https://tinyurl.com/2apa234j

Why study six वेदाङ्गानि? Answer: For artha śuddhi -- clarity in meaning, for vāk śuddhi -for effective communication, for anuṣṭhāna śuddhi -- for protecting dharma, performing duty--kāyakave kailāsa ಕಾಯಕವೇ ಕೈಲಾಸ  'work is worship' -- Basava, ಬಸವಣ್ಣ 12th cent. statesman.

The answer is three-fold: 1. To achieve clarity in meaning; 2. To achieve clarity in communication; 3. To protect, promote dharma --by dedicated performance of duty.

-- 1. व्याकरण, निरुक्त -- for arthaśuddhi; 2. शिक्षा, छन्दस् -- for vāk śuddhi --आख्येयम् clarity in speech, oral or verbal communication; 3. ज्योतिष, कल्प -- for anuṣṭhānaśuddhi

वेदाङ्गं, क्लो, (वेदस्य अङ्गम् ।) श्रुत्यवयवषट्-प्रकारशास्त्रम् । तद्यथा । शिक्षा १ कल्पः २व्याकरणम् ३ निरुक्तम् ४ ज्योतिषम् ५ छन्दः६ । यदुक्तम् ।“शिक्षा कल्पो व्याकरणं निरुक्तं ज्योतिषांगणः ।छन्दोविचितिरित्येतैः षडङ्गो वेद उच्यते ॥” इति ॥तत्र अकारादिवर्णानां स्थूलकरणप्रयत्नबोधिकाअकु ए ह विसर्ज्जनीयाः कण्ठ्या इत्यादिकाशिक्षा । यागक्रियाणामुपदेशः कल्पः । साधु-शब्दान्वाख्यानं व्याकरणम् । वर्णागमो वर्ण-विपर्य्ययश्च इत्यादिना निश्चयेनोक्तं निरुक्तम् ।ग्रहणादिगणनशास्त्रं ज्योतिः । श्रुतिच्छन्दसांप्रत्यायकं शास्त्रं छन्दोविचितिः । इत्यमर-भरतौ ॥ (यथा, मनुः । ४ । ९८ ।“वेदाङ्गानि च सर्व्वाणि कृष्णपक्षेषु सम्पठेत् ॥”)--शब्दकल्पद्रुमः

वेदाङ्ग न० वेदस्याङ्गमिव । “शिक्षा कल्पो व्याकरणंनिरुक्तं छन्दसां चयः । ज्योतिषामयनञ्चैव वेदाङ्गानिषड़ेव तु” इत्युक्तेषु शिक्षादिषु षट्सु शास्त्रेषु । तेषाम-ङ्गविशेषरूपत्वं शिक्षायामुक्तं यथा“छन्दः पादौ तु वेदस्य हस्तौ कल्पोऽथ पठ्यते । ज्यो-तिषामयमं चक्षुर्निरुक्तं श्रोत्रमुच्यते । शिक्षा घ्राणं तुवेदस्य मुखं व्याकरणं स्मृतम् । तस्मात् साङ्गमधीत्यैवब्रह्मलोके महीयते” ।--वाचस्पत्यम्

वेदः vedaḥ [विद्-अच् घञ् वा] Knowledge; -अङ्गम् 'a member of the Veda', N. of certain classes of works regarded as auxiliary to the Vedas and designed to aid in the correct pronunciation and interpretation of the text and the right employment of the Mantras in ceremonials; (the Vedāṅgas are six in number :-- शिक्षा कल्पो व्याकरणं निरुक्तं छन्दसां चयः । ज्योतिषामयनं चैव वेदाङ्गानि षडेव तु ॥; i. e. 1 शिक्षा 'the science of proper articulation and pronunciation'; 2 छन्दस् 'the science of prosody'; 3 व्याकरण 'grammar'; 4 निरुक्त 'etymological explanation of difficult Vedic words'; 5 ज्योतिष 'astronomy'; and 6 कल्प 'ritual or ceremonical'). A peculiar use of the word 'वेदाङ्ग' in masculine gender may here be noted; वेदांश्चैव तु वेदाङ्गान् वेदान्तानि तथा स्मृतीः । अधीत्य ब्राह्मणः पूर्वं शक्तितोऽन्यांश्च संपठेत् ॥ Bṛihadyogiyājñavalkya-Smṛti 12.34. 

शुद्धिः śuddhiḥ [शुध्-क्तिन्] 1 Purity, cleanness. -2 Brightness, lustre; मुक्तागुणशुद्धयोऽपि(चन्द्रपादाः) R.16.18. -3 Sanctity, holiness; तीर्थाभिषेकजां शुद्धिमाद्धाना महीक्षितः R.1.85. -4 Purification, expiation, atonement, expiatory act; शरीरत्यागमात्रेण शुद्धिलाभममन्यत R.12.10. -5 A purificatory or expiatory rite.

vāk in comp. for vāc.; vāc f. (fr. √vac) speech, voice, talk, language (also of animals), sound (also of inanimate objects as of the stones used for pressing, of a drum &c.), RV.  &c. &c. (vācam-√ṛ, īr, or iṣ, to raise the voice, utter a sound, cry, call); a word, saying, phrase, sentence, statement, asseveration, Mn. ; MBh.  &c. (vācaṃ-√vad, to speak words; vācaṃ vyā-√hṛ, to utter words; vācaṃ-√dā with dat., to address words to; vācā satyaṃ-√kṛ, to promise verbally in marriage, plight troth); Speech personified (in various manners or forms e.g. as Vāc Āmbhṛṇī in RV. x, 125 ; as the voice of the middle sphere in Naigh.  and, Nir. ; in the Veda she is also represented as created by Prajā-pati and married to him; in other places she is called the mother of the Vedas and wife of Indra; in VP.  she is the daughter of Dakṣa and wife of Kaśyapa; but most frequently she is identified with Bhāratī or Sarasvatī, the goddess of speech; vācaḥ sāma and vāco vratam N. of Sāmans, ĀrṣBr. ; vācaḥ stomaḥ, a partic. Ekâha, ŚrS. )

अर्थः arthaḥ Meaning, sense, signification, import; अर्थ is of 3 kinds:--वाच्य or expressed, लक्ष्य or indicated (secondary), and व्यङ्ग्य or suggested; तददोषौ शब्दार्थौ K. P.1; अर्थो वाच्यश्च लक्ष्यश्च व्यङ्ग्यश्चेति त्रिधा मतः S. D.2; वागर्थाविव R.1.1; अवेक्ष्य धातोर्गमनार्थमर्थवित् 3.21.

अक्षर akṣara alphabet. -अर्थः [ष. त.] meaning (of words); किं तावत् गीत्या अवगतोऽक्षरार्थः Ś

शब्दः śabdaḥ -आख्येय a. to be communicated in words; शब्दाख्येयं यदपि किल ते यः सखीनां पुरस्तात् Me.105. (-यम्) an oral or verbal communication.

अनुष्ठानम् anuṣṭhānam 1 Doing, performance, practice, execution, accomplishment &c.; obeying, acting in conformity to; उपरुध्यते तपोऽनुष्ठानम् Ś.4. practice of religious austerities; कोऽपि वधोपायश्चिन्त्यो यस्यानुष्ठानेन Pt.1; नानुष्ठानैर्विहीनाः स्युः कुलजा विधवा इव Pt.2.95; धर्मे स्वयमनुष्ठानं कस्यचित्तु महात्मनः H.1.99; शास्त्रानुष्ठानं वा Kau. A.1.6. -2 Commencing, undertaking, engaging in; यदि समुद्रेण सह वैरानुष्ठानं कार्यम् Pt.1.

व्याकरणम् vyākaraṇam 1 Analysis, decomposition. -2 Grammatical analysis, grammar

शिक्षा śikṣā [शिक्ष्-भावे अ] the science which teaches the proper pronunciation of words and laws of euphony; वर्णस्वराद्युच्चारणप्रकारो यत्रोप- दिश्यते सा शिक्षा Ṛigvedabhāṣya.

कल्प kalpa that which lays down the ritual and prescribes rules for ceremonial and sacrificial acts; शिक्षा कल्पो व्याकरणम् Muṇḍ 1.1.5;  kalpa mf(ā)n. (√kḷp), practicable, feasible, possible, ŚBr. ii, 4, 3, 3; proper, fit, able, competent, equal to (with gen. loc., inf., or ifc.; e.g. dharmasya kalpaḥ, competent for duty; svakarmaṇi na kalpaḥ, not competent for his own work; yadā na śāsituṃ kalpaḥ, if he is not able to rule), BhP.;prathamaḥ kalpaḥ, a rule to be observed before any other rule, first duty, Mn. iii, 147 ; MBh.  &c.; etena kalpena, in this way; cf. paśu-k°, &c.); the most complete of the six Vedāṅgas (that which prescribes the ritual and gives rules for ceremonial or sacrificial acts), MuṇḍUp.;Pāṇ.; investigation, research Comm. on Sāṃkhyak.       

छन्दस् chandas Metrical science, prosody

ज्योतिष jyotiṣa-षम् 1 Astronomy, astrology, the science of the course of the heavenly bodies and divisions of time resting thereon; कलामात्रा- विशेषज्ञाञ् ज्योतिषे च परं गतान् Rām.7.94.7

निरुक्त nirukta that which contains glossarial explanation of obscure words, especially those occurring in the Vedas; नाम च धातुजमाह निरुक्ते Nir. 

https://tinyurl.com/55ufbtsf

Courtesy: Dennys Frenez, 2021, The Indus Script -- Invention and Use of a Bronze Age Writing System Source for the images selected and sequenced by Dennys Frenez brilliantly presenting the chronological evolution of the Indus Script writing system, starting with potters' marks: https://www.academia.edu/46629600/The_Indus_Script_Invention_and_Use_of_a_Bronze_Age_Writing_System_Lecture_for_Archaeology_and_Writing_UNIBO_2020_2021_?fbclid=IwAR33-cH4L2NKy-FBsfqaypQIco_MRnkOeTh3e_w9Sp7Svg38WrdUi7OZl-8

Indus script -- Archer, boar, tiger hieroglyphs: Meluhha metalwork brief memoranda http://tinyurl.com/qj8o7qc 

See: 

Spoked wheel in Meluhha is tsarkh 'potter's wheel'अर्क 'the sun, copper', agasāla 'goldsmith workshop' https://tinyurl.com/y2jq5okl

 

āre ‘potter's wheel’ rebus: āra ‘brass’; څرخ ṯs̱arḵẖ, 'potter's wheel'; eraka 'knave of wheel' rebus: arka, aka 'gold, copper'; eraka 'metal infusion'.

   څرخ ṯs̱arḵẖ, s.m. (2nd) (P چرخ). 2. A wheeled-carriage, a gun-carriage, a cart. Pl. څرخونه ṯs̱arḵẖūnah.    څرخ ṯs̱arḵẖ, s.m. (2nd) A wheel (particularly a potter's, or of a water-mill or well). 2. A grindstone. 3. Circular motion, turn, revolution, the act of turning. 4. Fortune, chance. 5. The heavens, the sphere, the celestial globe. 6. A kind of hawk or falcon, an eagle. 7. A stab, a puncture, a prick, a wound produced by a spear, an arrow, or the like. Pl. څرخرنه ṯs̱arḵẖ-ūnah; 8. adj. Punctured, pricked, pierced, stabbed; (Fem.) څرکه ṯs̱arkaʿh. څرخیدل ṯs̱arḵẖedal, verb intrans. To revolve, to turn round, to wheel. 2. To dance. Pres. څرخبږي ṯs̱arḵẖej̱ẕī (W.) or څرخیګي ṯs̱arḵẖegī (E.); past ؤ څرخیده wu-ṯs̱arḵẖedah or ؤ څرخیدَ wu-ṯs̱arḵẖeda; fut. ؤ به څرخیږي wu bah ṯs̱arḵẖej̱ẕī or ؤ به څرخیګي wu bah ṯs̱arḵẖegī; imp. ؤ څرخیږه wu-ṯs̱arḵẖej̱ẕah or ؤ څرخیګه wu-ṯs̱arḵẖegah; act. part. څرخیدونکيَ ṯs̱arḵẖedūnkaey or څرخیدونيَ ṯs̱arḵẖedūnaey; past part. څرخید ليَ ṯs̱arḵẖedalaey; verb. n. څرخیدنه ṯs̱arḵẖedanaʿh. څرخول ṯs̱arḵẖawul, verb trans. To turn, to make revolve, to wheel round. 2. To sharpen. Pres. څرخوي ṯs̱arḵẖawī; past ؤ څرخاوه wu-ṯs̱arḵẖāwuh or ؤ څرخاوو wu-ṯs̱arḵẖāwo; fut. ؤ به څرخوي wu bah ṯs̱arḵẖawī; imp. ؤ څرخوه wu-ṯs̱arḵẖawah; act. part. څرخوونکيَ ṯs̱arḵẖawūnkaey or څرخوونيَ ṯs̱arḵẖawūnaey; past part. څرخوليَ ṯs̱arḵẖawulaey; verb. n. څرخونه ṯs̱arḵẖawunaʿh. (P چرخ).

   څرخ کول ṯs̱arḵẖ kawul, verb trans. To pierce, to stab, to puncture. څرخ کیدل ṯs̱arḵẖ kedal, verb intrans. To enter (as a pointed instrument), to penetrate, to stab, to pierce.

   څرخه ṯs̱arḵẖaʿh, s.f. (3rd) A spinning-wheel, a large reel. Pl. يْ ey. (P چرخه).

   څرخيَ ṯs̱arḵẖaey, s.m. (1st) A kind of reel for winding cotton on, a ball of cotton, silk, etc. 2. A species of falcon. Pl. يِ ī. See څاښي

   څرخلګيَ ṯs̱arḵẖal-gaey, s.m. (1st) A piece of wood, stone, etc., on which thread is wound, a reel. Pl. يِ ī. Also څرخلرګيَ ṯs̱arḵẖ- largaey. Pl. يِ ī.

   څرخندوکيَ ṯs̱arḵẖandūkaey, s.m. A tee-totum, a child's top. Pl. يِ ī. See لاډو ,چرلندي and چلخئِي (Pashto)

अर्क  'the sun, copper, m. ( √ अर्च्) , Ved. a ray , flash of lightning RV. &c; fire RV. ix , 50 , 4 S3Br. Br2A1rUp. (Monier-Williams) arká1 m. ʻ flash, ray, sun ʼ RV. [√arc]Pa. Pk. akka -- m. ʻ sun ʼ, Mth. āk; Si. aka ʻ lightning ʼ, inscr. vid -- äki ʻ lightning flash ʼ.(CDIAL 624) *arkavarta ʻ a sort of ornament ʼ. [Cf. arkapuṭikā -- f. ʻ a silver ornament consisting of a round disk like the sun ʼ lex.: arká -- 1, *varta -- 3]G. akɔṭī f. ʻ earring ʼ.(CDIAL 628) (Note:the Pashto word ṯs̱arḵẖ may explain the various semantic expressions listed in Annex. Cakra and examples of semantic expansions). 

Sign 287Sign 287 or 293 which signifies kuṭila 'bell-metal' Sign 293 is a hypertext composed of 'curve' and 'pupil of eye' hieroglyphs: Curve is signified by kuṭi 'curve'; rebus: कुटिल kuṭila, katthīl (8 parts copper, 2 parts tin); cf. āra-kūṭa, 'brass' Old English ār 'brass'; Pupil of eye is kuṭi rebus: kuṭhi 'smelter'. Thus, Sign 293 signifies smelter for कुटिल kuṭila, katthī 'brass'. 

Sign 296 is a variant ofSign 287 'curve' hieroglyph and 'angle' hieroglyph (as seen on lozenge/rhombus/ovalshaped hieroglyphs). The basic orthograph of Sign 287 is signifiedby the semantics of: kuṭila ‘bent’ CDIAL 3230 kuṭi— in cmpd. ‘curve’, kuṭika— ‘bent’ MBh. Rebus: kuṭila, katthīl = bronze (8 parts copper and 2 parts tin) cf. āra-kūṭa, 'brass'  Old English ār 'brass, copper, bronze' Old Norse eir 'brass, copper', German ehern 'brassy, bronzen'. kastīra n. ʻ tin ʼ lex. 2. *kastilla -- .1. H. kathīr m. ʻ tin, pewter ʼ; G. kathīr n. ʻ pewter ʼ.2. H. (Bhoj.?) kathīl, °lā m. ʻ tin, pewter ʼ; M. kathīl n. ʻ tin ʼ, kathlẽ n. ʻ large tin vessel ʼ.(CDIAL 2984) कौटिलिकः kauṭilikḥ कौटिलिकः 1 A hunter.-2 A blacksmith. Sign 293 may be seen as a duplication (dula 'pair' rebus; dul 'metal casting') of Sign 287  The reading of Sign 293 is thus: dul kuṭila  metal casting of 'pewter'.

Sign 267: Ingot, oval (rhombus)

Sign 30 is a composite of Sign 1and Sign 261. The ciphertext is: mē̃ḍ 'body' rebus: mē̃ḍ ‘iron’ (Mu.) PLUS mũhã̄ = the quantity of iron produced atone time in a native smelting furnace of the Kolhes; iron produced by the Kolhes and formed likea four-cornered piece a little pointed at each end; mũh 'ingot'. (Santali). Thus, the hypertext reads: mē̃ḍ mũh 'iron ingot'.

