Elamite chariot ca 2500 BCE drawn by four onagers with primitive and painful harnessing.
A mythical chariot to carry the sun across the sky. Gold leaf on bronze, ca. 1500 BCE.
Sumerian war chariot on the Standard of Ur.
Bronze chariot model ca. 2500-2250 BCE
Terracotta spokes painted on wheels and axle. ca. 2500 BCE. Bhirrana. On the specimens found at Kalibangan and Rakhigarhi, the spokes of the wheel are shown by painted lines radiating from the central hub to the periphery, and in the case of specimens from Banawali these are executed in low relief.
Bronze chariot. Daimabad, Maharashtra. 2000 BCE?
Bronze model. Chariot box. Chanhu-daro. ca. 2000 BCE.
Meluhha hieroglyph. Spoked wheel. Focus on the nave of wheel. Occurs four times on Dholavira sign board with ten hieroglyphs which adorned the northern gateway, as an advertisement hoarding, welcoming entry into the citadel.
Another prayer by Tukulti-Ninurta on a fire-altar:
Altar, offered by Tukulti-Ninurta I, 1243-1208 BCE, in prayer before two deities carrying wooden standards, Assyria, Bronze
Another view of the fire-altar pedestal of Tukulti-Ninurta I, Ishtar temple, Assur. Shows the king standing flanked by two standard-bearers; the standard has a spoked-wheel hieroglyph on the top of the staffs and also on the volutes of the altar frieze.The mediation with deities by king is adopted by Assurnasirpal II.
The two standards (staffs) are topped by a spoked wheel. āra 'spokes' Rebus: āra 'bronze'. cf. erka = ekke (Tbh. of arka) aka (Tbh. of arka) copper (metal); crystal (Kannada) Glyph: eraka
This rebus reading is consistent with the prayer offered to
the karaṇḍa 'hard alloy'.
This rebus reading is consistent with the prayer offered to
the karaṇḍa 'hard alloy'.
Glyphic element: erako nave; era = knave of wheel. Glyphic element: āra ‘spokes’. Rebus: āra ‘brass’ as in ārakūṭa (Skt.) Rebus: Tu. eraka molten, cast (as metal); eraguni to melt (DEDR 866) erka = ekke (Tbh. of arka) aka (Tbh. of arka) copper (metal); crystal (Ka.lex.) cf. eruvai = copper (Ta.lex.) eraka, er-aka = any metal infusion (Ka.Tu.); erako molten cast (Tu.lex.) Glyphic element: kund opening in the nave or hub of a wheel to admit the axle (Santali) Rebus: kunda ‘turner’ kundār turner (A.); kũdār, kũdāri (B.); kundāru (Or.); kundau to turn on a lathe, to carve, to chase; kundau dhiri = a hewn stone; kundau murhut = a graven image (Santali) kunda a turner's lathe (Skt.)(CDIAL 3295).
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) அருக்கன் arukkaṉ, n. < arka. Sun; சூரி யன். அருக்க னணிநிறமுங் கண்டேன் (திவ். இயற். 3, 1).(Tamil) agasāle ‘goldsmithy’ (Kannada) అగసాలి [ agasāli ] or అగసాలెవాడు agasāli. n. A goldsmith. కంసాలివాడు. (Telugu) erka = ekke (Tbh. of arka) aka (Tbh. of arka) copper (metal); crystal (Kannada) cf. eruvai = copper (Tamil) eraka, er-aka = any metal infusion (Ka.Tu.); erako molten cast (Tulu) Rebus: eraka = copper (Ka.) eruvai = copper (Ta.); ere - a dark-red colour (Ka.)(DEDR 817). eraka, era, er-a = syn. erka, copper, weapons (Ka.) erka = ekke (Tbh. of arka) aka (Tbh. of arka) copper (metal); crystal (Kannada) akka, aka (Tadbhava of arka) metal; akka metal (Te.) arka = copper (Skt.) erako molten cast (Tulu)
करडी [ karaḍī ] f (See करडई) Safflower: also its seed.
