct symbols since doubled form shows one in high position, one in medial or low position) (H-141, H-472, M-658) (3 total)

·         FOUR QUOTES (KP 4434) (1 only)

·         ROOF (K-121, KP 3717 both stacked; x3 C-40 stacked; KP 2800 x4 stacked; M-1384? x7 stacked) (5 total)

·         **DOUBLE QUOTES UNDER CHEVRONS (always doubled) (L-98, M-650, H-232, KP 2200, KP 3067, KP 2631, KP 2224, KP 1391) (8 total)

·         STACKED TWELVE (H-14, K-69-75, L-115) (3 total)

·         *THREE POSTS (though this could be interpreted as SIX POSTS) (K-4, M-734, K-22, M-1426, M-20, H-646) (6 total)

·         BOAT (H-150 x3, KP 2436, M-355) (3 total)

·         CEE (x5 in KP concordance: KP 1072, M-136 [I see x4 + boat], KP 3713) (3 total)

·         CEE WITH LASHES (KP 681) (1 only)

·         **DOUBLE CEES/ESSES (as an independent sign it is always doubled, but single CEE also occurs as well as BACK CEE) (H-226-8, M-606, KP 1419, KP 6106, M-494-5, M-1319, M-609, L-114, KP 3594, M-1014, M-1006, M-1179, KP 1323, KP 2489, L-66, M-1181, M-326, H-781, H-783, H-931, L-111, H-697, M-951, M-1137, M-52, KP 3657, KP 3108, M-307, H-519, BM G33, M-890, Ad-3, M-22, M-994, M-974, M-423?, H-291, KP 656, M-843, KP 3169, H-396, H-602, M-205, M-370, KP 4493, M-396, H-639, KP 3740, M-471, M-1292, KP 4312; not in KP concordance but in my database: H-685, Rhd-189, Mr-8, M-422, M-423, M-1569) (57 total)

·         **DOUBLE ZIGZAG (stacked, shown as a distinct symbol) (M-751) (1 only)

·         DOWN HEART (H-10, M-1316, M-373) (3 total)

·         **DOUBLE CHEVRONS (M-1548-9 classed as distinct symbol by KP; x3 KP 3737, x3 KP 3736 classed with TRIPLE TRIANGLES by KP) (3 total?)

·         *TEETH (interpreted as stacked, doubled TRIPLE TRIANGLES with one set inverted) (M-326) (1 only)

·         SPACESHIP (M-1233) (1 only)

·         *FOOTED STOOL doubled only if REVERSED FOOTED STOOL in combination is so classified (M-1120, L-141, K-43, L-5, KP 3583, M-198, M-162, M-126, KP 4392, Kd-8) (10 total)

·         FOOTED EX (+/-) (KP 8069) (1 only)

·         RECTANGLE (KP 8068, x3 H-97) (2 total)

·         GRID (M-383, H-72, M-382, M-1315, M-371, KP 1424, M-1329, M-981, M-400, M-519-21, M-592, M-575-6, M-577, M-1300, KP 2292, M-161, KP 2434, KP 2612, H-66, M-25, M-627, M-884, KP 4507, M-488, M-401, H-29, M-1080, KP 3651, M-321, M-45, KP 4578, M-252, M-573-4, H-415, M-745, L-134, M-81, M-476, M-1458-9, KP 2027, H-612?, KP 2784, H-849-51, H-211, H-229, M-1402, KP 1253, M-451, M-1427, M-4, H-49, L-136?, M-4, H-2, KP 1101, KP 1248, M-980, KP 1159, KP 2050, H-270, M-633, KP 6168, H-612) (63 total)

·         STRIPED MALLET (H-10) (1 only)

·         TABLE (K-23, H-524) (2 total)

·         EF TOPPED EXIT (M-1262) (1 only)

·         CUP (x3 H-764-5, x2 KP 3309, x3 M-494-5, x2 KP 2035, KP 4383, KP 1477, KP 1475; not shown in KP Rhd-57-65, overlapping Rhd-66-68; double? in M-1431, H-690) (11 total?)