Sign 267 is oval=shape variant, rhombus-shape of a bun ingot. Like Sign 373, this sign also signifies mũhã̄ 'bun ingot' PLUS kanac 'corner' rebus: kancu 'bell-metal'.kaṁsá1 m. ʻ metal cup ʼAV., m.n. ʻ bell -- metal ʼ Pat. as in S., but would in Pa. Pk. and most NIA. lggs. collide with kāˊṁsya -- to which L. P. testify and under which the remaining forms for the metal are listed. 2. *kaṁsikā -- .1. Pa. kaṁsa -- m. ʻ bronze dish ʼ; S. kañjho m. ʻ bellmetal ʼ; A. kã̄h ʻgong ʼ; Or. kãsā ʻ big pot of bell -- metal ʼ; OMarw. kāso (= kã̄ -- ?) m. ʻ bell -- metal tray for food, food ʼ; G. kã̄sā m. pl. ʻ cymbals ʼ; -- perh. Woṭ. kasṓṭ m. ʻ metal pot ʼ Buddruss Woṭ 109.2. Pk. kaṁsiā -- f. ʻ a kind of musical instrument ʼ;  A. kã̄hi ʻ bell -- metal dish ʼ; G. kã̄śī f. ʻ bell -- metal cymbal ʼ, kã̄śiyɔ m. ʻ open bellmetal pan ʼ. (CDIAL 2756) Sign 272 cyphertext is a composite of Sign 267 and smoke, flame signifying a portable furnace. Lozenge, corner, signifier of portable furnace smoke/fire. Lozenge or oval shapes are mũhã̄ 'bun-ingot' shapes.  kammaṭa 'portable furnace to melt metals', rebus: Ta. kampaṭṭam coinage, coin. Ma. kammaṭṭam, kammiṭṭam coinage, mint. Ka. kammaṭa id.; kammaṭi a coiner (DEDR 1236). Thus, kancu ʼmũh kammaṭa bronze, bell-metal ingot mint. Sign 276 Variant Sign 278.  The hypertext is composed of Sign 267 and a hieroglyph,'splinter': sal 'splinter' rebus: sal 'workshop'.  Thus Sign 276 reads, kancu ʼmũh sal 'bell-metal ingot workshop'.  Sign 278 has a circumscript: four short strokes: gaṇḍā 'four' rebus: kaṇḍa 'fire-altar'. kã̄dur m. ʻ oven ʼ (Kashmiri).: kándu f. ʻ iron pot ʼ Suśr., °uka -- m. ʻ saucepan ʼ.Pk. kaṁdu -- , kaṁḍu -- m.f. ʻ cooking pot ʼ; K. kō̃da f. ʻ potter's kiln, lime or brick kiln ʼ; -- ext. with -- ḍa -- : K. kã̄dur m. ʻ oven ʼ. -- Deriv. Pk. kaṁḍua -- ʻ sweetseller ʼ (< *kānduka -- ?); H. kã̄dū m. ʻ a caste that makes sweetmeats ʼ. (CDIAL 2726)*kandukara ʻ worker with pans ʼ. [kándu -- , kará -- 1]K. kã̄dar, kã̄duru dat. °daris m. ʻ baker ʼ. (CDIAL 2728) Tu. kandůka, kandaka ditch, trench. Te. kandakamu id. Konḍa kanda trench made as a fireplace during weddings. Pe.kanda fire trench. Kui kanda small trench for fireplace. Malt. kandri a pit.(DEDR 1214) Thus, Sign 278 reads: kancu ʼmũh kaṇḍa sal 'bell-metal ingot implements workshop'.  Sign 277 Sign 277 The hypertext is composed of Sign 267 and a hieroglyph,'notch': खांडा  khāṇḍā .A jag, notch, or indentation (as upon the edge of a tool or weapon). A rough furrow, ravine, gully. (Marathi) rebus: khāṇḍa 'tools, pots and pans and metal-ware' (Marathi). Thus Sign 277 reads,  kancu ʼmũh khāṇḍa 'bell-metal ingot, metalware' Sign 279 Sign 279 signifies two corners and is a variant of Sign 277. Thus, Sign 27o reads dul kañcu ʼmũh khāṇḍa 'castings bell-metal ingot, metalware'. PLUS खांडा  khāṇḍā .A jag, notch, or indentation (as upon the edge of a tool or weapon). A rough furrow, ravine,gully. (Marathi) rebus:khāṇḍa tools, pots and pans and metal-ware' (Marathi). Vikalpa to 'notch' is 'splinter' of two notches: sal 'splinter' rebus: sal 'workshop'. Sign 280 The hypertext of Sign 280 is composed of Sign 267, notch and lid of pot. Sign 280 The hypertext of Sign 280 is composed of Sign 267, notch and lid of pot. The reading is: kancu ʼmũh dhakka khāṇḍa 'bell-metal ingot, bright,blazing metal tools, pots and pans and metalware'.  Circumscript: four short strokes: gaṇḍā 'four' rebus: kaṇḍa 'fire-altar'.  Sign 281 The hypertext is Sig 280 PLUS circumscript 'four short vertical strokes'. The reading is: kaṇḍa kancu ʼmũh dhakka khāṇḍa 'fire-altar (for) bell-metal ingot, bright,blazing metal tools, pots and pans and metalware'. Sign 284Variants of Sign 284  Circumscript: four short strokes: gaṇḍā 'four' rebus: kaṇḍa 'fire-altar'. Sign 285 is a composite of hieroglyphs: Sign 267  four corners, four short linear strokes as circumscript.  kaṇḍa kancu mũh khāṇḍā 'bell-metal ingot, implements (from) fire-altar'.  The rebus reading of hieroglyph spoked-wheel is: arā 'spoke' rebus: āra 'brass' PLUS eraka 'nave of wheel' rebus: eraka 'moltencast,copper'.  Sign 286Variants of Sign 286  Sign 286 is a composite of Sign 284 with infixed spoked wheel. The reaiding of hypertext of Sign 286 is:  kaṇḍa āra eraka kancu mũh khāṇḍā  'fire-altar (for) brass, moltencast copper, bell-metal ingot, implements.'

Variants of Sign 176

Sign 176 khareḍo 'a currycomb (Gujarati) Rebus: karaḍā खरडें 'daybook, wealth-accounting ledger'. Rebus: kharādī ' turner' (Gujarati).

Sign 211 'arrow' hieroglyph: kaṇḍa ‘arrow’ (Skt.) H. kãḍerā m. ʻ a caste of bow -- and arrow -- makers (CDIAL 3024). Or. kāṇḍa, kã̄ṛ ʻstalk, arrow ʼ(CDIAL 3023). ayaskāṇḍa ‘a quantity of iron, excellent  iron’ (Pāṇ.gaṇ) Thus ciphertext kaṇḍa ‘arrow’ is rebus hypertext kāṇḍa 'excellent iron', khāṇḍā 'tools, pots and pans, metal-ware'. 

Medium: Raw materials used for cylinder seals

Kot Diji Inscription on rim of jar

Decipherment from r.: koṭhār 'treasury, warehouse'; kōṭhī ] f (कोष्ट S) A granary, garner, storehouse, warehouse, treasury, factory, bank. 

kuṭilikā- smith's tongs.(DEDR 2052) Rebus: कुटिल kuṭila, katthīl (8 parts copper, 2 parts tin) 'bronze'. ḍato =claws of crab (Santali) Rebus:dhātu 'mineral ore'.  kāru pincers, tongs. Rebus: khār खार् 'blacksmith' (Kashmiri). PLUS dula 'pair' rebus: dul 'metl casting'

 kuṭi 'curve'; rebus: कुटिल kuṭila, katthīl (8 parts copper, 2 parts tin)

karNaka 'rim of jar' rebus: KarNika 'helmsman'; kAraNI 'supercargo' karaNa \scribe, accountant'

Surkotada potsherd

kanac 'corner' rebus: kancu 'bronze'

karNaka 'rim of jar' rebus: KarNika 'helmsman'; kAraNI 'supercargo' karaNa \scribe, accountant'

Kalibangan potsherd

kolom 'three' rebus: kolimi 'smithy, forge'

muh 'ingot oval shape' rebus: mũhe 'ingot' (Santali) mũhã̄ 'iron furnace output'  'quantity of ore taken out of furnace' PLUS goṭā 'round pebble, stone' Rebus: goṭā ''laterite, ferrite ore''gold braid'खोट [khōṭa] 'ingot, wedge'; A mass of metal 

koDa 'one' rebus: koD 'workshop'

Copper tablet token with raised script in bas-relief

muh 'ingot oval shape' rebus: muh 'ingot, quantity of ore taken out of furnace' PLUS goṭā 'round pebble, stone' Rebus: goṭā ''laterite, ferrite ore''gold braid'खोट [khōṭa] 'ingot, wedge'; A mass of metal 

कणा kaṇā m The spine or back-bone; कना kanā m (Commonly कणा q. v.) The backbone &c.(Marathi) Rebus: rebus: kāṇam 'wealth, riches, gold' 

The illegible hieroglyph (third from r.) may be currycomb: Sign 176 khareḍo 'a currycomb (Gujarati) Rebus: karaḍā खरडें 'daybook, wealth-accounting ledger'. Rebus: kharādī ' turner' (Gujarati).

Terracotta twisted tablet

Ox, trough: barad, balad 'ox' rebus: bharata, baran 'factitious alloy'baran, bharata 'mixed alloys' (5 copper, 4 zinc and 1 tin).  pāṭroṛo 'feeding trough' (Sindhi) rebus: பத்தர்² pattar, n. ... battuḍu '​artificer' pattar 'goldsmith guild' 

Archer: kāmṭhiyɔ kāmaṭhiyo a bowman; an archer (Skt.) (CDIAL 2760) rebus: kammaṭa 'mint, coiner' 

loa 'ficus glomerata' rebus: loh 'copper, metal'

dhakka 'lid of pot' rebus: dhakka 'bright, blazing metal'

dhakka

1

Pointed-base goblets

Three linear strokes: kolom 'three' rebus: kolimi 'smithy, forge'

Ras Al-Jinz potsherd

kanac 'corner' rebus: kancu 'bell-metal, bronze'

karNaka 'rim of jar' rebus: KarNika 'helmsman'; kAraNI 'supercargo' karaNa \scribe, accountant'

Persian Gulf inscriptions

See: 1. Stature of body Meluhha hieroglyphs (48) in Indus writing: Catalogs of Metalwork processes http://tinyurl.com/oh3764t

2. Itihāsa. Indus Script metalwork hypertexts of trading civilization of Failaka, Saar & Barbar Temple, Bahrain.Dilmun revisited: excavations at Saar, Bahrain -- Harriet Crawford (1997) Excavations at Barbar Temple -- Hojlund, Flemming et al (2005) https://tinyurl.com/ycozar7v

3. Decipherment of Persian or Arabian Gulf inscriptions. Indus Script hypertexts of metalwork, wealth-accounting ledgers https://tinyurl.com/y7gnwyc6

4. Persian Gulf Indus Script seals, bovine body with multiple animal heads (bison, unicorn, antelopes) on 14 inscriptions signify metalsmith seafaring merchant guild https://tinyurl.com/yyw77z25

Buffalos, overflowing pot, kneeling adorant

See: 

Ibni-Sharrum cylinder seal ca. 2200 BCE deciphered, Indus Script hypertext signifies artificer of zinc alloy furnace, metal implements https://tinyurl.com/y9l5hkn8

Early stamp seals. Courtesy: Akinori Uesugi (2013)

See: 

Evidence from 184 excavated sites evaluated by Akinori Uesugi validates Indus Script decipherment as Meluhha metalwork catalogues https://tinyurl.com/yxzk2oju

Early stamp seals. (c) JF Jarrige

+ hieroglyph signifies yajna kunda, sacred fire-altar: See: 

Archaeological proof validating decipherment of + & dotted-circle hieroglyphs of Indus Script, Discovery of yajna kunda from Ganga basin https://tinyurl.com/y9pqdkjg

The hieroglyphs which are variants of sun's rays signify: arka 'sun's rays' rebus: arka 'copper, gold'

Early potter marks, Kalibangan. JM Kenoyer

karNaka 'rim of jar' rebus: KarNika 'helmsman'; kAraNI 'supercargo' karaNa \scribe, accountant'

kanac 'corner' rebus: kancu 'bronze' PLUS kor̤u 'sprout' rebus: kor̤u 'bar of metal'

71 signs, ca. 2600 BCE Courtesy: Ayumu Konasukawa

See decipherment in:

Metal tool with inscription

taTTal 'five' rebus: taTTar 'brass'

kanac 'corner' rebus: kancu 'bronze'

dhāḷ 'slanted stroke' rebus: dhāḷako 'ingot' PLUS koṭṭhaka -- कोष्ठागार 'warehouse, treasury'

Two Harappa daggers signify bronze arkasal ‘goldsmith workshop’ warehouse, treasurer; Meluhha Indus Script rebus renderings of inscriptions https://tinyurl.com/w75xcmkk

There are three hypertexts/hieroglyphs inscribed on the two bronze daggers of Harappa, h380, h381

These are:

Meluhha rebus readings of these these hypertexts/hieroglyphs are:

The 'curve' hieroglyph is a splitting of the ellipse. kuṭila ‘bent’ CDIAL 3230 kuṭi— in cmpd. ‘curve’, kuṭika— ‘bent’ MBh. 

Rebus: kuṭila, katthīl = bronze (8 parts copper and 2 parts tin) cf. āra-kūṭa, 'brass'  Old English ār 'brass, copper, bronze' Old Norse eir 'brass, copper', German ehern 'brassy, bronzen'. kastīra n. ʻ tin ʼ lex. 2. *kastilla -- .1. H. kathīr m. ʻ tin, pewter ʼ; G. kathīr n. ʻ pewter ʼ.2. H. (Bhoj.?) kathīl, °lā m. ʻ tin, pewter ʼ; M. kathīl n. ʻ tin ʼ, kathlẽ n. ʻ large tin vessel ʼ.(CDIAL 2984)

Sign 244: koṭṭhāra -- n. ʻ storehouse ʼ(Pkt.)(CDIAL 3550).

kuṭilika 'bent, curved' rebus: कुटिल kuṭila, katthīl = bronze (8 parts copper and 2 parts tin); " sal 'splinter' rebus: sal'workshop'. Thus, together, 'bronze workshop'

Hypertext composed of ‘1. arch, 2. potter’s wheel, 3. splinter’ Meluhha rebus reading:

1. Pa. bōdhi -- maṇḍa -- n. perh. ʻ thatched cover ʼ rather than ʻ raised platform ʼ (BHS ii 402). Rebus: maṇḍā 'warehouse, workshop' (Konkani) 

2,3. tsarkh ‘potter’s wheel’ rebus: arka ‘copper, gold’ PLUS sala ‘splinter’ rebus sal ‘workshop’. arkasal, agasāla 'goldsmith workshop'.

Thus, the hypertext reads: arkasal, agasāla 'goldsmith workshop' PLUS maṇḍā 'warehouse, workshop'.

h2091b āra 'spokes' rebus: āra 'brass' PLUS sal 'splinter' rebus sal 'workshop' āra 'spokes' rebus: āra 'brass' (DEDR 856) 

See: Historic discovery at Dholavira of proclamation of Sarasvati-Sindhu Civilization: arka sal khũt kammasālā 'goldsmith community guild workshop' https://tinyurl.com/wmoovpw

څرخ ṯs̱arḵẖ, s.m. (2nd) ( P چرخ ). 2. A wheeled-carriage, a gun-carriage, a cart. Pl. څرخونه ṯs̱arḵẖūnah (Pashto). Rebus: अर्क 'the sun, copper', agasāla 'goldsmith workshop'.

Sign 391 PLUS ‘splinter’ hieroglyph: rebus arkasal, agasāla 'goldsmith workshop'.

Sign 391 is the opening statement of each of the three segments of Dholavira signboard message. څرخ ṯs̱arḵẖ, s.m. (2nd) ( P چرخ ). 2. A wheeled-carriage, a gun-carriage, a cart. Pl. څرخونه ṯs̱arḵẖūnah (Pashto). Rebus: अर्क 'the sun, copper', agasāla 'goldsmith workshop'.eraka 'nave of wheel' rebus: eraka 'moltencast, copper' arā 'spoke' rebus: āra 'brass'. رخ ṯs̱arḵẖ, āre 'potters wheel' rebus: arka 'gold, gold', eraka 'metal infusion' PLUS sal 'splinter', cāl 'furrow' rebus: sal 'workshop'. PLUS sal 'splinter' rebus: sal 'workshop'. Thus, arka sal 'gold, metal infusion workshop' PLUS manḍa 'arbour, canopy' Rebus: mã̄ḍ ʻarray of instruments'. This is a ligatured hieroglyph. ara 'spoke' rebus: ara 'brass'. era, er-a = eraka =?nave; erako_lu = the iron axle of a carriage (Ka.M.); cf. irasu (Ka.lex.)[Note Sign 391 and its ligatures Signs 392 and 393 may connote a spoked-wheel,nave of the wheel through which the axle passes; cf. ara_, spoke] erka = ekke (Tbh.of arka) aka (Tbh. of arka) copper (metal);

crystal (Ka.lex.) cf. eruvai = copper (Ta.lex.) eraka, er-aka = anymetal infusion (Ka.Tu.); erako molten cast (Tu.lex.) Rebus: eraka= copper (Ka.)eruvai =copper (Ta.); ere - a dark-red colour (Ka.)(DEDR 817). eraka, era, er-a= syn. erka, copper, weapons (Ka.)Vikalpa: ara, arā (RV.) = spoke of wheel  

ஆரம்² āram , n. < āra. 1. Spokeof a wheel.

See ஆரக்கால். ஆரஞ்சூழ்ந்தவயில்வாய்நேமியொடு (சிறுபாண். 253). Rebus: ஆரம் brass; பித்தளை.(அக. நி.) pittal is cognate with 'pewter'.

h381 Bronze dagger

h380 Bronze dagger A copper weapon with Sarasvati-Sindhu/Harappan Script inscribed. Date ca. 2800 to 1700 BCE. National Museum, New Delhi

h1518 copper axe 

maṁḍaya -- ʻ adorning ʼ (Prakritam) rebus: mã̄ḍ m. ʻ array of instruments . (Marathi)(CDIAL 9736) The inscription on the copper axe signifies: array of brass instruments workshop and warehouse.

koṭhār 'treasury, warehouse'; kōṭhī ] f (कोष्ट S) A granary, garner, storehouse, warehouse, treasury, factory, bank. 