Rebus: karaḍa 'hard alloy' of arka 'copper'.
Photograph of excavation site. Shows three culd stands in situ in Room 6 of Ishtar temple of Tukulti-Ninurta I at Ashur. Courtesy: Vorderaslatisches Museum.
Andrae, 1935, 57-76, pls. 12, 30 1. Jakob-Rust, in Vorderaslatisches Museum 1992, 160, no. 103; Andrae, 1935, 16, figs. 2,3.
करंडा [karaṇḍā] A clump, chump, or block of wood. 4 The stock or fixed portion of the staff of the large leaf-covered summerhead or umbrella. करांडा [ karāṇḍā ] m C A cylindrical piece as sawn or chopped off the trunk or a bough of a tree; a clump, chump, or block.
Rebus: fire-god: @B27990. #16671. Remo <karandi>E155 {N} ``^fire-^god''.(Munda)
[quote]Description: Although the cult pedestal of the Middle Assyrian king Tukulti-Ninurta mentions in its short inscription that it is dedicated to the god Nuska, the relief on the front that depicts the king in a rare kind of narrative, standing and kneeling in front of the very same pedestal was frequently discussed by art-historians. More strikingly on top of the depicted pedestal there is not the lamp, the usual divine symbol for the god Nuska, but most likely the representation of a tablet and a stylus, symbols for the god Nabû. (Klaus Wagensonner, University of Oxford)[unquote] http://cdli.ox.ac.uk/wiki/doku.php?id=pedestal_tukulti_ninurta
No, it is not a representation of a tablet and a stylus, but a chump, a block of wood, karaṇḍā read rebus: karandi 'fire-god' (Munda). Thus, the chump is the divine symbol of fire-god.
Cylinder seal with kneeling nude heroes, ca. 2220–2159 b.c.; Akkadian Mesopotamia Red jasper H. 1 1/8 in. (2.8 cm), Diam. 5/8 in. (1.6 cm) Metropolitan Museum of Art - USA
Four flag-posts(reeds) with rings on top held by the kneeling persons define the four components of the iron smithy/forge.
The key hieroglyph is the hood of a snake seen as the left-most hieroglyph on this rolled out cylinder seal impression. I suggest that this denotes the following Meluhha gloss: paṭam , n. < phaṭa. ‘cobra's hood’ phaṭa n. ʻ expanded hood of snake ʼ MBh. 2. *phēṭṭa -- 2. [Cf. phuṭa -- m., °ṭā -- f., sphuṭa -- m. lex., °ṭā -- f. Pañcat. (Pk. phuḍā -- f.), sphaṭa -- m., °ṭā-- f., sphōṭā -- f. lex. and phaṇa -- 1. Conn. words in Drav. T. Burrow BSOAS xii 386]1. Pk. phaḍa -- m.n. ʻ snake's hood ʼ, °ḍā -- f., M. phaḍā m., °ḍī f.2. A. pheṭ, phẽṭ. (CDIAL 9040). Rebus: ‘sharpness of iron’: padm (obl.padt-) temper of iron (Kota)(DEDR 3907); patam‘sharpness, as of the edge of a knife’ (Tamil) Alternative complementary reading: <naG bubuD>(Z) {N} ``^cobra''. |<naG> `?'. ^snake. *IA<naG>. ??is IA form <naG> or <nag>? #23502. nāgá1 m. ʻ snake ʼ ŚBr. 2. ʻ elephant ʼ BhP. [As ʻ ele- phant ʼ shortened form of *nāga -- hasta -- EWA ii 150 with lit. or extracted from nāga -- danta -- ʻ elephant tusk, ivory ʼ < ʻ snake -- shaped tusk ʼ].