·         POT (BM G52/Laursen 23 a Gulf seal from Iran) (1 only)

·         CIRCLE (L-117, H-995g, H-1012g, KP 2598, KP 5051, KP 1253, K-40) (7 total)

·         CIRCLED FORK (M-916, M-424) (2 total)

·         CIRCLED DOT (H-798, H-142?, M-926, M-953, M-853, M-1429, KP 5071, KP 2713) (8 total)

·         CARTWHEEL (M-1384, KP2798, KP 2796, M-111, KP 2427, KP 2119/M-1384?, H-176, M-933, KP 2427) (9 total)

·         *CROSSED EYES (if seen as double stacked circled vees) (H-183-4, M-12, KP 2349) (3 total)

Thus, the majority of signs do not occur doubled.  Of those that do, some occasionally occur repeated three or more times (up to seven times, in the case of stacked ROOFS).  For most of the repeating signs, doubling is less common than single occurrences, but there is one sign that is always doubled (DOUBLE QUOTES UNDER CHEVRONS). 

Indus seal H-66 with inscription: FLAG / STRIPED LOOP UNDER CHEVRON /
DOUBLE GRIDS (one of the more common duplicated signs, though GRID does
occur as a single sign in some cases).

Some of the signs in this list may not be truly doubled (marked here with a single asterisk).  If stacking is merely a space-saving measure then perhaps DOUBLE ZIGZAGS, CROSSED EYES, and TEETH are indeed doubled signs and, if so, it may be significant that none of these occurs in the more common side-by-side doubling configuration.  If stacking is indeed doubling, then perhaps I should add FIGURE EIGHT as an instance of a doubled CIRCLE (and STACKED TRIPLE CIRCLES as a tripling of the same sign).  However, I am aware of no researcher who considers stacked symbols to be equivalent to two signs side by side.

Those signs marked with two asterisks in the above list are classified as independent signs by Wells and by Koskenniemi and Parpola (KP).  Thus, DOUBLE CEES seems to function as a sign independently of the single CEE or BACK CEE.  Wells considers all such doubles to be independent signs, but the KP concordance does not show this same grouping in most cases.

Inscriptions on two Egyptian scarabs of the 12th to 14th dynasties. 
On left, "the mayor of Reshuu, Iu-bena" (note 3 chicks); on right,
"the royal ornament, Mu-nu-ab" (showing 3 posts, 3 water glyphs)
(after Newberry 2002: plate XV, nos. 14 and 15, transl. p. 140).

Besides this type of doubling, where the two copies of a sign are side by side, there are some instances of non-contiguous duplication of a sign within an inscription.  This is more interesting, since it hints at a feature one normally expects to find in phonetic scripts, i.e., essentially random repetition of signs.  For example, in Egyptian hieroglyphs, it is quite easy to find examples of the repetition of the bread loaf (a small half circle).  Not only do such loaves appear doubled, side by side, but they also occur two or more times in a single inscription where they are not contiguous.  The loaf is a phonetic symbol most of the time, representing the t sound.  If Indus script contains any phonetic information, we would expect to see the same kind of random appearance of phonetic signs.  So, what does this look like?  Confining the discussion to Egyptian scarabs (beetle-shaped objects with inscriptions on the base that were sometimes used as seals), we may note the following inscriptions (from Newberry 2002):

·         “The Hereditary Chieftainess, the Royal Princess, Anket-nefret-uben” (plate IX, no. 35, 4^th to 12^th dynasties, with five non-contiguous loaves, two non-contiguous arms, and two non-contiguous zigzags);

·         “The Great Royal Wife who is united to the beauty of the White Crown, Nub-hetep-tha” (plate XII, no. 26, 12^th to 14^th dynasties, with 2 non-contiguous loaves);

·         “May the King give an offering to Ptah-seker for the ka of the Uart of the Ruler’s Table, Nushu” (plate XIII, no. 8, 12^th to 14^th dynasty officials, with 3 non-contiguous loaves and 2 non-contiguous zigzags);

·         “The Great One of the Southern Tens, Ptah-hetep” (plate XIV, no. 8, 12^th to 14^th dynasty officials continued, with 2 non-contiguous loaves as well as two stacked medj/roofs and 2 non-contiguous squares/mats);

·         “The Eldest Royal Daughter, Ptah-ur-bau” (plate XVII, no. 1, 12^th to 14^th dynasty officials continued, with 4 non-contiguous loaves as well as 3 ba birds side-by-side and partly overlapping along with 3 short posts side by side beneath them);

·         “The Good God, Uazed” (plate XXIII, no. 8, Hyksos period, with no less than five repetitions of the ankh around the outside of the main inscription in an essentially decorative pattern).