3546 kṓṣṭha2 n. ʻ pot ʼ Kauś., ʻ granary, storeroom ʼ MBh., ʻ inner apartment ʼ lex., ˚aka -- n. ʻ treasury ʼ, ˚ikā f. ʻ pan ʼ Bhpr. [Cf. *kōttha -- , *kōtthala -- : same as prec.?]Pa. koṭṭha -- n. ʻ monk's cell, storeroom ʼ, ˚aka<-> n. ʻ storeroom ʼ; Pk. koṭṭha -- , kuṭ˚, koṭṭhaya -- m. ʻ granary, storeroom ʼ; Sv. dāntar -- kuṭha ʻ fire -- place ʼ; Sh. (Lor.) kōti (ṭh?) ʻ wooden vessel for mixing yeast ʼ; K. kōṭha m. ʻ granary ʼ, kuṭhu m. ʻ room ʼ, kuṭhü f. ʻ granary, storehouse ʼ; S. koṭho m. ʻ large room ʼ, ˚ṭhī f. ʻ storeroom ʼ; L. koṭhā m. ʻ hut, room, house ʼ, ˚ṭhī f. ʻ shop, brothel ʼ, awāṇ. koṭhā ʻ house ʼ; P. koṭṭhā, koṭhā m. ʻ house with mud roof and walls, granary ʼ, koṭṭhī, koṭhī f. ʻ big well -- built house, house for married women to prostitute themselves in ʼ; WPah. pāḍ. kuṭhī ʻ house ʼ; Ku. koṭho ʻ large square house ʼ, gng. kōṭhi ʻ room, building ʼ; N. koṭho ʻ chamber ʼ, ˚ṭhi ʻ shop ʼ; A. koṭhā, kõṭhā ʻ room ʼ, kuṭhī ʻ factory ʼ; B. koṭhā ʻ brick -- built house ʼ, kuṭhī ʻ bank, granary ʼ; Or. koṭhā ʻ brick -- built house ʼ, ˚ṭhī ʻ factory, granary ʼ; Bi. koṭhī ʻ granary of straw or brushwood in the open ʼ; Mth. koṭhī ʻ grain -- chest ʼ; OAw. koṭha ʻ storeroom ʼ; H. koṭhā m. ʻ granary ʼ, ˚ṭhī f. ʻ granary, large house ʼ, Marw. koṭho m. ʻ room ʼ; G. koṭhɔ m. ʻ jar in which indigo is stored, warehouse ʼ, ˚ṭhī f. ʻ large earthen jar, factory ʼ; M. koṭhā m. ʻ large granary ʼ, ˚ṭhī f. ʻ granary, factory ʼ; Si. koṭa ʻ storehouse ʼ. -- Ext. with -- ḍa -- : K. kūṭhürü f. ʻ small room ʼ; L. koṭhṛī f. ʻ small side room ʼ; P. koṭhṛī f. ʻ room, house ʼ; Ku. koṭheṛī ʻ small room ʼ; H. koṭhrī f. ʻ room, granary ʼ; M. koṭhḍī f. ʻ room ʼ; -- with -- ra -- : A. kuṭharī ʻ chamber ʼ, B. kuṭhrī, Or. koṭhari; -- with -- lla -- : Sh. (Lor.) kotul (ṭh?) ʻ wattle and mud erection for storing grain ʼ; H. koṭhlā m., ˚lī f. ʻ room, granary ʼ; G. koṭhlɔ m. ʻ wooden box ʼ.
kōṣṭhapāla -- , *kōṣṭharūpa -- , *kōṣṭhāṁśa -- , kōṣṭhāgāra -- ; *kajjalakōṣṭha -- , *duvārakōṣṭha -- , *dēvakōṣṭha -- , dvārakōṣṭhaka -- .
Addenda: kṓṣṭha -- 2: WPah.kṭg. kóṭṭhi f. ʻ house, quarters, temple treasury, name of a partic. temple ʼ, J. koṭhā m. ʻ granary ʼ, koṭhī f. ʻ granary, bungalow ʼ; Garh. koṭhu ʻ house surrounded by a wall ʼ; Md. koḍi ʻ frame ʼ, <-> koři ʻ cage ʼ (X kōṭṭa -- ). -- with ext.: OP. koṭhārī f. ʻ crucible ʼ, P. kuṭhālī f., H. kuṭhārī f.; -- Md. koṭari ʻ room ʼ.3550 kōṣṭhāgāra n. ʻ storeroom, store ʼ Mn. [kṓṣṭha -- 2, agāra -- ]Pa. koṭṭhāgāra -- n. ʻ storehouse, granary ʼ; Pk. koṭṭhāgāra -- , koṭṭhāra -- n. ʻ storehouse ʼ; K. kuṭhār m. ʻ wooden granary ʼ, WPah. bhal. kóṭhār m.; A. B. kuṭharī ʻ apartment ʼ, Or. koṭhari; Aw. lakh. koṭhār ʻ zemindar's residence ʼ; H. kuṭhiyār ʻ granary ʼ; G. koṭhār m. ʻ granary, storehouse ʼ, koṭhāriyũ n. ʻ small do. ʼ; M. koṭhār n., koṭhārẽ n. ʻ large granary ʼ, -- ˚rī f. ʻ small one ʼ; Si. koṭāra ʻ granary, store ʼ.Addenda: kōṣṭhāgāra -- : WPah.kṭg. kəṭhāˊr, kc. kuṭhār m. ʻ granary, storeroom ʼ, J. kuṭhār, kṭhār m.; -- Md. kořāru ʻ storehouse ʼ ← Ind.3551 kōṣṭhāgārika m. ʻ storekeeper ʼ BHSk. [Cf. kōṣṭhā- gārin -- m. ʻ wasp ʼ Suśr.: kōṣṭhāgāra -- ]Pa. koṭṭhāgārika -- m. ʻ storekeeper ʼ; S. koṭhārī m. ʻ one who in a body of faqirs looks after the provision store ʼ; Or. koṭhārī ʻ treasurer ʼ; Bhoj. koṭhārī ʻ storekeeper ʼ, H. kuṭhiyārī m.Addenda: kōṣṭhāgārika -- : G. koṭhārī m. ʻ storekeeper ʼ.

 m1005Text of m1005

Sal ‘splinter’ rebus: sal ‘workshop’.

Thus, kumpati sala ‘workshop with chafing dish’ PLUS tsarkh ‘potter’s wheel’ rebus: arka ‘copper, gold’ PLUS sala ‘splinter’ rebus sal ‘workshop’.

maṇḍa ʻ some sort of framework (?) ʼ. [In nau -- maṇḍḗ n. du. ʻ the two sets of poles rising from the thwarts or the two bamboo covers of a boat (?) ʼ ŚBr. Pa. bōdhi -- maṇḍa -- n. perh. ʻ thatched cover ʼ rather than ʻ raised platform ʼ (BHS ii 402). Rebus: maṇḍā 'warehouse, workshop' (Konkani) 

Head-dress: sprout: kor̤u 'sprout' rebus: kor̤u 'bar of metal'

karã̄ n. pl. wristlets, bangles Rebus: khãr 'blacksmith, iron worker' dhatu 'scarf' Rebus: dhatu 'mineral'

Framework:maNDA 'framework' rebus: manDA 'warehouse' PLUS text message:  

h179A, B 4307 Pict-83: Person wearing a diadem or tall W head-dress standing within an ornamented arch; there are two stars on either side, at the bottom of the arch.

Hieroglyph: कर्णक (ifc. f(आ).) 'a tendril' Rebus: कर्णक 'scribe, steersan' PLUS maNDA 'framework' rebus: manDA 'warehouse'.Thus, warehouse scribe, steersman. The three prongs as head-dress or crown of the standing person: kolom 'three' rebus: kolimi 'smithy, forge'.

Sign48 baraḍo 'spine, backbone' rebus: baran, bharat 'mixed alloys' (5 copper, 4 zinc and 1 tin) (Punjabi)  कणा kaṇā m The spine or back-bone; कना kanā m (Commonly कणा q. v.) The backbone &c.(Marathi) Rebus: rebus: kāṇam 'wealth, riches, gold' 

kāmṭhiyɔ kāmaṭhiyo a bowman; an archer (Skt.) (CDIAL 2760) rebus: kammaṭa 'mint, coiner' ...

Sign 342 kanda kanka 'Equipment supercargo'

Pictorial motif of arch on h179 tablet

maṇḍa ʻ some sort of framework (?) ʼ. [In nau -- maṇḍḗ n. du. ʻ the two sets of poles rising from the thwarts or the two bamboo covers of a boat (?) ʼ ŚBr. (as illustrated in BPL p. 42); and in BHSk. and Pa. bōdhi -- maṇḍa -- n. perh. ʻ thatched cover ʼ rather than ʻ raised platform ʼ (BHS ii 402). If so, it may belong to maṇḍapá -- and maṭha -- ]Ku. mã̄ṛā m. pl. ʻ shed, resthouse ʼ (if not < *mã̄ṛhā < *maṇḍhaka -- s.v. maṇḍapá -- ).(CDIAL 9737) maṇḍapa m.n. ʻ open temporary shed, pavilion ʼ Hariv., ˚pikā -- f. ʻ small pavilion, customs house ʼ Kād. 2. maṇṭapa -- m.n. lex. 3. *maṇḍhaka -- . [Variation of ṇḍ with ṇṭ supports supposition of non -- Aryan origin in Wackernagel AiGr ii 2, 212: see EWA ii 557. -- Prob. of same origin as maṭha -- 1 and maṇḍa -- 6 with which NIA. words largely collide in meaning and form]1. Pa. maṇḍapa -- m. ʻ temporary shed for festive occasions ʼ; Pk. maṁḍava -- m. ʻ temporary erection, booth covered with creepers ʼ, ˚viā -- f. ʻ small do. ʼ; Phal. maṇḍau m. ʻ wooden gallery outside a house ʼ; K. manḍav m. ʻ a kind of house found in forest villages ʼ; S. manahũ m. ʻ shed, thatched roof ʼ; Ku. mãṛyā, manyā ʻ resthouse ʼ; N. kāṭhmã̄ṛau ʻ the city of Kathmandu ʼ (kāṭh -- < kāṣṭhá -- ); Or. maṇḍuā̆ ʻ raised and shaded pavilion ʼ, paṭā -- maṇḍoi ʻ pavilion laid over with planks below roof ʼ, muṇḍoi, ˚ḍei ʻ raised unroofed platform ʼ; Bi. mã̄ṛo ʻ roof of betel plantation ʼ, mãṛuā, maṛ˚, malwā ʻ lean -- to thatch against a wall ʼ, maṛaī ʻ watcher's shed on ground without platform ʼ; Mth. māṛab ʻ roof of betel plantation ʼ, maṛwā ʻ open erection in courtyard for festive occasions ʼ; OAw. māṁḍava m. ʻ wedding canopy ʼ; H. mãṛwā m., ˚wī f., maṇḍwā m., ˚wī f. ʻ arbour, temporary erection, pavilion ʼ, OMarw. maṁḍavo, māḍhivo m.; G. mã̄ḍav m. ʻ thatched open shed ʼ, mã̄ḍvɔ m. ʻ booth ʼ, mã̄ḍvī f. ʻ slightly raised platform before door of a house, customs house ʼ, mã̄ḍaviyɔ m. ʻ member of bride's party ʼ; M. mã̄ḍav m. ʻ pavilion for festivals ʼ, mã̄ḍvī f. ʻ small canopy over an idol ʼ; Si. maḍu -- va ʻ hut ʼ, maḍa ʻ open hall ʼ SigGr ii 452.

2. Ko. māṁṭav ʻ open pavilion ʼ.3. H. mã̄ḍhā, māṛhā, mãḍhā m. ʻ temporary shed, arbour ʼ (cf. OMarw. māḍhivo in 1); -- Ku. mã̄ṛā m.pl. ʻ shed, resthouse ʼ (or < maṇḍa -- 6?]
*chāyāmaṇḍapa -- .Addenda: maṇḍapa -- : S.kcch. māṇḍhvo m. ʻ booth, canopy ʼ.(CDIAL 9740) Rebus: maṇḍā 'warehouse, workshop' (Konkani) 

 

Kalibangan065 Cylinder seal impression. Note the scarf of the person ligatured to a tiger.

dhaṭu  m.  (also dhaṭhu)  m. ‘scarf’  (WPah.) (CDIAL 6707); 

Rebus: dhātu ‘mineral (Pali).

kola 'tiger' Rebus: kol 'working in iron' kolhe 'smelter'

kūtī = bunch of twigs (Skt.)The bunch of twigs = kūdī, kūṭī(Skt.lex.) kūdī (also written as kūṭī in manuscripts) occurs in the Atharvaveda(AV 5.19.12) and KauśikaSūtra (Bloomsfield's ed.n, xliv. cf. Bloomsfield,American Journal of Philology, 11, 355; 12,416; Roth, Festgruss anBohtlingk, 98) denotes it as a twig. This is identified as that of Badarī, the jujube tied to the body of the dead to efface their traces. (See Vedic Index, I, p. 177).Rebus: kuṭhi 'smelting furnace‘; koṭe ‘forged metal’ (Santali)

kuṭi 'tree' Rebus: kuṭhi 'smelting furnace‘; koṭe ‘forged metal’ (Santali)(Phonetic determinant of the twig on the horns of the woman ligatured to the tiger'

Part of Kalibangan cylinder seal narrative. Ligatured to a tiger. Scarf, markhor horn, twig, next to tree. Rice-plant. dhatu 'scarf' Rebus: dhatu 'mineral' mũh 'face' Rebus mũhã̄ 'iron furnace output' kōḍu horn rebus: koD 'workshop' kolmo 'rice plant' rebus: kolimi 'smithy, forge' kolom 'three' rebus: kolimi 'smithy, forge' kuTi 'tree' rebus: kuThi 'smelter' kola 'tiger' rebus: kol 'working in iron'.

koḍu 'horn' Rebus: koḍ 'workshop'

kolmo 'three' Rebus: kolimi 'smithy, forge'

tagaraka, tabernae montana 'flower', 'hair fragrance' Rebus: tagara 'tin'

Two fencers: dula 'two' rebus: dul 'metal casting' PLUS

karaṭi, karuṭi, keruṭi fencing, school or gymnasium where wrestling and fencing are taught (Ta.); garaḍi, garuḍi fencing school (Ka.); garaḍi, garoḍi (Tu.); gariḍi, gariḍī id., fencing (Te.)(DEDR 1262). 

Rebus 1: करडा [ karaḍā ] Hard fromalloy--iron, silver &c. Rebus 2: kharādī = turner (G.) Rebus 3:  kharaḍa, brief memoranda of metalwork Rebus: karaṇḍi 'fire-god' (Remo)Remo <karandi>E155 {N} ``^fire-^god''.(Munda). 

Hieroglyph: karã̄ n. pl. ʻ wristlets, bangles ʼ (Gujarati) Rebus: khār 'blacksmith' kola 'woman' Rebus: kolhe 'smelter' kol 'working in iron' kolle 'blacksmith' kolimi 'smithy, forge'.kole.l 'smithy, forge' kole.l 'temple'.

Hieroglyph: kunta1 ʻ spear ʼ. 2. *kōnta -- . [Perh. ← Gk. konto/s ʻ spear ʼ EWA i 229]1. Pk. kuṁta -- m. ʻ spear ʼ; S. kundu m. ʻ spike of a top ʼ, °dī f. ʻ spike at the bottom of a stick ʼ, °diṛī, °dirī f. ʻ spike of a spear or stick ʼ; Si. kutu ʻ lance ʼ.2. Pa. konta -- m. ʻ standard ʼ; Pk. koṁta -- m. ʻ spear ʼ; H. kõt m. (f.?) ʻ spear, dart ʼ; -- Si. kota ʻ spear, spire, standard ʼ perh. ← Pa.(CDIAL 3289) Rebus: kuṇṭha munda (loha) 'hard iron (native metal)' Allograph: कुंठणें [ kuṇṭhaṇēṃ ] v i (कुंठ S) To be stopped, detained, obstructed, arrested in progress (Marathi) Rebus: kundār 'turner'. Thus,the spears used by the fencers and the fencing are senantic determinatives of 'turner's work': kundār 'turner' synonym: khara_di_ = turner.   

Making stoneware bangles in a jar furnace, inscribed stoneware bangles

The jar furnace is imprinted with the seal impression of a one-horned young bull. This seal which created the impression belongs to खोंड khōṇḍa singhi, 'forward-thrusting, spiny-horned young bull' rebus: konda singi 'furnace (of konda 'guild') for ornament gold' 

Inscribed stoneware bangles: 

Inscription, Bangle 1 Hieroglyphs: Person with spread legs holding a rhombus-shaped hieroglyph; liquid measure;  rim of jar. Decipherment: कर्णक m. du. the two legs spread out AV. xx , 133 '​spread legs' Rebus: karaNika 'helmsman' PLUS kanac 'corner' rebus: kancu 'bronze' ranku 'liquid measure' rebus: ranku 'tin ore'; karNika 'rim of jar' rebus: karanI 'supercargo' karana 'scribe, accountant'

Inscription, Bangle 2 karNika 'rim of jar' rebus: karanI 'supercargo' karana 'scribe, accountant' PLUS aya 'fish' rebus: ayas 'iron, alloy metal'.

Painted bangle Decipherment of inscription: karã̄ n. pl. wristlets, banglesRebus: kh​ãr 'blacksmith, iron worker' (Kashmiri) karNika 'rim of jar' rebus: karanI 'supercargo' karana 'scribe, accountant'

Sealings. Seal impressions on packages are signifiers of the wealth contents of the package, hence traded cargo.

Short-horned bull identifier in Sumer

The use of Indus Script hieroglyphs on seals of the Ancient Near East signify the presence of Meluhha artisans in this interaction region or the arrival of wealth resources from Meluhha artisans and seafaring, maritime merchants. The bison is: Nahālī baddī and poss. IA. forms like Sik. pāḍō ʻ bull; L. baledā, mult. baled m. ʻ herd of bullocks ʼ (→ S. ḇaledo m.); P. bald, baldh, balhd m. ʻ ox ʼ, baled, baledā m. ʻ herd of oxen ʼ, ludh. bahld, balēd m. ʻ ox ʼ; Ku. balad m. ʻ ox ʼ, gng. bald, N. (Tarai) barad, A. balad(h), B. balad, Or. baḷada, Bi. barad(h), Mth. barad (hyper -- hindiism baṛad), Bhoj. baradh, Aw.lakh. bardhu, H. balad, barad(h), bardhā m. (whence baladnā ʻ to bull a cow ʼ),  G. baḷad m. m.WPah.kc. bɔḷəd m.,., kṭg. bɔḷd m. (LNH 30 bŏḷd), J. bald m., Garh. baḷda ʻ bullock ʼ (CDIAL 9176) balivardin m. ʻ *oxherd ʼ (nom. prop. Kāś.). [bali- várda -- ]P. baledī m. ʻ oxherd ʼ; Ku. baldiyā ʻ cattle -- dealer ʼ; H. baredī m. ʻ herdsman ʼ(CDIAL 9177)  A. bhatarā ʻ uncastrated bull ʼ (CDIAL 9402)Butting (muṭṭi) barad, balad 'bison' Indus Script hieroglyphs signify muṣṭika 'goldsmith' artificer/trader inrebus: baran, bharata 'mixed alloys' (5 copper, 4 zinc and 1 tin).