1. Pa. nāga -- m. ʻ snake ʼ, NiDoc. nāǵa F. W. Thomas AO xii 40, Pk. ṇāya -- m., Gy. as. nâ JGLS new ser. ii 259; Or. naa ʻ euphem. term for snake ʼ; Si. nay, nā,nayā ʻ snake ʼ. -- With early nasalization *nāṅga -- : Bshk. nāṅg ʻ snake ʼ. -- Kt. Pr. noṅ, Kal. nhoṅ ʻ name of a god < nāˊga -- or ← Pers. nahang NTS xv 283. 2. Pa. nāga -- m. ʻ elephant ʼ, Pk. ṇāya -- m., Si. nā. śiśunāka -- . (CDIAL 7039) Rebus: nāga2 n. ʻ lead ʼ Bhpr. [Cf. raṅga -- 3 ] Sh. naṅ m. ʻ lead ʼ (< *nāṅga -- ?), K. nāg m. (< *nāgga -- ?).(CDIAL 7040) cf. annaku, anakku 'tin' (Akkadian) There is a possibility that the hieroglyph was intended to convey the message of an alloying metal like lead or tin which had revolutionised the bronze age with tin-bronzes, zinc-copper brass and other alloys to substitute for arsenical copper to make hard weapons and tools.
This is an announcement of four shops, पेढी (Gujarati. Marathi). पेंढें‘rings’ Rebus: पेढी‘shop’.āra ‘serpent’ Rebus; āra ‘brass’. karaḍa 'double-drum' Rebus: karaḍa 'hard alloy'.
The key hieroglyph is the hood of a snake seen as the left-most hieroglyph on this rolled out cylinder seal impression. I suggest that this denotes the following Meluhha gloss: paṭam , n. < phaṭa. ‘cobra's hood’ phaṭa n. ʻ expanded hood of snake ʼ MBh. 2. *phēṭṭa -- 2. [Cf. phuṭa -- m., °ṭā -- f., sphuṭa -- m. lex., °ṭā -- f. Pañcat. (Pk. phuḍā -- f.), sphaṭa -- m., °ṭā-- f., sphōṭā -- f. lex. and phaṇa -- 1. Conn. words in Drav. T. Burrow BSOAS xii 386]1. Pk. phaḍa -- m.n. ʻ snake's hood ʼ, °ḍā -- f., M. phaḍā m., °ḍī f.2. A. pheṭ, phẽṭ. (CDIAL 9040). Rebus: ‘sharpness of iron’: padm (obl.padt-) temper of iron (Kota)(DEDR 3907); patam‘sharpness, as of the edge of a knife’ (Tamil) Alternative complementary reading: <naG bubuD>(Z) {N} ``^cobra''. |<naG> `?'. ^snake. *IA<naG>. ??is IA form <naG> or <nag>? #23502. nāgá
This is an announcement of four shops, पेढी (Gujarati. Marathi). पेंढें‘rings’ Rebus: पेढी‘shop’.āra ‘serpent’ Rebus; āra ‘brass’. karaḍa 'double-drum' Rebus: karaḍa 'hard alloy'.
Specific materials offered for sale/exchange in the shop are: hard alloy brass metal (ayo, fish); lokhaṇḍ (overflowing pot)‘metal tools, pots and pans, metalware’; arka/erka ‘copper’; kammaṭa (a portable furnace for melting precious metals) ‘coiner, mint’ Thus, the four shops are: 1. brass alloys, 2. metalware, 3. copper and 4. mint (services).
erãguḍu bowing, salutation (Telugu) iṟai (-v-, -nt-) to bow before (as in salutation), worship (Tamil)(DEDR 516). Rebus: eraka, eṟaka any metal infusion (Kannada.Tulu) eruvai‘copper’ (Tamil); eredark red (Kannada)(DEDR 446).