Repetition of glyphs clearly serves a decorative rather than phonetic function in some instances, as demonstrated in the last example cited.  Other cases show popular, “lucky” glyphs such as ankh (meaning “life”) or nefer (meaning “beauty” among other things) repeated twice or more on the periphery of an inscription.  At times, it is not clear whether glyphs should be read or not, as e.g., a scarab of the Hyksos period with apparently four neb baskets interspersed with three zigzags (plate XXIV, no. 4).  It is possible that these are phonetic symbols, to be read as a name, Neben 3 times with an extra neb (to mean “lord”) for good measure.  But it is also possible that all these glyphs are purely decorative. 

An unreadable scarab from the Hyksos period, with repetitions
of symbols (3 or 4 nb baskets, 3 water glyphs, 2 ankhs on either side)
(after Newberry 2002: plate XXIV, no. 4).

It may be of interest to note that a glyph was sometimes duplicated side by side for grammatical and/or phonetic reasons (twice for dual number pronounced –y, three times for the plural pronounced –w).  Occasionally there are even four contiguous repetitions, as in the name Nefer-neferu-aten (another name of Nefertiti, great royal wife of Akhenaten) (see plate XXXI, no. 30).  In this case neferu is “spelled” with three repetitions of the nefer glyph, with the additional nefer at the beginning of the name requiring a fourth nefer symbol.  But there were alternative ways of representing the same type of phonetic repetition.  This is seen in examples of Kheper-kheperu-ra (another name of Ay, pharaoh after Tutankhamen) (plate XXXI, no. 34).  Here there are only two heper (or kheper) beetles, with three short posts beneath to convey the plural concept and phonetic –u/w.

This occurrence of repeated symbols within an inscription in both contiguous and non-contiguous positions is a hallmark of true writing.  One of the major arguments against seeing the Indus script as a fully developed writing system is that the non-contiguous repetition does not occur (Farmer, Sproat, and Witzel 2004: 31-36).  There are some occurrences of non-contiguous repetitions, though:  FISH (4 inscriptions), CORN HOLDER (1), COMB (4), BI-QUOTES (1), SINGLE QUOTE (1), SINGLE POST (4), TWO POSTS (18), PINCH (2), THREE QUOTES (2), THREE POSTS (2), BARBELL ON POST (1), CEE (4), GRID (1), STRIPED FAT LEG LAMBDA (1), SPEAR (1), FAT EX (2), CROSSROADS EX (1), GRID (1), BLANKET (1), DEE-SLASH (1), POT (26), POTTED ONE (1), FORK (1), EARPHONES (1), CIRCLE (2), CARTWHEEL (3).  With the exception of two signs (2 POSTS and POT), these occur so seldom, it seems almost an accident to find this type of repetition.  Thus, it is highly unlikely that any phonetic information is contained in these inscriptions.

APPENDIX

SIGNS DUPLICATED IN INSCRIPTIONS

FISH:     KP 1237 (AITCH / LAMBDA / FISH / PRAWN / FISH // BIRD // TRI-FORK TOPPED POT / POT)

KP 1588 (FISH / OVERLAPPING CIRCLES / 2 POSTS // POT // FISH / CRAB / FOOTED STOOL // PINWHEEL)

                H-364 (RAKE / FISH // SPEAR // FISH)

                KP 698 (AITCH / LAMBDA / FISH / CARTWHEEL / SINGLE QUOTE // FISH // SPEAR)

CORN HOLDER:  M-1057 (... / SINGLE POST / CUPPED SPOON / FISH / TABLE / SINGLE QUOTE // CORN

HOLDER // MAN // CORN HOLDER)

COMB:  KP 3296 (SQUARE / CEE / COIL // COMB // PRAWN // COMB)

M-1224 (OVERLAPPING CIRCLES / 2 POSTS // POST / MAN / COMB // DIAMOND UPON DOUBLE EXES / STACKED 6 / TRI-FORK // DOUBLE COMBS)

                H-213-4 (CORN HOLDER // COMB / SPEAR / COMB // 2 POSTS / CUP)

                KP 4453 (CORN HOLDER // COMB / SPEAR / COMB // 3 POSTS / CUP)