Alternative reading: Bull, bison: Ka. gōnde bull, ox. Te. gōda ox. Kol. (SR.) kondā bull; (Kin.) kōnda bullock. Nk. (Ch.) kōnda id. Pa. kōnda bison. Ga. (Oll.) kōnde cow; (S.) kōndē bullock. Go. (Tr.) kōnḍā, (other dialects) kōnda bullock, ox (Voc. 972)(DEDR 2216)  Pa. guḍva nilgai. Go. (Mu.) koḍal (māv) a kind of deer; (L.) koḍā māv, (SR.) khoḍḍa māv blue bull (Voc. 890); (Ko.) guṛiya māv nilgai (Voc. 1159). Ga. (S.) guri goḍ bison. Konḍa (BB 1972) gura bison(DEDR 1664) Rebus: kōḍ 'workshop'. Rebus: koṇḍ ‘live coal fire-trench sacred fire-altar’, agnikuṇḍa ‘sacred fire altar’

Three animal heads on bison body barad, balad 'bison'rebus: baran, bharata 'mixed alloys' (5 copper, 4 zinc and 1 tin). खोंड khōṇḍa singhi, 'forward-thrusting, spiny-horned young bull' rebus: konda singi 'furnace (of konda 'guild') for ornament gold' mlekh 'goat' rebus: milakkha, mleccha 'copper'

Ivory medium for seal. ganda 'four' rebus: khanda 'equipment' PLUS aya 'fish' rebus: ayas 'iron, alloy metal' PLUS aya 'fish' rebus: ayas 'iron, alloy metal' PLUS dula 'two' rebus: dul 'metal casting' tsarkha 'potter's wheel' rebus: arka'gold, copper'. For decipherment of one-horned young bull and standard device in front, see:

Economic and cultural roots of Hindu civilization -- R̥gveda, Sarasvati River, Indus Script inscriptions (Video 34:00) https://tinyurl.com/yyghm2dz

Copper alloy medium for seal

Silver medium for seal. aya 'fish' rebus: aya 'iron, alloy metal'; karã̄ n. pl. wristlets, banglesRebus: kh​ãr 'blacksmith, iron worker' (Kashmiri) karNika 'rim of jar' rebus: karanI 'supercargo' karana 'scribe, accountant'

m38

See decipherment: 

Itihāsa, Guild-master Mohenjodaro seal m0038, documents metalwork repertoire https://tinyurl.com/t2pt7hy

This is an addendum to: 

Wealth accounting ledgers of śrēṣṭhin khār 'guild-master', 108 Indus Script inscriptions https://tinyurl.com/sd286to

 

 

Text 1087

 

m0038

 

dula 'two' rebus: dul 'metal casting'

kole.l 'temple' rebus: kol 'working in iron' kolimi 'smithy, forge' kolhe 'smelter; alternative: maṇḍā 'warehouse, workshop' (Konkani).

kamāṭhiyo 'archer' Rebus: kammaṭa 'coiner, mint'.

kolmo 'rice plant' Rebus:kolimii 'smithy, forge' PLUS sal 'splinter' rebus: sal 'workshop'

 ḍhaṁkaṇa 'lid' rebus dhakka 'excellent, bright, blazing metal article' PLUS aya 'fish' rebus: aya 'iron' ayas 'alloy metal'

aya 'fish' rebus; aya 'iron' ayas 'alloy metal' PLUS khambhaṛā 'fish-fin' rebus: kammaṭa 'coiner, mint'.

dula 'two' Rebus: dul 'metal casting'

aya 'fish' Rebus: aya 'iron' ayas 'alloy metal'

khāra, šē̃ṣṭrĭ̄ 'squirrel' is plaintext khār 'blacksmith' PLUS śrēṣṭhin 'wholesale merchant, foreman of guild' 

मेंढा mēṇḍhā 'A crook or curved end (of a stick)' Rebus:  meḍ 'iron'.

dāṭu 'cross' rebus: dhatu 'mineral ore'

kanka, karṇaka 'rim of jar' rebus: karṇī 'supercargo', 'engraver, scribe, account' karnika 'helmsman, supercargo'

 Field symbols:

 

Field symbols: Young bull, standard device: कोंद kōnda 'young bull' rebus: कोंद kōnda 'engraver, turner, smelter.' कोंद kōnda 'kiln, furnace';kunda 'fine gold' singhin 'spiny-horned, forward thrusting' Rebus: singi 'ornament gold' PLUS sangaḍa 'lathe, portable brazier' PLUS  [ kammaṭamu ] Same as కమటము 'portable furnace' rebus: sangarh 'fortification', sangar 'trade', kammaṭa 'mint, coiner, coinage'. सांगड sāṅgaḍa 'joined parts (lathe + portable furnace' Rebus: jangad 'invoiced on approval basis';  jangaḍiyo 'military guard who accompanies treasure into the treasury'.(Gujarati)  खोंड khōṇḍa singhi, 'forward-thrusting, spiny-horned young bull' rebus: konda singi 'furnace (of konda 'guild') for ornament gold' 

Written from right to left on Kalibangan potsherd aya 'fish' rebus: aya 'iron, alloy metal' कणा kaṇā m The spine or back-bone; कना kanā m (Commonly कणा q. v.) The backbone &c.(Marathi) Rebus: rebus: kāṇam 'wealth, riches, gold' 

kanka, karṇaka 'rim of jar' rebus: karṇī 'supercargo', 'engraver, scribe, account' karnika 'helmsman, supercargo'.

See deciherment of m314 at 

Guilds as a corporate continuum from 3rd m. BCE evidenced on Indus Script Corpora and epigraphs of historical periods https://tinyurl.com/3m8znsjv

The signature hieroglyph in this long inscription on m0314 Mohenjo-daro tablet (dated to ca. 2500 BCE) is the last pictograph on the last line  read from  r. to l. (The entire is a wealth accountinng ledger of a metalworker guild and is certified by the guild-master signified by the palm squirrel hieroglyph).This hieroglyph is read rebus in Meluhha as follows: 

Guild-master’s Indus Script Inscription (m304) deciphered. Hypertext khāra, šē̃ṣṭrĭ̄ 'squirrel’ is plaintext khār 'blacksmith' śrēṣṭhin 'guild-master' (Aitareya Brāhmaṇa) 

https://tinyurl.com/y9ug5h9y

Longest inscription m0314 of Indus Script Corpora is catalogue of a guild-master. The guild master is signified by Indus Script hypertext 'squirrel' hieroglyph as the last logograph on a three-line inscription with over 17 logographs. 

m0314 Seal impression, Text 1400 Dimension: 1.4 sq. in. (3.6 cm) Marshall 1931 (Vol. II, p. 402).

This is perhaps the longest inscription of Indus Script Corpora

m0314 The indus script inscription is a detailed account of the metal work engaged in by the Indus artisans. It is a professional calling card of the metalsmiths' guild of Mohenjodaro used to affix a sealing on packages of metal artefacts traded by Meluhha (mleccha)speakers.

The last sign is wrongly identified in Mahadevan concordance. 

This hieroglyph is Squirrel as shown on Seal impressionFlipped vertically is likey to signify 'squirrel' as on Nindowari-damb seal 01

Note on squirrel hieroglyph

The hypertext conveyed by the logograph ciphertext is: 'khāra, šē̃ṣṭrĭ̄' Rebus: plaintext: khār 'blacksmith' śrēṣṭhin 'guild-master' (Aitareya Brāhmaṇa).

The squirrel sign signifies 'šē̃ṣṭrĭ̄ ʻflying squirrelʼ, rebus 'šē̃ṣṭrĭ̄ ʻguild master';  سیټه seṯṯh, s.m. (5th) A banker, a merchant. Pl. سیټڼان seṯṯhān (Pashto) PLUS खार [ khāra ] A squirrel, Sciurus palmarum. खारी [ khārī ] f (Usually खार) A squirrel. (Marathi) rebus khār 'blacksmith (Kashmiri). Thus, the squirrel signifies a guild-master of a blacksmith-guild.

  The guild-master signs off on the inscription by affixing his hieroglyph: 

palm squirrel,Sciurus palmarum'

Squirrel hieroglyph of Indus Script: Nindowari seal Nd-1; Mohenjo-daro seal m-1202; Harappa tablet h-771; Harappa tablet h-419

Nindowari seal Nd-1m1202

h771h419

https://tinyurl.com/2rvztue4

 --खोंड khōṇḍa 'young bull' Rebus: कोंड kōṇḍa 'a circular hamlet (of a guild) of singi 'ornament goldsmiths'.

--The face of the 'unicorn of young bull' may be a 'goat-face' ligature; mlekh 'goat' rebus: milakkha, mleccha 'copper'. The vividly orthographed ear of the composite animal is Wg. kār ʻ ear ʼ (← Kho. kār), Kt. kōr, Dm. kâar Morgenstierne FestskrBroch 150, NTS xii 173; -- Ash. karmuṭäˊ ʻ ear ʼ, Kt. karmútə ʻ lobe of ear ʼ, Gaw. kumtak ʻ ear ʼ NTS ii 261 (or poss. all three < karṇapattraka -- ).Kho. kār ʻ ear ʼ certainly not ← Wg. BKhoT 69.(CDIAL 3056) rebus: khār खार् 'blacksmith' (Kashmiri) *kāra ʻearʼ. [Connexion with kárṇa -- is not clear]

--कोंड kōṇḍa m C A circular hedge or field-fence.कोंडण kōṇḍaṇa f A fold or pen.कोंडवाड kōṇḍavāḍa n f C (कोंडणें & वाडा) A pen or fold for cattle.कोंडाळें kōṇḍāḷēm n (कुंडली S) A ring or circularly inclosed space. 2 fig. A circle made by persons sitting round. (Marathi)

--The कोंड kōṇḍa 'a circular hamlet (of a guild) may be seen ad circular workers' platforms of Harappa.

Square seal, Harappa, Sind, about 2000 BC. Seal and Seal impression. Glazed steatite. Indus seals were commonly used to mark bundles of trade goods. This well-known type shows a one-horned bovine animal before a ritual offering stand, with characters in the undeciphered Indus script.

Photographer: World History Archive

Image ID: D98DHX

https://www.alamy.com/stock-photo-square-seal-harappa-sind-about-2000-bc-glazed-steatite-indus-seals-57349318.html?

Field symbol: Forward-thrusting, spiny-horned young bull PLUS standard device

खोंड khōṇḍa 'A young bull, a bullcalf' Rebus:  kundana 'fine gold', kũdār 'lathe-worker'. An additional semantic segment may be added for the rebus reading as: कोंड kōṇḍa 'a circular hamlet (of a guild)'; thus, the expanded rebus rendering is: a hamlet of smiths working with fine gold and ornament gold. kundana ‘fine gold’.Added semantic reading is rebus: कोंडण kōṇḍaṇa f A fold or pen.

Rebus: śr̥ṅgín ʻ horned ʼ RV. [śŕ̊ṅga -- ]Pa. siṅgin -- , siṅgika -- ʻ horned ʼ, Pk. siṁgi -- , N. siṅe, G. sĩgī; -- ext. -- l -- : Pa. siṅgila -- m. ʻ a kind of horned bird ʼ; S. siṅiru ʻ horned ʼ. OMarw. (Vīsaḷa) sīṁgī f.adj. ʻ horned (of cow) ʼ.(CDIAL 12595) शृङ्गिन् śṛṅgin a. (-णी f.) [शृङ्गमस्त्यस्य इनि] Horned (Apte)

Rebus:  शृङ्गी śṛṅgī  Gold used for ornaments. (In goldsmithy, this 18-carat gold is distinguished from 24-carat kundan 'fine gold').

Thus, the rebus reading of hieroglyph खोंड khōṇḍa 'young bull' is: कोंड kōṇḍa 'a circular hamlet (of a guild) of singi 'ornament goldsmiths'.

-- singa 'young bull' (Pali) rebus singi 'ornament gold'; Singa1 (nt.) [Vedic śṛnga, cp. Gr. ka/rnon, kraggw/n; Lat. cornu=E. horn] a horn J i.57, 149, 194; iv.173 (of a cow); Vism 106; VvhA 476. -- dhanu horn -- bow DhA i.216. -- dhamaka blowing a horn Miln 31. Singa2 the young of an animal, calf J v.92; cp. Deśīnāma- mālā viii.31. Singika (adj.) [fr. singa1] having horns J vi.354 (āvelita -- ˚ having twisted horns). Singin (adj.) [Vedic śṛngin] having a horn Vin ii.300; J iv.173 (=cow); clever, sharp -- witted, false Th 1, 959; A ii.26; It 112; cp. J.P.T.S. 1885, 53. Singila a kind of horned bird J iii.73; DhA iii.22 (v. l. singala).Singī & singi (f.) [cp. Sk. śṛngī] 1. gold Vin i.38; S ii.234; J i.84. -- 2. "ginger" in sense of "dainties, sweets" J iv.352 (=singiver'ādika uttaribhanga C.; cp. Tamil iñji ginger).-- nada gold Vv 6428; VvA 284. -- loṇa ( -- kappa) license as to ginger & salt Vin ii.300, 306. -- vaṇṇa gold-coloured D ii.133. -- suvaṇṇa gold VvA 167.(Pali) (See annexed note on singh, simha).

Harappa. Warehouse.

kuṭi 'warehouse'; rebus: kuṭhi 'smelter' koṭṭha 'storeroom' rebus: koṭhārī ʻstorekeeperʼ. The Meluhha word to signify a warehouse: kṓṣṭha2 n. ʻ pot ʼ Kauś., ʻ granary, storeroom ʼ MBh., ʻ inner apartment ʼ lex., ˚aka -- n. ʻ treasury ʼ, ˚ikā f. ʻ pan ʼ Bhpr. [Cf. *kōttha -- , *kōtthala -- : same as prec.?]Pa. koṭṭha -- n. ʻ monk's cell, storeroom ʼ, ˚aka<-> n. ʻ storeroom ʼ; Pk. koṭṭha -- , kuṭ˚, koṭṭhaya -- m. ʻ granary, storeroom ʼ; Sv. dāntar -- kuṭha ʻ fire -- place ʼ; Sh. (Lor.) kōti(ṭh?) ʻ wooden vessel for mixing yeast ʼ; K. kōṭha m. ʻ granary ʼ, kuṭhu m. ʻ room ʼ, kuṭhü f. ʻ granary, storehouse ʼ; S. koṭho m. ʻ large room ʼ, ˚ṭhī f. ʻ storeroom ʼ; L. koṭhā m. ʻ hut, room, house ʼ, ˚ṭhī f. ʻ shop, brothel ʼ, awāṇ. koṭhā ʻ house ʼ; P. koṭṭhā, koṭhā m. ʻ house with mud roof and walls, granary ʼ, koṭṭhī, koṭhī f. ʻ big well -- built house, house for married women to prostitute themselves in ʼ; WPah. pāḍ. kuṭhī ʻ house ʼ; Ku. koṭho ʻ large square house ʼ, gng. kōṭhi ʻ room, building ʼ; N. koṭho ʻ chamber ʼ, ˚ṭhi ʻ shop ʼ; A. koṭhā, kõṭhā ʻ room ʼ, kuṭhī ʻ factory ʼ; B. koṭhā ʻ brick -- built house ʼ, kuṭhī ʻ bank, granary ʼ; Or. koṭhā ʻ brick -- built house ʼ, ˚ṭhī ʻ factory, granary ʼ; Bi. koṭhī ʻ granary of straw or brushwood in the open ʼ; Mth. koṭhī ʻ grain -- chest ʼ; OAw. koṭha ʻ storeroom ʼ; H. koṭhā m. ʻ granary ʼ, ˚ṭhī f. ʻ granary, large house ʼ, Marw. koṭho m. ʻ room ʼ; G. koṭhɔ m. ʻ jar in which indigo is stored, warehouse ʼ, ˚ṭhī f. ʻ large earthen jar, factory ʼ; M. koṭhā m. ʻ large granary ʼ, ˚ṭhī f. ʻ granary, factory ʼ; Si. koṭa ʻ storehouse ʼ. -- Ext. with -- ḍa -- : K. kūṭhürü f. ʻ small room ʼ; L. koṭhṛī f. ʻ small side room ʼ; P. koṭhṛī f. ʻ room, house ʼ; Ku. koṭheṛī ʻ small room ʼ; H. koṭhrī f. ʻ room, granary ʼ; M. koṭhḍī f. ʻ room ʼ; -- with -- ra -- : A. kuṭharī ʻ chamber ʼ, B. kuṭhrī, Or. koṭhari; -- with -- lla -- : Sh. (Lor.) kotul (ṭh?) ʻ wattle and mud erection for storing grain ʼ; H. koṭhlā m., ˚lī f. ʻ room, granary ʼ; G. koṭhlɔ m. ʻ wooden box ʼ. kōṣṭhapāla -- , *kōṣṭharūpa -- , *kōṣṭhāṁśa -- , kōṣṭhāgāra -- ; *kajjalakōṣṭha -- , *duvārakōṣṭha -- , *dēvakōṣṭha -- , dvārakōṣṭhaka -- .Addenda: kṓṣṭha -- 2: WPah.kṭg. kóṭṭhi f. ʻ house, quarters, temple treasury, name of a partic. temple ʼ, J. koṭhā m. ʻ granary ʼ, koṭhī f. ʻ granary, bungalow ʼ; Garh. koṭhu ʻ house surrounded by a wall ʼ; Md. koḍi ʻ frame ʼ, <-> koři ʻ cage ʼ (X kōṭṭa -- ). -- with ext.: OP. koṭhārī f. ʻ crucible ʼ, P. kuṭhālī f., H. kuṭhārī f.; -- Md. koṭari ʻ room ʼ.3547 kōṣṭhapāla m. ʻ storekeeper ʼ W. [kṓṣṭha -- 2, pāla -- ]M. koṭhvaḷā m.   3548 *kōṣṭharūpa ʻ like a room ʼ. [kṓṣṭha -- 2, rūpá -- ]B. kuṭru ʻ tent ʼ.   3549 *kōṣṭhāṁśa ʻ share of store ʼ. [kṓṣṭha -- 2, áṁśa -- ]Pa. koṭṭhāsa -- m. ʻ share, portion ʼ, adj. ʻ divided into ʼ (ā felt as contraction of a -- a and preserved before ṁs; consequent āṁs > ās: cf. re -- establishment of prefix ā before MIA. double consonant, e.g. Pk. āṇavēdi < *āṇṇ˚ replacing aṇṇ -- < Sk. ājñ -- ); Si. koṭasa, kohoṭa ʻ share, part, piece ʼ.   3550 kōṣṭhāgāra n. ʻ storeroom, store ʼ Mn. [kṓṣṭha -- 2, agāra -- ]Pa. koṭṭhāgāra -- n. ʻ storehouse, granary ʼ; Pk. koṭṭhāgāra -- , koṭṭhāra -- n. ʻ storehouse ʼ; K. kuṭhār m. ʻ wooden granary ʼ, WPah. bhal. kóṭhār m.; A. B. kuṭharī ʻ apartment ʼ, Or. koṭhari; Aw. lakh. koṭhār ʻ zemindar's residence ʼ; H. kuṭhiyār ʻ granary ʼ; G. koṭhār m. ʻ granary, storehouse ʼ, koṭhāriyũ n. ʻ small do. ʼ; M. koṭhār n., koṭhārẽ n. ʻ large granary ʼ, -- ˚rī f. ʻ small one ʼ; Si. koṭāra ʻ granary, store ʼ.kōṣṭhāgārika -- .Addenda: kōṣṭhāgāra -- : WPah.kṭg. kəṭhāˊr, kc. kuṭhār m. ʻ granary, storeroom ʼ, J. kuṭhār, kṭhār m.; -- Md. kořāru ʻ storehouse ʼ ← Ind. 3551 kōṣṭhāgārika m. ʻ storekeeper ʼ BHSk. [Cf. kōṣṭhā- gārin -- m. ʻ wasp ʼ Suśr.: kōṣṭhāgāra -- ]Pa. koṭṭhāgārika -- m. ʻ storekeeper ʼ; S. koṭhārī m. ʻ one who in a body of faqirs looks after the provision store ʼ; Or. koṭhārī ʻ treasurer ʼ; Bhoj. koṭhārī ʻ storekeeper ʼ, H. kuṭhiyārī m.Addenda: kōṣṭhāgārika -- : G. koṭhārī m. ʻ storekeeper ʼ.CDIAL 3546 to 3551)

khāra, 'squirrel', rebus: khār खार्'blacksmith' šē̃ṣṭrĭ̄ 'squirrel' rebus: śrēṣṭhin 'guild-master'. Thus guild-master of blacksmith guild..