puṭa Anything folded or doubled so as to form a cup or concavity; crucible. Alternative: ḍhālako = a large metal ingot (G.) ḍhālakī = a metal heated and poured into a mould; a solid piece of metal; an ingot (Gujarati)
Allograph: ढाल [ ḍhāla ] f (S through H) The grand flag of an army directing its march and encampments: also the standard or banner of a chieftain: also a flag flying on forts &c. ढालकाठी [ ḍhālakāṭhī ] f ढालखांब m A flagstaff; esp.the pole for a grand flag or standard. 2 fig. The leading and sustaining member of a household or other commonwealth. 5583 ḍhāla n. ʻ shield ʼ lex. 2. *ḍhāllā -- . 1. Tir. (Leech) "dàl"ʻ shield ʼ, Bshk. ḍāl, Ku. ḍhāl, gng. ḍhāw, N. A. B. ḍhāl, Or. ḍhāḷa, Mth. H. ḍhāl m.2. Sh. ḍal (pl. °le̯) f., K. ḍāl f., S. ḍhāla, L. ḍhāl (pl. °lã) f., P. ḍhāl f., G. M. ḍhāl f.WPah.kṭg. (kc.) ḍhāˋl f. (obl. -- a) ʻ shield ʼ (a word used in salutation), J. ḍhāl f. (CDIAL 5583).
They are four Glyphs: paṭākā ‘flag’ Rebus:pāṭaka, four quarters of the village.
kã̄ḍ reed Rebus: kāṇḍa ‘tools, pots and pans, metal-ware’.
1. Pk. kamaḍha -- , °aya -- m. ʻ bamboo ʼ; Bhoj. kōro ʻ bamboo poles ʼ. 2. N. kāmro ʻ bamboo, lath, piece of wood ʼ, OAw. kāṁvari ʻ bamboo pole with slings at each end for carrying things ʼ, H. kã̄waṛ, °ar, kāwaṛ, °ar f., G. kāvaṛf., M. kāvaḍ f.; -- deriv. Pk. kāvaḍia -- , kavvāḍia -- m. ʻ one who carries a yoke ʼ, H. kã̄waṛī, °ṛiyā m., G. kāvaṛiyɔ m. 3. S. kāvāṭhī f. ʻ carrying pole ʼ, kāvāṭhyo m. ʻ the man who carries it ʼ. 4. Or. kāmaṛā, °muṛā ʻ rafters of a thatched house ʼ; G. kāmṛũ n., °ṛī f. ʻ chip of bamboo ʼ, kāmaṛ -- koṭiyũ n. ʻ bamboo hut ʼ. 5. B. kāmṭhā ʻ bow ʼ, G. kāmṭhũ n., °ṭhī f. ʻ bow ʼ; M. kamṭhā, °ṭā m. ʻ bow of bamboo or horn ʼ; -- deriv. G. kāmṭhiyɔ m. ʻ archer ʼ. 6. A. kabāri ʻ flat piece of bamboo used in smoothing an earthen image ʼ. 7. kã̄bīṭ, °baṭ, °bṭī, kāmīṭ, °maṭ, °mṭī, kāmṭhī, kāmāṭhī f. ʻ split piece of bamboo &c., lath ʼ.(CDIAL 2760). kambi f. ʻ branch or shoot of bamboo ʼ lex. Pk. kaṁbi -- , °bī -- , °bā -- f. ʻ stick, twig ʼ, OG. kāṁba; M. kã̄b f. ʻ longitudinal division of a bamboo &c., bar of iron or other metal ʼ. (CDIAL 2774). कंबडी [ kambaḍī ] f A slip or split piece (of a bamboo &c.)(Marathi)
The rings atop the reed standard: पेंढें [ pēṇḍhēṃ ] पेंडकें [ pēṇḍakēṃ ] n Weaver's term. A cord-loop or metal ring (as attached to the गुलडा of the बैली and to certain other fixtures). पेंडें [ pēṇḍēṃ ] n (पेड) A necklace composed of strings of pearls. 2 A loop or ring. Rebus: पेढी (Gujaráthí word.) A shop (Marathi)Alternative:koṭiyum [koṭ, koṭī neck] a wooden circle put round the neck of an animal (Gujarati) Rebus: ācāri koṭṭya = forge, kammārasāle (Tulu)
Six curls shown on the hairstyle of carriers of flagposts:
Six curls shown on the hairstyle of carriers of flagposts:
Allograph: The six curls on the kneeling person’s head denote an copper-brass smelter:
erugu = to bow, to salute or make obeisance (Telugu) Rebus: eraka ‘copper’.