BI-QUOTES:  K-10 (STRIPED FAT LEG LAMBDA / BI-QUOTES // MALLET / VEE IN DIAMOND / STRIPED FAT

 LEG LAMBDA / BI-QUOTES // PRAWN / ZEE / CROSSROADS EX // POT)

SINGLE QUOTE:  Collon 608 (BI-RAKE // BEARER WITH SHOULDER YOKE // SINGLE QUOTE // STACKED 12

/ DOUBLE BELTED DOUBLED AITCH / SINGLE QUOTE // STRIPED FAT CEE / FLYING ANT)

SINGLE POST:  KP 2427 (DEE-SLASH / SINGLE POST / BI-QUOTES // SINGLE POST / STACKED 12 / DOUBLE

CARTWHEELS / STRIPED FAT LEG LAMBDA)

M-1151 (SINGLE POST / SINGLE QUOTE // SINGLE POST / POTTED 2 / CAGED WHISKERED FISH) (could also be interpreted as QUOTE BETWEEN POSTS / POTTED 2 / CAGED WHISKERED FISH, without repetition)

KP 2587 (DIAMOND / SINGLE POST // VEE IN DIAMOND / BI-QUOTES // WHISKERED FISH / DOT IN FISH // SPEAR // SINGLE POST / 3 QUOTES // POT HATTED BEARER)

M-1055 (... / SINGLE POST / BI-QUOTES // BUGS ON STRIPED LEAF / LOOP ARMED MAN HOLDING SLASH / DIAMOND / SINGLE POST)

2 POSTS:  M-1159 (2 POSTS / EARPHONES ON BI-FORK / BI-QUOTES // 2 POSTS / FISH / CAGED DOT IN

FISH)

L-87 (BI-QUOTES // CROSS-HATCHED CIRCLE / PINCH // 2 POSTS / FISH / MARKED FISH / OVERLAPPING CIRCLES / 2 POSTS // POT)

KP 700 (2 POSTS / OVERLAPPING CIRCLES / 2 POSTS // 2 POSTS) (or OVERLAPPING CIRCLES BETWEEN DOUBLE POSTS // 2 POSTS without repetition)*

M-494-5 (POTTED 1 / DOUBLE CEES WITH EAR / 2 POSTS / CARTWHEEL / 2 POSTS / STACKED 7 / DOUBLE CEES / RAKE / WINGED MAN // POT // SNOWFLAKE / ANKH / POTTED 1 // BEARER WITH SHOULDER YOKE // BIRD BETWEEN PARENS / OVERLAPPING CIRCLES / 2 POSTS // CIRCLED FORK / CRAB / HAIRY HUNCHBACK // POT / BEARER // TRIPLE CUPS / TRI-FORK)*

M-1117 (DEE-SLASH / PANTS / 2 POSTS / DIAMOND / 2 POSTS)*

H-598 (CRAB IN LOOP TOPPED DUBYA / PRAWN / ZEE / BI-QUOTES // WHISKERED FISH / BLANKET WITH TICKS, QUOTES, & CEE // POT // 2 POSTS / CARTWHEEL / 2 POSTS)*

C-30 (STACKED 5 / LOOP ARMED MAN HOLDING SLASH / 2 POSTS / CARTWHEEL / 2 POSTS)*

M-190 (2 POSTS / OVERLAPPING CIRCLES / 2 POSTS // POT HATTED BEARER)*

H-569 (... / POTTED 1 / 2 POSTS / FISH / WHISKERED FISH / OVERLAPPING CIRCLES / 2 POSTS // POT)

KP 3095 (2 POSTS / FISH / 2 POSTS / FAT EX IN DIAMOND)*

M-957 (2 POSTS / BATTERY / 2 POSTS / BI-QUOTES // CUPPED SPOON // BI-FORK TOPPED POT / POT)*

KP 2027 (2 POSTS / BLANKET WITH TICKS / MAN HOLDING DEE-SLASH / FEATHERED DUCK HEAD / BI-QUOTES // DOUBLE GRIDS / 2 POSTS / TRI-FORK)

M-38 (2 POSTS / BLANKET WITH TICKS / MAN HOLDING DEE-SLASH / TRI-FORK / BI-QUOTES // FISH UNDER CHEVRON / WHISKERED FISH / 2 POSTS / FISH / PRAWN / ZEE / CROSSROADS EX // POT)