मेंढा mēṇḍhā 'A crook or curved end (of a stick)' Rebus 1: meḍ 'iron' (Ho.Mu.) Rebus 2: medho 'helper of a merchant' Is Sign 23 a variant of Sign 130?badhi 'to ligature, to bandage, to splice' Rebus 1: badhi 'artificer', baḍiga 'artificer' badhi 'worker in wood and iron' Rebus 2: vāḍhi 'merchant'. badhi 'to ligature, to bandage, to splice' Rebus badhi 'artificer'; worker in wood and iron (Santali)

Sign 176Hieroglyph: currycomb: खरारा   kharārā m ( H) A currycomb. 2 Currying a horse. ख0 खाजवीत नगारा वाजवीत-येतो-फिरतो &c. Used of a low vagabond or idler.(Marathi)

Rebus: wealth-accounting ledgers -- kharada खरडें 'daybooks' Hieroglyph: Currycomb, scraper: khareḍo 'a currycomb' (Gujarati); खरड्या   kharaḍyā a (खरडणें) That writes or shaves rudely and roughly; a mere quill-driver; a very scraper. khareḍo = a currycomb (Gujarati) खरारा [ kharārā ] m ( H) A currycomb. 2 Currying a horse. (Marathi) Rebus: 1. करडा [karaḍā] Hard from alloy--iron, silver &c. (Marathi) 2. kharādī ‘ turner’ (Gujarati) Rebus: करडा [karaḍā] Hard from alloy--iron, silver &c. (Marathi). 

Sequence of three Sign 51, Sign130 and Sign 176 occurs on Rajanpur tablet: 

Rajanpur Tablet Side B khareḍo = a currycomb (Gujarati) खरारा [ kharārā ] m ( H) A currycomb. 2 Currying a horse. (Marathi) Rebus: 1. करडा [karaḍā] Hard alloy.  kharādī ' turner' (Gujarati) खरडा   kharaḍā m (खरडणें) also खरडें n A scrawl; a memorandum-scrap; a foul, blotted, interlined piece of writing.a waste-book; a day-book; a note-book (Marathi) karNaka, kanka 'rim of jar'; rebus: karNI 'Supercargo' karNika 'scribe, account' dATu 'cross' rebus: dhatu 'mineral' 

Nindowari-damb seal Nd0-1; Mohenjo-daro seal m-1202; Harappa tablet h-771; Harappa tablet h-419 

This is seen in context of the inscription of Nindowari Damb seal. The hieroglyph is comparable to the palm squirrel which is famous associated with the construction of Ramasetu causeway together with the team led by Architect Nala. Some characteristic images are seen with the squirrel's uplifted tail and vivid ears.

:

https://tinyurl.com/4b7hhsca

Savitri Mumukshu - सावित्री मुमुक्षु

@MumukshuSavitri

·

6h

Molded Blackware Jar , Chandraketugarh , Bengal, c. 200 BCE This elegant jar shows Hindu women warriors, holding spears & dancing in a victory celebration. Intricate details like lotuses, Venis & Shakti stars add beauty. Such warriors worshipped Durga Aparajita (undefeated).

Indus Script hieroglyphs on this blackware jar are:

1. tāmarasa 'lotus' rebus: tāmra 'copper'

2. kunta1 ʻ spear ʼ. 2. *kōnta -- . [Perh. ← Gk. konto/s ʻ spear ʼ EWA i 229]1. Pk. kuṁta -- m. ʻ spear ʼ; S. kundu m. ʻ spike of a top ʼ, ˚dī f. ʻ spike at the bottom of a stick ʼ, ˚diṛī, ˚dirī f. ʻ spike of a spear or stick ʼ; Si. kutu ʻ lance ʼ.2. Pa. konta -- m. ʻ standard ʼ; Pk. koṁta -- m. ʻ spear ʼ; H. kõt m. (f.?) ʻ spear, dart ʼ; -- Si. kota ʻ spear, spire, standard ʼ perh. ← Pa.(CDIAL3289) Rebus: kunda1 m. ʻa turner's lathe ʼ lex. [Cf. *cunda -- 1]N. kũdnu ʻ to shape smoothly,smoothe, carve, hew ʼ, kũduwā ʻ smoothly shaped ʼ; A. kund ʻlathe ʼ, kundiba ʻ to turn and smooth in a lathe ʼ, kundowā ʻsmoothed and rounded ʼ; B. kũd ʻ lathe ʼ, kũdā, kõdā ʻto turn in a lathe ʼ; Or. kū˘nda ʻ lathe ʼ, kũdibā, kū̃d˚ ʻto turn ʼ (→ Drav. Kur. kū̃d ʻ lathe ʼ); Bi. kund ʻbrassfounder's lathe ʼ; H. kunnā ʻ to shape on a latheʼ, kuniyā m. ʻ turner ʼ, kunwā m.(CDIAL3289) Vikalpa: మేడెము or మేడియము [Tel.] n. A spear or dagger. ఈటె, బాకు. Rebus:  meḍ 'iron' : mẽṛhẽt, meḍ 'iron' (Mu.Ho.) med 'copper' (Slavic) meḍho 'helper of merchant​'.

3.  kola'woman' (Nahali) Rebus: kol'working in iron'.

4.Dance step: karaNa ‘dance step’ rebus: karana ‘scribe, accountant’.

https://tinyurl.com/vp72van8

--aśani f. (rarely m., R.;Pāṇ.Sch.) the thunderbolt, a flash of lightning, RV. अशन् aśan m. Ved. A stone for slinging; a stone or cloud. अश्नापिनद्धं मधु पर्यपश्यन् Rv.10.68.8; दश प्राक् सानु वि तिरन्त्यश्नः Rv.10.27.15.अशनिः aśaniḥ m., f. [अश्नुते संहति, अश् अनि Uṇ 2.101] 1 Indra's thunderbolt; शक्रस्य महाशनिध्वजम् R.3.56. -2 Flash of lightning; अनुवनमशनिर्गतः Sk.; अशनिः कल्पित एष वेधसा R.8.47; अशनेरमृतस्य चोभयोर्वशिनश्चाम्बुधराश्च योनयः Ku.4.43. -3 A missile. अष्टचक्रां महाघोरामशनिं रुद्रनिर्मिताम् Mb.7.175.96. -4 The tip of a missile. -5 A sacrificial rite (अनुयाज) to kill an enemy. -6 A master. -Comp. -दण्डः The thunderbolt. निर्भिद्याशनिदण्डचण्डतरया चञ्चूवाधुना वक्षसि Nāg.4.27. -नि m. 1 Indra. -2 Fire. -3 Fire produced from lightning.(Apte).

"Hadad (Ugaritic: 𐎅𐎄 Haddu), Adad, Haddad (Akkadian: 𒀭𒅎) or Iškur (Sumerian) was the storm and rain god in the Canaanite and ancient Mesopotamian religions. He was attested in Ebla as "Hadda" in c. 2500 BCE." https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hadad

https://www.metmuseum.org/art/collection/search/322605

Molded plaque: the weather god, Adad, and a bull standing on a lion-dragon Ceramic Mesopotamia Isin-Larsa period, 2000-1800 BCE Medium: Ceramic Dimensions: 5 1/4 × 3 7/8 × 7/8 in. (13.3 × 9.8 × 2.2 cm) Accession # 1999.1

The hieroglyphs are:

1. Vajra, thunderbolt aśáni ʻthunderboltʼ RV Rebus āhan 'iron', āhangar, 'blacksmith'

2. Bull dhangar 'bull' rebus: dhangar 'blacksmith'

3. Tiger with mouth open kola'tiger' rebus: kol 'working in iron'kolhe'smelter'kolle'blacksmith'; vyo-kāra m. (prob.) ‘making the sound vyo’, a blacksmith, Hcar. व्योकरः vyokaraḥ A blacksmith; व्योकाराः शौल्विकास्तथा Śiva B.31.17.(Apte) Bogara, a metals age site on Karatoya river signifies bogara '​blacksmith'.Attested by the movement of r̥ṣi Gotama Rahugaṇa from Kurukshetra to Sadānīrā (synonym for Karatoya river according to Amara). Surprise!!! Karatoya is a tributary of both Brahmaputra and Ganga, now in Bangladesh. (There is an archaeological site on this river basin called Bogara, from Vyokāra, 'blacksmith'; this Bogara is close to Mahāsthānaghar).

In local parlance or Meluhha, Indian sprachbund 'language union' the word aśáni signifes a 'thunderbolt'; asani signifies 'thunderbolt,lightning' (Pali); āhiṇ, f., āhaṇ, aihaṇ (Punjabi) signifies 'hail'; thus, vajrāśani is 'Indra's thunderbolt' or 'hailstone' which is bajāsani (Awadh)(coming from vajra 'thunderbolt,meteorite, lightning'.

aśáni f. ʻ thunderbolt ʼ RV., ˚nī -- f. ŚBr. [Cf. áśan -- m. ʻ sling -- stone ʼ RV.]
Pa. asanī -- f. ʻ thunderbolt, lightning ʼ, asana -- n. ʻ stone ʼ; Pk. asaṇi -- m.f. ʻ thunderbolt ʼ; Ash. ašĩˊ ʻ hail ʼ, Wg. ašē˜ˊ, Pr. īšĩ, Bashg. "azhir", Dm. ašin, Paš. ášen, Shum. äˊšin, Gaw. išín, Bshk. ašun, Savi išin, Phal. ã̄šun, L. (Jukes) ahin, awāṇ.; (both with n, not ṇ), P. āhiṇ, f., āhaṇ, aihaṇ m.f., WPah. bhad. ã̄ṇ, bhal.; f., N. asino, pl. ˚nā; Si. sena, heṇa ʻ thunderbolt ʼ Geiger GS 34, but the expected form would be *ā̤n; -- Sh. aĩyĕˊr f. ʻ hail ʼ (X ?). -- For ʻ stone ʼ > ʻ hailstone ʼ cf. upala -- and A. xil s.v. śilāˊ -- .vajrāśani -- .áśayat ʻ he was lying ʼ: see śḗtē.aśiṣṭa -- ʻ untrained, rude ʼ Āp. [śiṣṭa -- 2]See śiṣṭi -- 2.Addenda: aśáni -- : Sh. aĩyĕˊr (Lor. aĩyār → Bur. *lhyer ʻ hail ʼ BurLg iii 17) poss. < *aśari -- from heteroclite n/r stem (cf. áśman -- : aśmará -- ʻ made of stone ʼ).†*aśari -- ʻ stone ʼ see aśáni -- .(CDIAL 910) vájra m. ʻ thunderbolt ʼ RV., ʻ diamond ʼ ṢaḍvBr. [√*vaj]Pa. vajira -- m. ʻ thunderbolt ʼ, m.n. ʻ diamond ʼ, Pk. vajja -- , vayara -- , vaïra -- ; Sh. (Lor.) b*lc̣, pl. ˚c̣e m. ʻ thunderbolt, meteorite, lightning ʼ (< *baJ̣?); B. bāj ʻ thunderbolt ʼ; Si. vidu ʻ Indra's thunderbolt (or < vidyút -- ?), diamond ʼ, vadura, viduru.vajrakūṭa -- , *vajrāgni -- , vajrāśani -- .Addenda: vájra -- : X vidyút -- Add2.(CDIAL 11204) *vajrāgni ʻ fire occasioned by thunderbolt ʼ. [vájra -- , agní -- ]OAw. bajāgi f. ʻ fire caused by lightning ʼ.(CDIAL 11206) vajrāśani m. ʻ Indra's thunderbolt ʼ R. [vájra -- , aśáni -- ]Aw. bajāsani m. ʻ thunderbolt ʼ prob. ← Sk.(CDIAL 11207) Rebus: آهن āhan, s.m. (9th) Iron. Sing. and Pl. آهن ګر āhan gar, s.m. (5th) A smith, a blacksmith. Pl. آهن ګران āhan-garān. آهن ربا āhan-rubā, s.f. (6th) The magnet or loadstone. (E.) Sing. and Pl.); (W.) Pl. آهن رباوي āhan-rubāwī. See اوسپنه.(Pashto)  ahan-gār अहन्-गार् (= ) m. a blacksmith (H. xii, 16).(Kashiri)*āhana ʻ striking, blow ʼ. [√han1]OG. āhaṇa m. ʻ blow ʼ; OM. āhāṇā ʻ harmful ʼ.Addenda: *āhana -- : †*āhanaśālā -- .(CDIAL 1539)*āhanaśālā -- ʻ blacksmith's forge ʼ? [*āhana -- , śāˊlā -- ]Garh. aṇsāḷ ʻ blacksmith's workshop ʼ.(CDIAL 1539a)āˊhanti ʻ strikes ʼ RV. [√han1]Pa. āhanati ʻ strikes, presses against ʼ; Pk. āhaṇaï ʻ strikes, kills ʼ; OG. āhaṇiu ʻ beaten ʼ, pres. part. āhaṇataü. (CDIAL 1540)

-- Śyena, śen, śenī, aśáni 'thunderbolt, falcon' Indus Script hypertext signifies  آهن āhan 'Iron', āhan gar 'blacksmith'
-- Śyena, śen, śenī 'thunderbolt, falcon' shaped fire-altar brings Soma, havyam from aśan 'heaven'; rebus by sēna 'kāyastha, scribe'āhan gar 'blacksmith'
-- Caturaśra Śyena is the shape of the fire-altar because Soma as havyam in śen, śenī falcon from aśan heaven rebus sēna 'kāyastha, scribe'
-- śyēna derived from Meluhha aśáni 'hail, thunderbolt' yields Meluhha Indus Script expression ahan-gār अहन्-गार्, āhan gar 'thunderbolt weapon-maker blacksmith';  آهن āhan, s.m. (9th) Iron;  -gar, or -gār suffix is reflex of khār 'blacksmith'
-- A pun on the word śyēna is derived from Meluhha dialect phonetic form śen, śenī 'falcon'. The rebus reading is sēna 'a revenue collector, a kāyastha, 'scribe''.

श्येन [p= 1095,2] m. a hawk , falcon , eagle , any bird of prey (esp. the eagle that brings down सोम to man) RV. &c; firewood laid in the shape of an eagle Śulbas. (Monier-Williams) śyēná m. ʻ hawk, falcon, eagle ʼ RV. Pa. sēna -- , °aka -- m. ʻ hawk ʼ, Pk. sēṇa -- m.; WPah.bhad. śeṇ ʻ kite ʼ; A. xen ʻ falcon, hawk ʼ, Or. seṇā, H. sen, sẽ m., M. śen m., śenī f. (< MIA. *senna -- ); Si. sen ʻ falcon, eagle, kite ʼ.(CDIAL 12674) Rebus: sena 'thunderbolt' (Sinhala): 

aśáni f. ʻ thunderbolt ʼ RV., °nī -- f. ŚBr. [Cf. áśan -- m. ʻ sling -- stone ʼ RV.] Pa. asanī -- f. ʻ thunderbolt, lightning ʼ, asana -- n. ʻ stone ʼ; Pk. asaṇi -- m.f. ʻ thunderbolt ʼ; Ash. ašĩˊ ʻ hail ʼ, Wg. ašē˜ˊ, Pr. īšĩ, Bashg. "azhir", Dm. ašin, Paš. ášen, Shum. äˊšin, Gaw. išín, Bshk. ašun, Savi išin, Phal. ã̄šun, L. (Jukes) ahin, awāṇ. &circmacrepsilon;n (both with n, not ṇ), P. āhiṇ, f., āhaṇ, aihaṇ m.f., WPah. bhad. ã̄ṇ, hiṇi f., N. asino, pl. °nā; Si. sena, heṇa ʻ thunderbolt ʼ Geiger GS 34, but the expected form would be *ā̤n; -- Sh. aĩyĕˊr f. ʻ hail ʼ (X ?). -- For ʻ stone ʼ > ʻ hailstone ʼ cf. upala -- and A. xil s.v.śilāˊ -- . (CDIAL 910) vajrāśani m. ʻ Indra's thunderbolt ʼ R. [vájra -- , aśáni -- ]Aw. bajāsani m. ʻ thunderbolt ʼ prob. ← Sk.(CDIAL 11207).

https://tinyurl.com/3fxjrp26

--abiding metaphors and Indus Script hypertexts of samudramanthanam, Sarasvati-Sindhu Maritime wealth of CIvilization

Only the coastline of Hindumahāsāgara, Indian Ocean produces Śankha, conch-shell, turbinella pyrum. "The old generic name was Xancus. The Dutch used to call them chianco." https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Turbinella_pyrum

The sacred conch as a lamp, is carried by two coral stone stands sculpted as Indus script hieroglyphs: 