Glyphs: six (numeral) + ring of hair: आर [ āra ] A term in the play of इटीदांडू,--the number six. (Marathi) आर [ āra ] A tuft or ring of hair on the body. (Marathi) Rebus: arā ‘brass’.
मेढा mēḍhā A twist or tangle arising in thread or cord, a curl or snarl. (Marathi) Rebus: meḍ ‘iron’ (Ho.) bhaṭa ‘six (hair-curls)’ Rebus: bhaṭa ‘furnace’.
saman = to offer an offering, to place in front of; front, to front or face (Santali) Rebus: samṛobica, stones containing gold (Mundari)samanom = an obsolete name for gold (Santali) [bica‘stone ore’ (Munda): meṛed-bica = iron stone ore, in contrast to bali-bica, iron sand ore (Munda]
The leftmost hieroglyph shows ingots in a conical-bottom storage jar (similar to the jar shown on Warka vase, delivering the ingots to the temple of Inanna). Third from left, the overflowing pot is similar to the hieroglyph shown on Gudea statues. Fourth from left, the fish hieroglyph is similar to the one shown on a Susa pot containing metal tools and weapons. (Picture credit: Maurizio Tosi).
See: http://bharatkalyan97.blogspot.in/2011/11/decoding-fish-and-ligatured-fish-glyphs.html The pot and its contents had perhaps originated from Meluhha since the pot had a ‘fish’ glyph inscribed. I suggest that this Indus script glyph conveyed the message from Indus artisans to merchant associates of Susa, that the pot had ‘metal’ contents. The glyph is read rebus in mleccha (cognate, meluhha), the underlying Indus language. ayo ‘fish’; rebus: ayo ‘metal’. With this decoding framework of Indus script cipher, the ligatured-fish glyphs can also be read in the context of metal artifacts archaeologically attested of the bronze-age civilization. Picture of Susa pot (cf. Maurizio Tosi) is, in my view, a ‘rosetta stone’ of Indus script. Other ‘rosetta stones’ such as the tin ingots with Indus script glyphs are discussed in the book, Indus script cipher (2010) by S. Kalyanaraman
The four hieroglyphs define the four quarters of the village smithy/forge: alloy, metalware, turner’s lathe-work, cruble (or, ingot).
ayo ‘fish’ Rebus: ayo‘metal, alloy’
కాండము [ kāṇḍamu ] kānḍamu. [Skt.] n. Water. నీళ్లు (Telugu) kaṇṭhá -- : (b) ʻ water -- channel ʼ: Paš. kaṭāˊ ʻ irrigation channel ʼ, Shum. xãṭṭä.(CDIAL 14349).
lo ‘pot to overflow’[i] Rebus: loh‘copper’.
[i] A person with a vase with overflowing water; sun sign. C. 18th cent. BCE. E. Porada,1971, Remarks on seals found in the Gulf states, Artibus Asiae, 33, 31-7.
lokhãḍ, kāṇḍa ‘flowing water’‘overflowing pot’ Rebus: lokhãḍ, kāṇḍā‘metalware, tools, pots and pans’(Gujarati)
Utu in Sumerian is the synonym of Akkadiam Shamash, sun divinity. Rebus: uḍu ‘star, moon’ uḍu f.n. ʻ star ʼ Kālid. [If isolated from uḍupa -- ʻ moon ʼ, derivation from *r̥tu -- pa -- (Mayrhofer EWA i 100 with lit.) is made doubtful by the Pa. form] Pa. uḷu -- f. ʻ lunar mansion ʼ; Pk. uḍu -- ; n. ʻ constellation ʼ; Si. uḷu ʻ star ʼ(CDIAL 1694).