H-322 (ODD STACKED / 2 POSTS // POT / COMB // 2 POSTS / CUP)

KP 2615 (DEE-SLASH / PANTS / 2 POSTS / DIAMOND / 2 POSTS)*

H-340 (STACKED 3 / OVERLAPPING CIRCLES / 2 POSTS / DOTTED WINDOW / ... // 2 POSTS / CUP)

KP 2456 (DOOR WITH KNOB // POT // 2 POSTS / CAGED FISH // 2 POSTS / PRONGS ON VEE IN DIAMOND)

M-746 (2 POSTS / MALLET / TRI-FORK / POTTED ONE / 2 POSTS / FISH / TABLE // POT)

PINCH: M-626 (FAT EX / PINCH // PRAWN / ZEE / CROSSROADS EX // POT // FAT EX / PINCH // CIRCLED FORK // POT // MAN HOLDING DEE-SLASH / BUD / CAGED OVERLAPPING CIRCLES)

M-682 (FAT EX / PINCH // PRAWN / ZEE / CROSSROADS EX // POT // FAT EX / PINCH // CIRCLED FORK // POT // ...)

3 QUOTES:  Rhd-15 (?) (3 QUOTES / 4 QUOTES / 3 QUOTES) (or 3 QUOTES / 7 QUOTES sans repetition)

M-500 (LOOP ARMED MAN HOLDING SLASH / CAGED MALLET // COMB // 3 QUOTES / SINGLE QUOTE // CROSSROADS EX / 3 QUOTES / CUP)

3 POSTS:  H-911 (BI-RAKE / MALLET / 3 POSTS // PRAWN / 3 POSTS)

                H-776 (FOOT / 3 POSTS / POTTED 2 / CIRCLED FORK // POT // 3 POSTS / CUP)

BARBELL ON POST:  M-326 (BOAT / PINCH // POTTED 1 / FISH UNDER CHEVRON / DOUBLE CEES // POT

// CARTWHEEL / 3 QUOTES / EX / STRIPED BISECTED TOP // BARBELL ON POST / POSTS & SLASH / BARBELL ON POST / 5 POSTS // BARBELL // TEETH / OVERLAPPING CIRCLES // VEE IN DIAMOND / MAN HOLDING DEE-SLASH / TRI-FORK)

CEE:       M-331 (RECTANGLE / BOAT WITH OAR & STERN POST / SKEWERED CHEVRON BETWEEN BACK CEE & CEE // 4 QUOTES / HORN / STACKED 5 // CEE / STRIPED FAT CHEVRON / DOWN HEART / CEE // 3 QUOTES // SINGLE QUOTE / CEE)*

B-24 (CEE / STRIPED FAT CHEVRON / DOWN HEART / CEE // POT HATTED BEARER / COMB / MAN // BACK CEE & CEE)*

                H-474 (CEE / STRIPED FAT CHEVRON / FAT CHEVRON / CEE / POTTED 3)

M-391 (FOOT / STACKED STOOLS WITH MID POST / VEE IN DIAMOND / BI-QUOTES // CIRCLED FORK / MARKED FISH / 3 QUOTES / CEE / CIRCLE / CEE // POT // COMB BELTED ASTERISK / SLASHES IN OVERLAPPING CIRCLES / QUAD-FORK) (or CIRCLE BETWEEN CEES without repetition)

GRID:    H-612 (... // POT // DOUBLE GRIDS / DEE-SLASH / MALLET / DEE-SLASH // POT // CARTWHEEL /

BI-QUOTES // STRIPED TRIANGLE / GRID // POT) [also DEE-SLASH]

STRIPED FAT LEG LAMBDA:  K-10 (STRIPED FAT LEG LAMBDA / BI-QUOTES // MALLET / VEE IN DIAMOND

/ STRIPED FAT LEG LAMBDA / BI-QUOTES // PRAWN / ZEE / CROSSROADS EX // POT)

SPEAR:  LOOP ARMED MAN HOLDING SLASH / DOUBLE BOATS // SPEAR // AITCH / VEE IN DIAMOND /

BI-QUOTES // DOUBLE FISHES / SKEWERED CHEVRON // SPEAR)

CROSSROADS EX:  M-501 (FOOTED STOOL / PINCH // CROSSROADS EX // POT // BED / CROSSROADS EX)

FAT EX:  M-626 (FAT EX / PINCH // PRAWN / ZEE / CROSSROADS EX // POT // FAT EX / PINCH // CIRCLED FORK // POT // MAN HOLDING DEE-SLASH / BUD / CAGED OVERLAPPING CIRCLES)

M-682 (FAT EX / PINCH // PRAWN / ZEE / CROSSROADS EX // POT // FAT EX / PINCH // CIRCLED FORK // POT // ...)