1. Varāha 2. Bovid with human face.

Zoomorphic oil lamp stand GNI-HAD-6-SO12

Zoomorphic oil lamp stand GNI-HAD-6-SO1

The decipherment of Indus Script hypertexts are: badhi ‘boar’ rebus: badhi ‘worker in iron and wood’; badhi ‘merchant’; muh ‘human face’ rebus: muh ‘ingot’ PLUS ranku ‘antelope’ rebus: ranku ‘tin ore’

múkha n. ʻ mouth, face ʼ RV., ʻ entrance ʼ MBh. Pa. mukha -- m.; Aś.shah. man. gir. mukhato, kāl. dh. jau. ˚te ʻ by word of mouth ʼ; Pk. muha -- n. ʻ mouth, face ʼ, Gy. gr. hung. muy m., boh. muy, span. muí, wel. mūī f., arm. muc̦, pal. mu', mi', pers. mu; Tir. mū ʻ face ʼ; Woṭ. mū m. ʻ face, sight ʼ; Kho. mux ʻ face ʼ; Tor. mū ʻ mouth ʼ, Mai. mũ; K. in cmpds. mu -- ganḍ m. ʻ cheek, upper jaw ʼ, mū -- kāla ʻ having one's face blackened ʼ, rām. mūī˜, pog. mūī, ḍoḍ. mū̃h ʻ mouth ʼ; S. mũhũ m. ʻ face, mouth, opening ʼ; L. mũh m. ʻ face ʼ, awāṇ. mū̃ with descending tone, mult. mũhã m. ʻ head of a canal ʼ; P. mū̃h m. ʻ face, mouth ʼ, mū̃hã̄ m. ʻ head of a canal ʼ; WPah.śeu. ùtilde; ʻ mouth, ʼ cur. mū̃h; A. muh ʻ face ʼ, in cmpds. -- muwā ʻ facing ʼ; B. mu ʻ face ʼ; Or. muhã ʻ face, mouth, head, person ʼ; Bi. mũh ʻ opening or hole (in a stove for stoking, in a handmill for filling, in a grainstore for withdrawing) ʼ; Mth. Bhoj. mũh ʻ mouth, face ʼ, Aw.lakh. muh, H. muh, mũh m.; OG. muha, G. mɔ̃h n. ʻ mouth ʼ, Si. muya, muva. -- Ext. -- l<-> or -- ll -- : Pk. muhala -- , muhulla -- n. ʻ mouth, face ʼ; S. muhuro m. ʻ face ʼ (or < mukhará -- ); Ku. do -- maulo ʻ confluence of two streams ʼ; Si. muhul, muhuna, mūṇa ʻ face ʼ (CDIAL 10158)

Śankha trumpet of Śrī Kr̥ṣṇa is पाञ्चजन्यः pāñcajanyaḥ 1 N. of the conch of Kriṣna; स तु पञ्चजनं हत्वा शङ्खं लेभे जनार्दनः । स च देवमनुष्येषु पाञ्चजन्य इति श्रुतः ॥ Hariv.; (दधानो) निध्वानमश्रूयत पाञ्चजन्यः Śi.3.21; Bg.1.15. -2 Kāśyapa, Vasiṣṭha, Prāṇa, Aṇgirasa, and Chyavana. -3 अग्नि produced from the five fires; Śabda Chi. -Comp. -धरः an epithet of Kriṣna (Apte). Magdalenian conch on display at MHNT (c. 12,000 BP) "Shell trumpets have been known since the Magdalenian period (Upper Paleolithic), one example being the "conch Marsoulas", an archeological Charonia lampas shell trumpet which is on display at the Museum de Toulouse. In Israel/Palestine, the [Charonia tritonis nodifera] conch trumpet dates from approximately the third millennium BCE." (Braun, Joachim (2002). Music in Ancient Israel/Palestine: Archaeological, Written, and Comparative Sources, p.181. Cites Hedley (1922) for this claim. Wm. B. Eerdmans. )https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Conch_(instrument)

Hieroglyph: tiger:   కోలు  kōlu. [Tel.] adj. Big, great, huge పెద్ద. కోలుపులి or కోల్పులి a royal tiger. (Telugu)   कोला   kōlā m (Commonly कोल्हा) A jackal. For compounds see under कोल्हे. कोल्हा   kōlhā m A jackal, Canis aureus. Linn.krōṣṭŕ̊ ʻ crying ʼ BhP., m. ʻ jackal ʼ RV. = krṓṣṭu -- m. Pāṇ. [√kruś]Pa. koṭṭhu -- , ˚uka -- and kotthu -- , ˚uka -- m. ʻ jackal ʼ, Pk. koṭṭhu -- m.; Si. koṭa ʻ jackal ʼ, koṭiya ʻ leopard ʼ GS 42; -- Pk. kolhuya -- , kulha -- m. ʻ jackal ʼ < *kōḍhu -- ; H. kolhā, ˚lā m. ʻ jackal ʼ, adj. ʻ crafty ʼ; G. kohlũ, ˚lũ n. ʻ jackal ʼ, M. kolhā, ˚lā m.(CDIAL 3615)

See: https://www.researchgate.net/publication/27667110_Ancient_shell_industry_at_Bet_Dwarka_Island Ancient shell industry at Bet Dwarka Island

Keezhakkarai Śankha industry with an annual turn-over of Rs. 10 crores supplies the local wealth-resource of Ramasetu (Adam's Bridge which links India and Srilanka) turbinella pyrum for making bangles which are marriage badges in Bharatiya tradition.

https://www.academia.edu/35405353/Rama_Setu_S_Kalyanaraman_pdf

Conch-shell; h. 17 ×  w. 9 ×  d. 10 cm.

Text

Middle Indo-Aryan, Southern Brāhmī script. h. 5 ×  w. 2 cm .

 

Provenance: Nagarjunakonda Site-29.

 

Reported to have been found in a temple complex with three shrine chambers, in the northeastern corner of the valley (i.e., Site-29) in IAR 1958-59: 8. Identified at Nagarjunakonda Museum (arts & crafts reg. 194) in February 2016.

Photo(s): 

  photos EIAD 2016

Photo(s) of estampage(s): 

  IAR 1958-59, pl. V (B), Sarma, fig. 3, Srinivasan & Sankaranarayanan Raghunath, Soundara RajanAll publications reproduce the same plate.

Arlo Griffiths and Vincent Tournier, with contributions by Stefan Baums and Ingo Strauch..

The first serious reading to be published was that of Sarma 1970: 2, caption of fig. 3. Re-edited here after autopsy of the object.

 

(1)  Reading: °ucc[i]takaṇasa[kha]

(2)  Apparatus: (1) °ucc[i]ta- °uccita- IKS . Sarma 1970 alternatively proposes to read raccita-. 

(1) -sa[kha] -saro IKS 

Translation: Uccitakaṇa’s conch.

IAR 1958-59: 8

Srinivasan & Sankaranarayanan 1979: no. Ābhīras 4

 Raghunath 2001: 165 (no. 48.2)

Soundara Rajan 2006: 225

http://hisoma.huma-num.fr/exist/apps/EIAD/works/EIAD0023.xml?&odd=teipublisher.odd

Turbinella pyrim (Linne, 1767); Sinistral specimen on the left.

https://www.slideshare.net/guested5dce/ram-setu

Location of Mul Dwaraka, Bet Dwarka

[quote]Mul Dwarka is a small seashore village near Kodinar, a historic place of the original Dwarka of Mahabharata. Marine archaeological explorations have found many artifacts that date to the 10th century AD (Sampura,1968). One find, an ancient temple, is a circular structure about 4 meters high, constructed of dressed limestone blocks. Locally, this structure is called Diva Dandi (lighthouse). If the structure is a lighthouse, it may be the oldest lighthouse remains on the Saurashtra coast.

Archaeologist have found many artifacts, including ancient achors and a medieval well with potable water near the jetty. Another site, Mul Dwarka, dates from the Dwarka of Mahabharata period and has been surveyed extensively for submerged archaeological remains. Remains of the ancient port of Mul Dwarka have been destroyed by construction of a cement jetty. However, discovery of a composite stone anchor and report on some grapnel type anchors from Mul Dwarka suggest that this was also an active port in historical times. An ancient lighthouse may date to the 12th-15th century AD—another indication of active maritime activities. A tidal river—blocked by a sand bar that may be caused by a cement jetty—flows on the western side of Mul Dwarka village. Archaeological findings from Mul Dwarka suggest that this was a historical period settlement and was very active port during the medieval period. This site also show the presence of Harappan and late Harappan settlement, for example, Kindar Kheda near Mul Dwarka (Visawada) and Kanjetar and which dates to around the 10th to 12th century CE[unquote]

Gaur, A.S. "New evidence on Maritime Archaeology around Mul Dwarka (Kodinar), Gujarat Coast, India". National Institute of Oceanography (CSIR)

https://drs.nio.org/drs/bitstream/handle/2264/3602/Man_Environ_34_72a.pdf

https://www.jatland.com/home/Mul_Dwarka

[quote] The island is a narrow, crooked strip about 13 km long, and comprises of sand and rocks. The eastern part of the island consists of sand-hills and bushes and is called Hanuman Point. Its southwest-half is rocky tableland 15 to 20 m high. The reef, north to this point is called Hanuman Dandi and extends west for 2 km to the northeast of the sand-hills that border the north side of Bet Dwarka. The island from the northeast to southwest measures about 8 km. But being a narrow and crooked piece of land, is, in its windings, about half as long again. Its southwest half is rocky tableland 15 to 20 m high. Between the sandy southeast side of the Bet island and the mainland of Okhamandal, the passage is very shallow, having a bank in mid-channel, which is nearly dry at low tides. The water deepens towards the southern end of the island. The inner harbor of the island is unfit for large vessels because of the rocks. There are several channels to Bet at high water. The passage round the east side of Saiani island is the best as the rocky point shows plainly. The tides also increase in velocity near Bet from 2 to 3 knots, and at Dwarka to 3 and 4 knots.

Archaeological investigations on the entire island yielded 6 potential archaeological sites which have been termed as BDK-I to BDK-VI in sequence. The southeastern coast of the Bet Dwarka island has maximum deposits of archaeological remains. A long section, more than a kilometer in length exposed to the sea, witnessed a large amount of damage to the archaeological remains. At this location three trenches, namely BDK-I, II and III were exposed to the natural soil. Trench BDK-IV was laid on an agriculture land. However, except on the surface, no cultural deposit was noticed during the excavations. BDK-V is located on the southwestern coast of the island, which is situated in the inter-tidal zone. The last trench, BDK-VI, was laid in the northeastern coast of the island. This is a late Harappan site in the island. The excavation was carried out till the archaeological findings continued and till few centimeters into virgin soil in each trench. There is also an underwater archaeological sites was marked towards the north of present passenger jetty. The brief description each site is given below.

Bet Dwarka I

The trench was exposed on the southeastern side of the island. The excavation was carried upto a depth of 2.65. The large number shell artifacts including columella and apex portions of turbinella pyrum have been found besides pottery. The lowest cultural level in the trench is lower than the present high water line by about 80 cm. The archaeological assemblage and radiocarbon dates suggest the cultural deposit belong to the early historic period.

Bet Dwarka II

The trench was laid at the highest point in the southern coast of the island. A total deposit of 3.45 was noticed in this trench, and 11 layers were identified. The initial habitation is lying on a sloppy area, which was extended in similar manner as of BDK-I, however at later stage the habitation is also extended shoreward. The lowest cultural level in the trench is lower than the present high water line by about 70 cm. Layer 9 has been identified as liquefied material, which could be the result of an earthquake. A full fledge study on the remains of earthquake from Bet Dwarka has been published in Current Science

Bet Dwarka III

The trench was laid towards the eastern side of trench BDK-II and near to the present water pump house. It measures 5 X 2.5 M. A total deposit of 2.35 m was noticed. A number of terracotta beads, balls, a toy-cart, wheel with painted spokes were noticed from lower level. A carnelian bead, glass beads and a pestle were important findings besides a few iron artifacts. As usual lots of pottery including plain red ware, red polished ware, red burnished ware, black ware and a few grey ware sherds. The important shapes are jars, basins, dishes, bowls, cooking vessels and lids.

Bet Dwarka V

The site is lying near Khuda Dost Dargah on the western coast of the Island. This site submerges during high tide. During low tide section facing towards sea was scraped and pot sherds and broken shell bangles were recovered from this place.

Bet Dwarka VI

The trench was laid in an agricultural land east of the village Par and near a Mosque. The antiquities collected earlier from here belong to the late Harappan phase and the aim of the present excavation is to know a total deposit of the site, hence a trench measuring 2.5 X 2.5 was laid here. Total deposit from here was 95 cm and 2 layers were identified. The important finding from here include a big copper fish hook and a copper antimony rod besides a large number of dentalium beads, broken shell bangle sand waste of shells. [unquote]

https://www.nio.org/galleries/show/bet-dwarka

– 1. The entire technological sequence based on archaeological evidence from Indus civilization sites (after Kenoyer 1984 a ); 2. Conch-shell cutter from a miniature of the 19th century using a traditional conch-cutting saw (after Shoberl 1822); 3. Chopping off apex portion of the conch-shell; 4. Partition of the spire in several blanks/circlets with a traditional conch-cutting saw; 5. Shaping uniformly the blanks/circlets to make a set of bangles with perfectly fitting contours; 6. Filing the inner surface of the bangle. Images 3-6 reproduce conch-shell bangle manufacture on the basis of modern evidence documented at Vishnupur, West Bengal, India (after Untracht 1997).  

https://www.researchgate.net/figure/1-The-entire-technological-sequence-based-on-archaeological-evidence-from-Indus_fig3_311734809

https://www.researchgate.net/publication/311734809_Gifts_of_the_sea_in_the_mountains_The_shell_bangles_In_Luca_M_Olivieri_ed_The_Last_Phases_of_the_Urban_Site_of_Bir-kot-ghwandai_Barikot_The_Buddhist_Site_of_Gumbat_and_Amluk-Dara_223-247_Lahore_Sang-e/download

Download full text of Ministero della Cultura (2014)

Conch-shell bangles, artifacts

"Two magnificent wide shell bangles, each made from a single conch shell (Turbinella pyrum) found at Harappa. "The use of marine shell in the manufacture of ornaments and ritual objects provides one of the most striking examples of the continuity between the Indus cities and later cultures in South Asia. Along the coastal regions of Makran, Kutch and Gujarat, the conch shell or Turbinella pyrum was collected throughout the period following the decline of Indus cities. Later, with the rise of cities in the northern sub-continent this marine shell became common at inland sites in the Gangetic region as far north as Taxila. As Mauryan contacts expanded to the south, some shell may have been collected from South Indian waters and traded to workshops throughout peninsular India." (Mark Kenoyer, Ancient Cities, p. 182). https://www.harappa.com/blog/two-wide-shell-bangles

[quote]Why was this shell bangle workshop suddenly abandoned in Gola Dhoro, Gujarat? Great wealth was left behind. Archaeologist Kuldeep Bhan writes: "One of the most important craft activities pursued with great vigor at the site was the production of shell bangles from Turbinella pyrum. One of the fascinating discoveries associated with this craft was the recovery of a rectangular mud brick structure measuring approximately 5.60 x 3.20m with an adjoining chamber, situated on the northwestern periphery inside the fortification. Within this structure three large heaps of shell resting against the western wall, containing thousands of mostly unused shell of T. pyrum were uncovered. "

Read more about the excavations here or examine the images found here.[unquote]

https://www.harappa.com/blog/shell-bangle-workshop-gola-dhoro 

Complete raw shell Turbinella pyrum (right and left) and a pile of unfinished shell bangles (center) For many years, archaeologists studying the Indus Civi­lization have concentrated on the major features of pottery, architecture and the enigmatic Indus script, giving only passing attention to the numerous varieties of "minor" artifacts. Among the most common of these "mi­nor" artifacts are fragments of marine shell ornaments, utensils and manufacturing wasters. The deemphasis of shell artifacts is entirely unjustifiable in view of the fact that, after terra cotta and stone, shell is one of the most durable materials found in the archaeological context. Because of their durability, shell artifacts are among the few objects that have survived to help us reconstruct the ancient trade networks within the Indus valley, as well as between the Indus valley and adjacent regions.

 Shell Industries at Mohenjodaro Kenoyer

Libation vessels made of the conch shell Turbinella pyrum. One of these is decorated with vermilion filled incised lines. A single spiraling design is carved around the apex and a double incised line frames the edge of the orifice. This type of vessel was used in later times for ritual libations and for administering sacred water or medicine to patients.

AIthough the presence of a specialized shell industry and the widespread use of shell are well documented at sites of the Indus Civilization (2500-1750 B.C.), the early stages of this industry were not known until recent excavations at the site of Mehrgarh, Pakistan. It is fortunate that the sample of shell artifacts from Mehrgarh is relatively large because very few neolithic or early chalcolithic sites have been excavated in Balochistan or the Indus region, and little or no shell has been reported from this period. Because of this lack of comparative data, however, the significance of the Mehrgarh sample must be kept in perspective, especially since the site is located in a transitional zone at the edge of the Indus plain and the highlands of Balochistan.

 Shell Trade and Shell Working During the Neolithic and Early Chalcolithic at Mehrgarh, Pakistan

A judicious review of the evidence for trade between the ancient Indus and Mesopotamia, with a focus on prestige objects like carnelian beads and shell bangles and the implications and questions to be drawn from them about the connections between both civilizations. On the one hand, the sophistication of Indus craftspeople emerges as something that the Mesopotamians seem to have acknowledged in their desire for some of these goods. At the same time, these kinds of crafts-intensive relationships probably involved kin networks (Indus traders of craftspeople in Mesopotamia, for which there is evidence), as well as taxation and credit systems to facilitate the exchange of goods. All this is tied to the rise of cities but, as Kenoyer writes, "while internal exchange was definitely an important factor in the emergence of Indus urban centers, there is no evidence that external exchange played a significant role in the rise of Indus cities" (p. 23). He also notes that "most of the discussion of Indus objects found in Mesopotamia has been undertaken at a superficial level. Except for the seals, there is little photographic documentation or detailed analysis of the many Harappan style objects found in Mesopotamia" (p. 24).

One of the most interesting thing in this paper is the inferences that can be drawn about people from objects. For example, after finding that a bangle found at Susa in ancient Mesopotamia was "in fact made from the Turbinella pyrum, a species found only along the Indus coast (i.e. the Makran coast west of Karachi and the Little Rann of Kutch and coastal Gujarat) and the waters of Southern India and Sri Lanka" (p. 24), Kenoyer speculates of this solitary example that "it was an ad hoc trade item or perhaps actually worn by a Harappan woman. If the latter scenario is proposed, it would imply that a Harappan female trader or perhaps a male trader with his wife traveled as far as Susa. Taking the speculation even further, it is possible that the woman wearing this bangle was part of a marriage alliance with a distant trading family in Susa. Such long distance marriage contracts can be documented historically and ethnographically. In the absence of strong state control, long distance kin relationships would have been a form of insurance in trade relations."

Similar analyses and questions are drawn up around carnelian and jasper beads, found in Mesopotamian burial sites and undoubtedly of Indus origin, although in the case of at least one bead the example found at Ur is different enough from those manufactured at Dholavira to open the possibility that there were Indus craftspeople working far from home who produced goods to Mesopotamian styles. Kenoyer concludes that "the various examples presented above indicate that there is much work to be done to better understand the relationships between the Indus and Mesopotamia" (p. 26). It is likely that future scholars, analytic tools and discoveries will shed much more light on one of the most interesting avenues - trade - through which to explore the complexities of ancient cultures.