GRID:    M-627 (FISH / TABLE / GRID / POTTED ONE / STRIPED LOOP UNDER CHEVRON / DOUBLE GRIDS)

BLANKET:  M-396 (FOOTED STOOL / PINCH // FISH UNDER CHEVRON / BLANKET / RAYED CIRCLE /

DOUBLE CEES / CIRCLED DOT / MARKED FISH / BLANKET / ANT)

DEE-SLASH:  H-612 (... // POT // DOUBLE GRIDS / DEE-SLASH / MALLET / DEE-SLASH // POT //

CARTWHEEL / BI-QUOTES // STRIPED TRIANGLE / GRID // POT)

POT:      M-494-5 (POTTED ONE / DOUBLE CEES WITH EAR / CARTWHEEL BETWEEN DOUBLE POSTS / STACKED 7 / DOUBLE CEES / RAKE / WINGED MAN // POT // SNOWFLAKE / ANKH / POTTED ONE // BEARER WITH SHOULDER YOKE // BIRD BETWEEN PARENS / OVERLAPPING CIRCLES / 2 POSTS // CIRCLED FORK / CRAB / HAIRY HUNCHBACK // POT / BEAR // TRIPLE CUPS / TRI-FORK)

M-1202 (OVERLAPPING CIRCLES / SQUIRREL // POT // RAKE / WINGED MAN // POT // CIRCLE // MAN HOLDING POST // BARBELL ON POST / 5 POSTS)

                M-782 (TRIPLE BRICK // POT // SINGLE QUOTE // CAGED TETRAPOD // POT)

H-806-8 (FISH UNDER CHEVRON / FISH / HAIRY HUNCHBACK // POT // VEE IN DIAMOND / BI-QUOTES // WHISKERED FISH / FAT CHEVRON // POT)

M-1452 (CIRCLED FORK / MARKED FISH / HAIRY HUNCHBACK // POT // MALLET / QUAD-FORK // POT)

M-625 (... / FOOTED STOOL / PINCH // PRAWN / ZEE // POT // HAIRY HUNCHBACK / POT)

KP 8470 (FISH / TABLE // POT // HAIRY HUNCHBACK / POT)

M-638 (MALLET // POT / POTTED 3 / FISH UNDER CHEVRON / WHISKERED FISH / STACKED 12 / FAT CHEVRON // POT)

M-980 (RAKE / WINGED MAN // POT // QUOTE UNDER MAN / ZEE / REN-LAMBDA / FOOTED STOOL / DOUBLE GRIDS // POT)

KP 8904 (CIRCLED VEE / BI-QUOTES // HAIRY HUNCHBACK // POT // HUNCHBACK // BI-FORK TOPPED POT / POT)

KP 3416 (CARTWHEEL // POT // WATERY 7 // POT)

M-1429 (CIRCLED FORK / 3 QUOTES / FISH // POT // DOUBLE CIRCLED DOTS // POT / MAN)

Ad-4 (FLAIL // POT // FISH UNDER CHEVRON / STRIPED TRIANGLE / STACKED 7 // POT)

M-127 (HAIRY HUNCHBACK // POT // FISH UNDER CHEVRON // POT // FOOTED STOOL WITH HAIRY LEGS & ATTACHED TRI-FORK)

KP 1093 (WHISKERED FISH // POT // DUCK IN POND // POT // TRI-FORK TOPPED POT / POT)**

M-165 (2 POSTS / TRI-FORK / POTTED ONE / SINGLE QUOTE // TRI-FORK TOPPED POT / POT // SIDE FLYING BIRD // POT // CIRCLED VEE)

M-1129 (BOAT / SPACESHIP // POT // CORN HOLDER // STRIPED BOWTIE // POT)