In order to manufacture shell bangles from T. pyrum, the shell was first hollowed out by perforating the apex and breaking the internal septa using a long copper pick or chisel. The shell was then sawn at a diagonal to remove rough circlets, which were ground and polished to produce beautiful bangles

Recent explorations in the peripheral regions east of the Indus valley have established the spread of Harappan culture to settlements in Kutch, Saurashtra, Rajasthan and Harayana, but there has been much speculation on the reasons behind this cultural expansion. The discovery of Nageswara on the southern shore of the Gulf of Kutch, Gujarat, has provided important new information regarding the Harappan expansion in this region. The site is located on the edge of a fresh water reservoir called Bhimgaja Talao, (22 20' North Lat., 69 6' East Long.) which is associated with an ancient Saivite temple of Nageswara, Mahadeva. This temple is about 17 km northeast along the Dwarka-Gopi, Talao bus route. Since the excavators were interested in removing only the soft organic soil for construction of a dam, leaving large accumulations of potsherds, shel frag­ments, grinding stones and stone foundations in situ. This unique situation has made it possible to observe important architectural features and distribution of shell manufacturing waste in their original contexts.

 Nageswara A Shell Working Site Kenoyer[unquote] 

https://www.harappa.com/content/shell-industries-moenjodaro-pakistan

https://www.harappa.com/content/shell-trade-and-shell-working-during-neolithic-and-early-chalcolithic-mehrgarh-pakistan

https://www.harappa.com/content/indus-and-mesopotamian-trade-networks-new-insights-shell-and-carnelian-artifacts

https://www.harappa.com/content/nageswara-mature-harappan-shell-working-site-gulf-kutch-gujarat

Samudra Manthan 

The upper panel of the sculpture depicts Samudramathana. Circa 10th century, Alampur sculpture

Ganesh Lena, Cave painting, Ellora, ca. 11th cent. CE.

https://www.academia.edu/9723568/Vedic_as%C5%ABrta_based_on_sv%C3%A0r_s%C5%ABr_sun_and_Mlecchita_vikalpa._Itihaasa_of_Asur_Bharatiyo_metalcasters_as_Bharatam_Janam

Kailasanatha Mandiram, Kanchipuram. Dhanvantari secures a pot of amrutam from the churning

Ellora carvings. Ramayana panel.

Bangkok. Suvannaphom Airport. Samudramanthan sculptural panel

http://mesosyn.com/myth2h-1i.jpg

A depiction of Samudra Manthan at the Suwannaphum airport, Bangkok, Thailand. Suvarnabhumi Airport (Thai: ท่าอากาศยานสุวรรณภูมิ; Suwannaphum; pronounced [sù.wān.nā.pʰūːm] from Sanskrit,सुवर्णभूमि, "Golden Land")

 

10

 

10

The bas-relief of Samudra manthan from Angkor Wat shows Vishnu in the Centre, in his Kurma Avatara with the asuras and the devas on either side, Kas’yapa is portrayed as the father of both Deva and Asura. https://www.flickr.com/photos/smithsonian_journeys/3501671682

https://www.jstor.org/stable/23002226?

OF COWRIES AND CONCH SHELLS: Maldives and the Indian Ocean Networks

Himanshu Prabha Ray

Marine molluscs commonly found at coastal as well as inland sites in the Indian Ocean region include cowries (Cypraea) and conch shells (Turbinella pyrum). These marine resources were used as a part of the subsistence strategy of coastal and island communities, but were also traded and adapted to ritual use.[1] Maldives is known as the primary source of cowry shells (Cypraea) and two of the species used for currency in India included the Cypraea annulis and Cypraea moneta.[2] The earliest evidence for the use of cowries as a medium of exchange in South Asia is provided by the third century BCE inscription from Mahasthan in Bogra district of present Bangladesh. Conch shells also have a long and complex history. As I highlight in this essay these natural resources of the sea need to be brought into discussions of maritime interactions.[3] An analysis of the finds of conch shells and cowries indicates several intersecting networks across the Indian Ocean involving not just trade and trading groups, but importantly also fishing and sailing communitie, as well as ritual specialists who travelled long-distance on ships. The archaeology and ancient history of the Indian Ocean has been my abiding research interest since the publication of my post-doctoral study in 1994 and it is these disciplines that I draw on here.[4]

Two of the objects in the MAHS online archive drew my attention for their unique conceptualization and aesthetic appeal, but most importantly for their close association with the ocean. Both objects include a conch shell of the species Turbinella pyrum. Object number GNI-HAD-6-SO12, in their database is described as a zoomorphic oil lamp carved from coral stone coated with a lime wash (Figure 1). The animal represented here possibly of the Bovidae family, or perhaps a varaha (the boar avatar of god Vishnu who rescued goddess earth from the depths of the cosmic ocean). This figurine, moreover, has a concave depression and carries a natural conch shell on its back which would have contained oil. The eyes were painted.

Figure 1: Zoomorphic oil lamp GNI-HAD-6-SO12

Another zoomorphic oil lamp (GNI-HAD-6-SO1), is also carved from coral stone and there is a convex cut out of its shoulders to hold a conch shell in the same was as object described above (Figure 2). It was found within a coral stone relic casket during road reclamation work in 2007, and documented by the MHS Team in 2019.

Figure 2: Zoomorphic oil lamp GNI-HAD-6-SO1

Both these objects were recovered from the Buddhist site of Boalha Dhandu Havitha. Havitha is the term used in the Maldives for an artificial mound that in former times functioned as a Buddhist stupa. The MHS team was able to document the remains of thirteen structures and nineteen small objects on this site on Fuvahmulak (Gnaviyani Atoll) in 2019. The site was visited by H.C.P. Bell (1851–1937) in 1922 and in 1946, and the largest havitha was excavated by Adam Naseer Maniku and three stone caskets were found.[5] In 2014, a coral stone casket (GNI-HAD-6-SO2) containing cowries, a conch shell and the second of these animal figurines was recovered during road reclamation work in the Boalha Dhandu Havitha area. According to information provided by local resident, Ali Adam, seven such mounds existed in this location. The Buddhist site was later repurposed as the site for the construction of a mosque (GNI-HAD-6-S6), a well, and a cemetery (GNI-HAD-6-S8).

The find of the zoomorphic lamps with conch shells together with deposits of cowry shells in relic caskets at Buddhist sites in the Maldives provides an interesting point of reflection for the study of maritime connections across the Indian Ocean. The first relates to the association of the conch shell in the conceptualization of seascapes in Buddhist and Hindu literary traditions. This leads to a discussion of finds of the marine mollusc shell in archaeological contexts in the Indian Ocean region; and finally, I highlight insights that are provided by resources of the sea with regard to maritime interconnections.

In Hindu mythology the conch shell is one of the fourteen treasures that emerged from the churning of the milky ocean by the gods and the demons who used the Naga king Vasuki as the churning rod in search of the elixir of immortality. Srinivas Reddy uses the cosmological perspective of the churning of the ocean narrative to interpret the Indic conceptualization of the waters.[6] The story is prominently sculpted on temple walls both in India and Southeast Asia from the sixth and seventh century onward underscoring the conch as a divine resource of the waters, which were themselves considered precious by the cultures of the Indian Ocean region.[7] Some of the finest representations of the churning of the ocean are found in Khmer art on the walls of temples at Angkor in Cambodia. The conch is also an attribute of the Buddhist goddess Tara as evident from finds of images in Vietnam.[8] Closer to our times, the churning of the ocean narrative is prominently represented in a modern work of art at Thailand’s Suvanaphum airport in Bangkok.

Figure 3: Twelfth century Churning of the Ocean sculpture from Prasat Phnom Da Takeo province, now in Musee Guimet, Paris (courtesy the author)

Archaeological evidence for the production and use of marine shell objects dates from third and second millennium BCE Bronze Age sites in the Indian subcontinent. Turbinella pyrum and other varieties of marine shell were used for ornaments such as beads and bangles, but more importantly as libation vessels for dispensing oils and liquids.[9] Ancient societies also used the blowing of the conch for providing music during rituals. This perhaps explains the find of an inscribed conch in a temple (site 29) at Nagarjunakonda in coastal Andhra. Nagarjunakonda in the Krishna valley provides crucial archaeological data on the religious landscape from the earliest Neolithic settlement in the third millennium BCE to the 16th century CE. More than thirty Buddhist monasteries, nineteen Hindu temples and a few medieval Jain shrines were unearthed in several seasons of archaeological excavations conducted by the Archaeological Survey of India at the site between its discovery in 1920 until its submergence under the waters of a dam on the river Krishna in 1960. A conch bearing a third/fourth- century inscription in southern Brahmi unearthed at Nagarjunakonda refers to Astabhujasvamin (Eight-armed Vishnu) indicating its association with a temple of the deity. (Figure 4).[10]

Figure 4: The inscribed conch shell from Nagarjunakonda (courtesy Archaeological Survey of India).

The conch also bears cakra or wheel on pillar, and axe with banner on pillar, both of these being important symbols of god Vishnu. The wheel on a pillar gained prominence as a symbol of the turning of the wheel by the Buddha during the sixth to twelfth century Dvaravati period in central Thailand, thus, showing the transference of sacred symbols between Hinduism and Buddhism. There are references in seventh-century temple inscriptions from south India to the conch being an important object of donation, as it was used in worship. Further evidence of the ritual importance of conch comes from the Cirebon shipwreck discovered on the north-west Java coast in 2003. It carried a diverse array of ritual objects including a piece of gold sheet with a Buddhist mantra (Art.148341), images, relic containers, pearls and conch shells (Art. 26472).[11]

Figure 5: Conch shell from the tenth century Cirebon shipwreck site in the Java Sea: (http://cirebon.musee-mariemont.be/the-cargo/search-cargo.htm?lng=en&doc=1132 accessed on 7 July 2021. Copyright Musée royal de Mariemont 2009)

How are we to understand and interpret the historical importance of conch shells across such a wide variety of contexts in the Indian Ocean world? First, the exploitation and use of marine resources draws attention to the fishing and sailing networks in the Indian Ocean, as discussed at length elsewhere.[12] A more recent work proposes that attempts at writing a deep history of the sea entails discussion of interacting cultural encounters and shared knowledge, and experiences. The sea then becomes the site of intersecting networks that need to be articulated through histories of coastal shrines, seafaring experiences, narratives relating to the conceptualization of sea spaces, as well as material remains found at archaeological sites. Archaeological and inscriptional evidence from such sites as Nagarjunakonda in India and Fuvamulak in the Maldives show that these were multi-period, multi-religious sites that were embedded within both local links along the east coast of India, as well as further across the waters of maritime Southern Asia.[13] This short note on the cultural valences of marine molluscs in the region is an attempt in underscoring the dynamism and vibrancy of sea travel in the ancient period.

Further information on use of marine resources, coastal shrines and maritime interconnections have been discussed in Coastal Shrines and Transnational Maritime Networks Across India and Southeast Asia written by the author https://www.routledge.com/Coastal-Shrines-and-Transnational-Maritime-Networks-across-India-and-Southeast/Ray/p/book/9781138365674

 

 

References:

[1] Arati Deshpande-Mukherjee, Marine Molluscs at ancient settlements in the Deccan, Bulletin of the Deccan College Post-Graduate and Research Institute,. 66/67, 2006-2007: 259-283.

[2] Sanjay Garg, Non-metallic currencies of India in Indian Ocean Trade and Economies, Himanshu Prabha Ray and Edward A. Alpers, Cross Currents and Community Networks: The History of the Indian Ocean World, New Delhi: Oxford University Press, 2007: 248 – 262.

[3] Himanshu Prabha Ray, Coastal Shrines and Transnational Maritime Networks across India and Southeast Asia, London – New York: Routledge, 2021.

[4] Himanshu Prabha Ray, The Winds of Change: Buddhism and the Maritime Links of Ancient South Asia, New Delhi: Oxford University Press, 1994.

[5] H. A. Maniku, Archaeology in Maldives – An Historical Survey, A. S. Hassan edited, Proceedings of Fifth South Asian Archaeological Congress, Male’: National Center for Linguistic and Historical Research, 1993: 54.

[6] Srinivas G. Reddy, Seven Seas and an Ocean of Wisdom: An Indian Episteme for the Indian Ocean, Himanshu Prabha Ray edited, The Archaeology of Knowledge Traditions of the Indian Ocean World, Routledge, London – New York, 2021: 19 – 36.

[7] Joanna Williams, The Churning of the Ocean of Milk— Myth, Image and Ecology, India International Centre Quarterly, Spring-Summer 1992, Vol. 19, No. 1 – 2: 145 – 155.

[8] Himanshu Prabha Ray, Coastal Shrines and Transnational Maritime Networks across India and Southeast Asia, Routledge, London – New York, 2021: 130.

[9] Jonathan Mark Kenoyer, Shell working Industries of the Indus Civilization: A summary, Paléorient, vol. 10, no. 1, 1984: 49-63.

[10] Ray, Coastal Shrines: 56.

[11] Horst H. Liebner, The Siren of Cirebon: A Tenth-Century Trading Vessel Lost in the Java Sea, PhD diss., University of Leeds, 2014: 193 – 5.

[12] Himanshu Prabha Ray, The Archaeology of Seafaring in Ancient South Asia, Cambridge University Press, Cambridge, 2003: 30 – 46.

[13] Ray, Coastal Shrines: 2.

https://maritimeasiaheritage.cseas.kyoto-u.ac.jp/of-cowries-and-conch-shells-maldives-and-the-indian-ocean-networks/

https://www.persee.fr/doc/paleo_0153-9345_1984_num_10_1_4349

The Siren of Cirebon: a tenth-century trading vessel lost in the Java Sea

• H. Liebner
• Published 2014
• Engineering

This thesis examines data collected during the salvage of the cargo of a merchant ves-sel foundered in the Java Sea, by a short inscription in a fragment of a bowl and coins dat-ed to around 970 CE. The wreck’s position indicates that the ship was on her way to the island of Java; the verssel herself belongs into the so called ‘lashed-lug and doweled’, Western Austronesian (‘Malayo-Indonesian’) tradition of boat-building. The surviving cargo ranges from Chinese stonewares and Southeast Asian ceramics to Middle Eastern glassware, tin and lead from –proposedly– the Malay Archipelago, and a wide variety of “smaller finds”, most of which can be attributed to the broader area of the western Indian Ocean. The find palpably demonstrates the far-reaching and well-institutionalised trade rela-tions throughout early medieval Asia. It is often assumed that pre-modern Asian com-merce was largely organised in small-scale ventures, the so called “pedlar trade”, and a number of sources indicate structural features of the ships facilitating this commerce that could have supported such a “particularised” exchange. However, a critical assessment of the composition and distribution of the ship’s payload and a virtual reconstruction of the ship and her initial loading pattern reveal that the vessel’s ceramic cargo in all probability was not acquired, handled, and bound to be marketed as a particularised “peddling” ven-ture, but managed by a single authority. The huge amount of ceramics carried on the ves-sel raises questions regarding frequency, volume and modus operandi of maritime ex-changes in tenth-century Southeast Asia, implying that the ship’s tragic voyage was but an attempt at instituting a virtual monopoly in such trade. Collapse

https://www.semanticscholar.org/paper/The-Siren-of-Cirebon%3A-a-tenth-century-trading-lost-Liebner/9db0f8fa669111f3e544527ca39ded90a99fd36b

Early Interactions between South and Southeast Asia: Reflections on Cross-Cultural Exchange

Pierre-Yves Manguin, A Mani , Geoff Wade, editors

Date of publication: 2011

Publisher: Institute of Southeast Asian Studies

Number of pages: 514

https://bookshop.iseas.edu.sg/publication/1225

Indus Script evidence from Susa shell cylinder seals & Susa pot with bronze metalware. A tribute to JM Kenoyer.& Maurizio Tosi https://tinyurl.com/vkgat6u

Two sets of evidences interccltural transactions with Meluhha (Sarasvati Civilization) presented by Maurizio Tosi and JM Kenoyer, link with the decipherment of Indus Script and bronze age revolution spearheaded by Sarasvati Civilization of Ancient India.

Cylinder seals made of shell from Susa and ANE discussed in this monograph, are signature tunes of turbinella pyrum shell available only from the coastline of India, indicating that seafaring merchants and artisans of Meluhha were engaged in Bronce Age Tin-Bronze Revolution barter trade with Ancient Near East..

1. Maurizio Tosi reported a remarkable Susa pot in Louvre Museum containing bronze metalware.

 
Clay storage pot discovered in Susa (Acropole mound), ca. 2500-2400 BCE (h. 20 ¼ in. or 51 cm). Musee du Louvre. Sb 2723 bis (vers 2450 avant J.C.)

Below the rim of the Susa storage pot, the contents are described in Sarasvati Script hieroglyphs/hypertexts: 1. Flowing water; 2. fish with fin; 3. aquatic bird tied to a rope Rebus readings of these hieroglyphs/hypertexts signify metal implements from the Meluhha mint.

The hieroglyphs and Meluhha rebus readings on this pot from Meluhha are: 1. kāṇḍa 'water' rebus: khāṇḍā 'metal equipment'; 2. aya, ayo 'fish' rebus: aya 'iron' ayas 'metal alloy'; khambhaṛā 'fish fin' rebus: kammaṭ a 'mint, coiner, coinage' 3.  करड m. a sort of duck -- f. a partic. kind of bird ; S. karaṛa -ḍhī˜gu m. a very large aquatic bird (CDIAL 2787) karaṇḍa‘duck’ (Samskrtam) rebus: karaḍā 'hard alloy'; PLUS 4. meṛh 'rope tying to post, pillar’ rebus meḍ‘iron’ med ‘copper’ (Slavic) Alternative: pōlaḍu, 'black drongo',rebus: pōlaḍ, 'steel'. (Note: the contents of the Susa pot should be subjected to archaeometallurgical analyses to detail the mineral contents of the metalware).

See: 

Eureka moment. Like the storage pot described by Mortimer Wheeler in a Mohenjo-daro marketplace, Indus Script Hypertexts on Susa storage pot from Meluhha describe contents: metalware https://tinyurl.com/yd64r2at

2. JM Kenoyer has reported evidence of turbinella pyrum wide bangle and two cylinder seals from Susa.

Jonathan Mark Kenoyer, 2008, Indus and Mesopotamian Trade Networks: new insights from shell and carnelian artifacts, in: E.Olijdam & RH Spoor (eds.), Intercultural relations between south and southwest Asia in commemoration of ECL During Caspers (1934-1996), BAR International Series 1826 (2008): 19-28 https://tinyurl.com/ujtwdqp 

Royal game board , found by Leonard Woolley in the Royal Cemetery at Ur, southern Iraq, about 2600-2400 BC. inlay of shell, red limestone and lapis lazuli Alamy - Image ID: EX70R3 Wealth is signified by the animals shown on another gaming board.
On the cover Expedition, Vol. 20, No. 1 (Special Issue: Ur), UPenn Museum: Gaming board of shell and lapis lazuli from RT. 580 in the Royal Cemetery, now in the University Museum.Collection Object Number: B16742

Mesopotamian cylinder seals and Tell Asmar cylinder seal presented by Frankfort (Annex) indicate the animals as wealth resource (read rebus in Indus Script Cipher).

A warrior, ca. 2500 B.C. with helmet, battle-axe and sickle-sword; a small plaque of engraved shell from the ancient city of Mari on the Euphrates (Musee National de Louvre, Paris) The image created on the shell plaque is that of a Meluhha artisan carrying bronze tools.
Cylinder (white shell) seal impression; Ur, Mesopotamia (IM 8028); white shell. height 1.7 cm., dia. 0.9 cm.; cf. Gadd, PBA 18 (1932), pp. 7-8, pl. I, no.7; Mitchell 1986: 280-1, no.8 and fig. 112; Parpola, 1994, p. 181; fish vertically in front of and horizontally above a unicorn; trefoil design Photo by William Clough Hieroglyphs of Indus Script: fish: aya 'fish' rebus: aya 'iron' ayas 'alloy metal' kuThi 'tree' rebus: kuThi 'smelter, workshop or manufactory'.; One-horned young bull: khonda 'young bull' rebus: konda 'furnace' kunda 'fine gold' singhin 'spiny horned' rebus; singi 'ornament gold'. The sprout behind the young bull: pajhaṛ = to sprout from a root (Santali); Rebus: pasra 'smithy, forge' (Santali) Alternative: mogge 'sprout, bud' Rebus: mū̃h 'ingot' ã̄gru sprout, rebus: aṅgar 'carbon element (to carburize metal to harden it'.koḍa 'sprout'.rebus: koḍa 'workshop'.
karibha, ibha 'elephant' rebus: karba, ib 'iron' karA 'crocodile' rebus: khAr 'blacksmith' gaṇḍa 'rhinoceros'; rebus:khaṇḍa 'tools'. Imported Indian seal from Tell Asmar. "The Indus civilization used the signet, but knew the cylinder seal. Whether the five tall ivory cylinders [4] tentatively explained as seals in Sir John Marshall's work were used for that purpose remains uncertain. They have nothing in common with the seal cylinders of the Near East. In the upper layers of Mohenjo Daro, however, three cylinder seals were found [2,3]. The published specimen shows two animals with birds upon their backs [2], a snake and a small conventional tree. It is an inferior piece of work which displays none of the characteristics of the finely engraved stamp-seals which are so distinctive a feature of early Indian remains. Another cylinder of glazed steatite was discovered at Tell Asmar in Iraq, but here the peculiarities of design, as well as the subject, show such close resemblances to seals from the Indus valley that its Indian origin is certain [3]. The elephant, rhinoceros and crocodile (gharial), foreign to Babylonia, were obviously carved by an artist to whom they were familiar, as appears from the faithful rendering of the skin of the rhinoceros (closely resembling the plate-armour) and the sloping back and bulbous forehead of the elephant. Certain other peculiarities of style connect the seal as definitely with the Indus civilisation as if it actually bore the signs of the Indus script. Such is the convention by which the feet of the elephant are rendered and the network of lines, in other Indian seals mostly confined to the ears, but extending here over the whole of his head and trunk. The setting of the ears of the rhinoceros on two little stems is also a feature connecting this cylinder with the Indus valley seals." (H. Frankfort, Cylinder Seals, Macmillan and Co., 1939, p. 304-305.)
"Mari Cylinder seal, ca. 2200 B.C.E., shell with copper alloy caps, National Museum, Damascus.  Two types of seals were common in the ancient Near East: stamp seals and cylinder seals. Stamp seals were used to secure correspondence or establish ownership with an embossed pad of clay called a bulla. Stamp seals were often inscribed with the owner’s name or symbol. The rope knot securing hides or cloth or other product would be covered with wet clay, and the seal would be pressed into the clay.Cylinder seals were used to roll an impression onto a two-dimensional surface, generally a damp clay cuneiform document or envelope.  Cylinder seals were invented around 3500 BC in the Near East in south-western Iran and Uruk in southern Mesopotamia. This seal is from Mari and shows a bearded god sitting on mountain. Two tree goddesses are flanking this central figure at same height or importance.Cylinder seals and stamp seals were integral part of daily life in ancient Mesopotamia and were used by everyone, from kings to slaves, in the transaction of business and sending correspondence."
https://www.bibleodyssey.org/en/tools/image-gallery/m/mari-cylinder-seal Hieroglyph: dhanga 'mountain range' Rebus: dhangar 'blacksmith' मेढ 'Polar star' Rebus: mẽṛhẽt, meḍ 'iron' (Ho.Munda); medhā, 'yajña, wealth, dhanam'.

Shell bangle from Susa (After Jarrige 1988:48 Louvre Sb14473, Fouilles de J. de Morgan) Meluhha rebus reading signifying the professional competence of the wearer: karã̄ n. pl. wristlets, bangles Rebus: khār 'blacksmith, ironsmith'

Shell cylinder seals from Ur. 1) Shell cylinder seal found with groom in Puabi’s tomb (PG 800), height 31 mm, dia. 16 mm. B 16747 (U.10530); 2) Shell cylinder seal found near skeleton (PG 1054), height 34 mm, dia. 16 mm, 30-12-8 (U.11528) (After Zettler & Horne, 1998). arye 'lion' (Akkadian) rebus: arA 'brass' melh 'goat' rebus: milakkhu 'copper'.dula 'pair' rebus: dul 'metal casting'.

https://tinyurl.com/3mdd44s3

I submit that कीर्तिः kīrtiḥ मुखम् mukham 'face of glory' is a proclamation, report proclaiming an extraordinary, glorious achievement in metallurgy: the production of steel ingot as a crucible steel ingot. 

The composite animals are all related to animal parts as hieroglyphs signifying Meluhha rebus, wealth resources in Indus Script Cipher.

ibha, karibha 'elephant' rebus: ib 'iron' karba 'iron'

karā 'crocodile' khār 'blacksmith'

aya 'fish' rebus: aya 'iron' ayas 'alloy metal'

kola, kul 'tiger' rebus: kol 'working in iron' kolhe 'smelter'

phada 'cobrahood' rebus: phada 'metals manufactory'

खरडा kharaḍā 'A leopard' Rebus: karaḍā 'hard metal alloy'

panja 'feline paw' rebus: panja 'kiln, furnace'

mũhũ 'face' (Sindhi) mũh 'face' (Santali). Rebus: mũh metal ingot (Santali) mũhã̄ = 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 end; kolhe tehen mẽṛhẽtko mūhā akata = the Kolhes have to-day produced pig iron (Santali)

The Meluhha expression, कीर्तिः kīrtiḥ मुखम् mukham is derived from reading the hypertext in sculpture as composed of mũh 'face'  rebus: mũh 'ingot' PLUS कीर्तिः kīrtiḥ 'report of fame, glory'.PLUS múkha n. ʻ mouth, face ʼ RV., ʻ entrance ʼ MBh.

 कीर्तिः kīrtiḥ मुखम् mukham orthography, compositions of composite animals with hieroglyphs of animal parts and semantics are traceable to Indus Script hypertexts of Sarasvati-Sindhu Civilization.

Mask/amulet from Harappa Slide 70

[quote]

Three terra cotta objects that combine human and animal features. These objects may have been used to tell stories in puppet shows or in ritual performances.

"Miniature mask from Mohenjo-daro of bearded horned deity. The face is made from a mold and thumb impressions from pressing the clay are visible on the back. The mouth is somber and the long almond shaped eyes are open. The short horns arch from the top of the forehead and two long ears lay against the horns.

This peaceful face can be contrasted to a mask from Harappa which shows a very ferocious face of what may be this very same deity. Two holes on either side allow the mask to be attached to a puppet or worn as an amulet.

Material: terra cotta
Dimensions: 5.3 cm height, 3.5 cm width
Mohenjo-daro, MD 980
Department of Archaeology, Karachi

Dales 1965a: 145-- JM Kenoyer'

https://www.harappa.com/slide/mask

See: 

https://tinyurl.com/y4kvxjdh

The tradition of creating composite animals dates to Sarasvati Sindhu Civilization ca. 3rd millennium BCE.

See: Gaṇeśa is tri-dhātu, explained by Indus Script Cipher as alloy of mineral ores https://tinyurl.com/ydlko8qt

Catherine Jarrige presents a sculpture in the round which exemplifies the hypertext tradition.The sculpture is a composition of two or three animal protomes:elephant, buffalo, tiger. The combination in rebus readings of deciphered hieroglyphs yields a metal alloy formed by a combination of mineral ores. Combined animal figurine: elephant, buffalo, feline in sculptured form. Why are these three distinct animals combined? Because, they signify distinct wealth categories of metalwork.

 

Rebus renderings signify solder, pewter, tin, tinsel, tin foil: Hieroglyph: Ku. N. rã̄go ʻ buffalo bull ʼ(CDIAL 10559) Rebus: 10562 raṅga3 n. ʻ tin ʼ lex. [Cf. nāga -- 2, vaṅga -- 1] Pk. raṁga -- n. ʻ tin ʼ; P. rã̄g f., rã̄gā m. ʻ pewter, tin ʼ (← H.); Ku. rāṅ ʻ tin, solder ʼ, gng. rã̄k; N. rāṅ, rāṅo ʻ tin, solder ʼ, A. B. rāṅ; Or. rāṅga ʻ tin ʼ, rāṅgā ʻ solder, spelter ʼ, Bi. Mth. rã̄gā, OAw. rāṁga; H. rã̄g f., rã̄gā m. ʻ tin, pewter ʼ; Si. ran̆ga ʻ tin ʼ.*raṅgapattra -- .10567 *raṅgapattra ʻ tinfoil ʼ. [raṅga -- 3, páttra -- ] B. rāṅ(g)tā ʻ tinsel, copper -- foil ʼ.(CDIAL 10562, 10567)

 

ranku 'antelope' rebus:rã̄k,ranku 'tin'

 

melh,mr̤eka 'goat or antelope' rebus: milakkhu 'copper' mleccha 'copper'

 

ډنګر ḏḏangar, s.m. (5th) A bullock or buffalo. Pl. ډنګر ḏḏangœr. ډنګره ḏḏangaraʿh, s.f. (3rd). Pl. يْ ey. 2. adj. Thin, weak

Complementing this artificer competence of a smelter working with bellows, is yāḷi < vyāḷa

व्याल mfn. (prob. connected with व्याड q.v.) mischievous, wicked, vicious, AV. prodigal, extravagant; व्याल m. (ifc. f(आ). ) a vicious elephant, Kāv.; व्याल m. a beast of prey, Gaut. ; MBh.;a snake, MBh. ; Kāv.; a lion, a tiger, a hunting leopard; N. of a man (cf. व्याड), Cat. ; N. of the number ‘eight’ Gaṇit.  (Monier-Williams) व्याल vyāla a. 1 Wicked, vicious; व्यालद्विपा यन्तृभिरुन्मदिष्णवः Śi.12.28; यन्ता गजं व्यालमिवापराद्धः Ki.17.25. -2 Bad, villainous. -3 Cruel, fierce, savage; जहति व्यालमृगाः परेषु वृत्तिम् Ki.13.4. -लः 1 A vicious elephant; व्यालं बाल- मृणालतन्तुभिरसौ रोद्धुं समुज्जृम्भते Bh.2.6. -2 A beast of prey; वसन्त्यस्मिन् महारण्ये व्यालाश्च रुधिराशनाः Rām.2.119. 19; वनं व्यालनिषेवितम् Rām. -3 A snake; H.3.29. -4 A tiger; Māl.3. -5 A leopard. -6 A king. -7 A cheat, rogue. -8 N. of Viṣṇu. -Comp. -खड्गः, -नखः a kind of herb. -ग्राहः, ग्राहिन् m. a snake-catcher; Ms.8.260; व्यालग्राही यथा व्यालं बलादुद्धरते विलात् Kāśīkhaṇḍam. -मृगः 1 a wild animal. -2 a hunting leopard; Mb.12.15.21. -रूपः an epithet of Śiva. व्यालकः vyālakaḥ A vicious or wicked elephant.(Apte) vyāˋla ʻ wicked, mischievous ʼ AV., m. ʻ beast of prey ʼ Gaut., ʻ snake ʼ MBh., ʻ vicious elephant ʼ lex., vyāḍa<-> ʻ malicious ʼ lex., m. ʻ beast of prey ʼ R. 2. *víyāla -- .1. Pa. vāla -- ʻ malicious ʼ, vāḷa -- m. ʻ beast of prey, snake ʼ, vāḷa -- miga -- m. ʻ beast of prey (such as tiger, leopard, &c.) ʼ; Pk. vāla -- m. ʻ noxious wild animal, snake ʼ; M. vāḷ ʻ ejected from caste ʼ; Si. vaḷa ʻ tiger ʼ.2. NiDoc. vyala, viyala ʻ wild, unmanageable (of camels) ʼ Burrow KharDoc 121 (rejected by H. Lüders BSOS viii 647); Pk. viyāla -- ʻ wicked ʼ, m. ʻ thief ʼ; Si. viyala ʻ tiger, panther, snake ʼ (← Sk.?).(CDIAL 12212)

   

ranku 'antelope' rebus: ranku 'tin ore'

Ta. takar sheep, ram, goat, male of certain other animals (yāḷi, elephant, shark). Ma. takaran huge, powerful as a man, bear, etc. Ka. tagar, ṭagaru, ṭagara, ṭegaru ram. Tu. tagaru, ṭagarů id. Te. tagaramu, tagaru id. / Cf. Mar. tagar id.(DEDR 3000) தகர்⁴ takar , n. [T. tagaru, K. tagar.] 1. Sheep; ஆட்டின்பொது. (திவா.) 2. Ram; செம் மறியாட்டுக்கடா. (திவா.) பொருநகர் தாக்கற்குப் பேருந் தகைத்து (குறள், 486). 3. Goat; வெள் ளாடு. (உரி. நி.) 4. Aries in the Zodiac; மேட ராசி. (W.) 5. Male yāḷi; ஆண்யாளி. 6. Male elephant; ஆண்யானை. (பிங்.) 7. Male shark; ஆண்சுறா. (சூடா.) 

யாளிக்கால் yāḷi-k-kāl , n. < யாளி + கால்¹. Leg of stand, etc., shaped like a yāḷi; யாளி வடிவிற்செய்த பாதம். (S. I. I. ii, 5.) யாளி yāḷi , n. < vyāḷa. [K. yāḷi.] 1. A mythological lion-faced animal with elephantine proboscis and tusks; யானையின் தந்தமும் துதிக்கையுஞ் சிங்கத்தின் முகமுமுடையதாகக் கருதப் படும் மிருகம். உழுவையும் யாளியு முளியமும் (குறிஞ் சிப். 252). 2. Lion; சிங்கம். (அக. நி.) 3. Leo of the zodiac; சிங்கராசி. (சூடா.) 4. See யாளிப் பட்டை. (யாழ். அக.) 5. Elephant; யானை. (அக. நி.)வியாளம் viyāḷam , n. < vyāla. 1. Snake; பாம்பு. (சூடா.). 2. Tiger; புலி. (சூடா.). 3. A mythological animal. See யாளி, 1. 4. Vicious elephant; கெட்டகுணமுள்ள யானை. (W.)  அத்தியாளி atti-yāḷi , n. < hastin +. A fabulous animal; யானையாளி. (பெரும்பாண். 257-9, அடிக்குறிப்பு.)

Rebus: Ta. takaram tin, white lead, metal sheet, coated with tin. Ma. takaram tin, tinned iron plate. Ko. tagarm (obl. tagart-) tin. Ka. tagara, tamara, tavara id. Tu. tamarů, tamara, tavara id. Te. tagaramu, tamaramu, tavaramu id. Kuwi (Isr.) ṭagromi tin metal, alloy. / Cf. Skt. tamara- id. (DEDR 3001) தகரம்² takaram , n. [T. tagaramu, K. tagara, M. takaram.] 1. Tin, white lead; வெள்ளீயம். (அக. நி.) 2. Metal sheet coated with tin; தகரம்பூசிய உலோகத்தகடு. Colloq.

Rebus:  வியாழம்¹ viyāḻam , n. 1. Bṛhaspati, the preceptor of the gods; தேவகுரு. வியாழத்தோடு மறைவழக் கன்று வென்ற (திருவாலவா. திருநகரப். 13). 

See: 

The Yali Symbol On An Indus Seal And Its Connection To Kartikeya-Murugan By Bibhudev Misra Https://Www.Bibhudevmisra.Com/2019/02/The-Yali-Symbol-On-Indus-Seal-And-Its.Html "The Yali Or Vyala Is A Composite Animal, Most Commonly Depicted With A Pair Of Horns, The Tusks And Trunk Of An Elephant, The Manes And Graceful Body Of A Lion, And The Tail Of A Serpent. In This Form It Is Called A Gaja-Vyala I.E. Elephant-Vyala."

Mohenjo-daro Seal M-300 (after CISI 3.1: 388) Composite animal as field symbol signifies wealth resources of metals manufactory guild.

phaḍa फड ''cobra hood' rebus: फड 'manufactory, company, guild' Ta. paṭṭaṭai, paṭṭaṟai anvil, smithy, forge. Ka. paṭṭaḍe, paṭṭaḍi anvil, workshop. Te. paṭṭika, paṭṭeḍa anvil; paṭṭaḍa workshop.(DEDR 3865) mũh 'face''rebus: mũh 'ingot'. Hind legs of tiger and feline paws: panja 'feline paws' rebus: panja 'kiln, furnace,smelter'. kola 'tiger' rebus: kol 'working in iron' kolhe 'smelter' ibha 'elephant' rebus; ib 'iron' dhatu 'scarf' rebus: dhatu 'mineral ore'. High horns of zebu: pōḷa 'zebu, bos indicus' rebus: pōḷa 'magnetite, ferrite ore. Front legs of a bull: balad, barad 'bull' rebus: bharata rebus: baran, bharat 'mixed alloys' (5 copper, 4 zinc and 1 tin) (Punjabi. Marathi). Spoked wheel:څرخ ṯs̱arḵẖ, s.m. (2nd) ( P چرخ ). 2. A wheeled-carriage, a gun-carriage, a cart. Pl. څرخونه ṯs̱arḵẖūnah. څرخ ṯs̱arḵẖ, s.m. (2nd) A wheel (Pashto) rebus: arkasal 'goldsmith workshop, copper, gold' eraka 'metal infusion'.