M-1202 (OVERLAPPING CIRCLES / SQUIRREL // POT // RAKE / WINGED MAN // POT // MAN HOLDING POST / BARBELL ON POST / 5 POSTS)

H-811 (AY / BOAT / BI-QUOTES // HAIRY HUNCHBACK // POT // VEST // POT // SQUIRREL)

KP 1435 (BATTERY // POT // EX UNDER TABLE // CRAB / STACKED 7 / BATTERY // POT // EX UNDER TABLE)

M-882 (SPACESHIP / CRAB // POT // MALLET / TRI-FORK // POT // TRIPLE BRICK)

M-665 (BATTERY / BUD / BI-QUOTES // CORN HOLDER / TRIPLE TRIANGLES / CRAB // POT // BLANKET WITH TICKS, DASHES, CEE // POT / TRI-FORK & VEE IN DIAMOND)

KP 1215 (VEE IN DIAMOND / SPACESHIP // POT // OVERLAPPING CIRCLES / 2 POSTS // POT)

KP 8074 (FOOTED STOOL WITH MID EARS // POT // CIRCLED FORK / TRI-FORK / PINCH // POT)

M-1429 (CIRCLED FORK / 3 QUOTES / FISH // POT // DOUBLE CIRCLED DOTS // POT / MAN)

KP 4467 (... // POT // CARTWHEEL / BI-QUOTES // ... // POT // CUP / TRI-FORK & VEE IN DIAMOND)

POTTED ONE: (POTTED ONE / TRI-FORK / POTTED ONE / SINGLE POST / CUPPED SPOON / 3 POSTS //

SPEAR // 3 POSTS / CUP)

FORK:  M-1310 (FISH UNDER CHEVRON / MALLET / FORK // POT // SINGLE QUOTE // 4 QUOTES / FORK)

EARPHONES:  M-1397 (SQUARE AY / STRIPED FAT CEE / CUPPED SPOON / EARPHONES // CUPPED

SPOON / EARPHONES)

BARBELL ON POST: M-326 (BOAT / PINCH // POTTED ONE / FISH UNDER CHEVRON / DOUBLE CEES //

POT // CARTWHEEL / 3 QUOTES / EX / STRIPED BISECTED TOP // BARBELL ON POST / POSTS & SLASH / BARBELL ON POST / 5 POSTS // BARBELL // TEETH / OVERLAPPING CIRCLES // VEE IN DIAMOND / MAN HOLDING DEE-SLASH / TRI-FORK)

CIRCLE: C-20 (STRIPED TRIANGLE / CIRCLE / SINGLE POST / CIRCLE // BEARER) (or SINGLE POST BETWEEN

CIRCLES without repetition)

                M-777 (FOOTED STOOL / PINCH // FISH UNDER CHEVRON // SPEAR // CIRCLE / TABLE / CIRCLE)

(or TABLE BETWEEN CIRCLES without repetition)

CARTWHEEL:  M-634 (CARTWHEEL / LOOP ARMED MAN HOLDING SLASH / CARTWHEEL / CIRCLED

BISECTED RECTANGLE / CARTWHEEL / SINGLE QUOTE // RAKE / FISH // POT // EX UNDER TABLE)

M-108 (CARTWHEEL / FOOTED STOOL / CRAB / LAMBDA / FISH / CARTWHEEL // DOUBLE COMBS)

H-506 (CARTWHEEL / BI-QUOTES // CARTWHEEL / STRIPED MALLET / CORN HOLDER / PANTS)

REFERENCES

Farmer, Steve, Richard Sproat, and Michael Witzel. 2004. “The Collapse of the Indus Script Thesis: The Myth of a Literate Harappan Civilization” in Electronic Journal of Vedic Studies 11 (2): 19-57.

Koskenniemi, Kimmo and Asko Parpola. 1982. A Concordance to the Texts in the Indus Script. Helsinki: Dept. of Asian and African Studies, University of Helsinki.

Mahadevan, Iravatham. 2011. The Indus Fish Swam in the Great Bath: A New Solution to an Old Riddle.  Bulletin of the Indus Research Centre No. 2. Chennai, India: Roja Muthiah Research Library.

Newberry, Percy E. 2002. Egyptian Scarabs. Mineola, New York: Dover (reprint of 1906 work published by Archibald Constable and Co., London, entitled Scarabs: An Introduction to the Study of Egyptian Seals and Signet Rings).