Rebus and Allograph: uḍupa m. ʻ raft ʼ MBh. [Cf. hōḍa -- m. lex. prob. ← Drav., Tam. ōṭam] Pa. uḷumpa -- m.n. ʻ raft ʼ; Pk. uḍuva -- m. ʻ boat ʼ; Or. uṛu ʻ boatman ʼ; G. oṛvũ n. ʻ small boat ʼ; Si. mald. oḍi ʻ boat ʼ; -- Si. oruva ʻ boat, canoe ʼ (CDIAL 1695). உடு; uṭu Oar, boatman's pole; ஓடம்இயக்குங்கோல். (பிங்.) hōḍa m. ʻ raft, boat ʼ lex. [← Drav., Kan. ōḍa., &c. DED 876] H. hoṛī f., holā m. ʻ canoe, raft ʼ; G. hoṛī f. ʻ boat ʼ; M. hoḍī f. ʻ canoe made of hollowed log ʼ..hōḍa -- : Md. oḍi ʻ large kind of boat ʼ ← Drav.(CDIAL 14174).
Allographs: huṛeāl, huṛeār m. ʻ the wild hill sheep or oorial ʼ (Lahnda) huḍa 'ram'. உடு; uṭu Feather of an arrow; Arrow-head; huṇḍā ʻ hyena ʼ (Oriya)
Rebus: huṇaï ʻ offers oblation ʼ (Prakrit)
Rebus: Or. uṛa ʻ vow ʼ; (oṭṭu ʻ wager ʼ ← Tam. oṭṭu).(CDIAL 14175)
Allograph: rays of the sun.
The Tablet of Shamash. Relief image on the Tablet of Shamash, British Library room 55. Found in Sippar (Tell Abu Habbah), in Ancient Babylonia ; it dates from the 9th century BC and shows the sun god Shamash on the throne, in front of the Babylonian king Nabu-apla-iddina (888-855 BC) between two interceding deities. The text tells how the king made a new cultic statue for the god and gave privileges to his temple.
Šamaš ';Sun' (Akkadian) (As shown in the cuneiform text on Sit Shamshi bronze). Cognates in Meluhha --Indian sprachbund:
शुष्णः [शुष्-नः कित् Uṇ.3.12] 1 The sun. -2 Fire. शुष्मन् m. 1 Fire; Śi.14.22; सार्धं तेनानुजेनाप्रतिहतगतिना मारुतेनेव शुष्मा Śiva B.2.68; ऋतुशुष्ममहोष्मभिः N.17.168. 1Strength, prowess. -2 Light, lustre. (Sanskrit)
Mohenjo-daro seal. M428b The ‘rays of the sun’ hieroglyph of this Mohenjodaro seal also recurs on early punch-marked coins of India. Rebus reading: arka ‘sun’; agasāle ‘goldsmithy’ (Ka.) erka = ekke (Tbh. of arka) aka (Tbh. of arka) copper (metal); crystal (Ka.lex.) cf. eruvai = copper (Ta.lex.) eraka, er-aka = any metal infusion (Ka.Tu.); erako molten cast (Tulu) Rebus: eraka = copper (Ka.) eruvai = copper (Ta.); ere - a dark-red colour (Ka.)(DEDR 817). eraka, era, er-a = syn. erka, copper, weapons (Ka.)Thus, the four flag-posts may be read rebus denoting -- in Meluhha hieroglyphs -- the repertoire and stock-in-trade of bronze-age artisans of Ancient Near East -- dealing in metalware, copper tools and weapons, alloys and ingots.
Rebus readings (from l. to r.):
Rebus readings (from l. to r.):
ḍhālako = a large metal ingot (Gujarati)
uṛu ʻ boatman ʼ (Oriya)
lokhãḍ ‘metalware, tools, pots and pans’(Gujarati)
ayo ‘metal, alloy’ (Gujarati)
These rebus readings of hieroglyphs are consistent with the reading of the hieroglyphs on Tukulti Ninurta altar: prayers to fire-god karandi (Hieroglyph: करडी [karaḍī]'safflower'); and arka'copper metal' (Hieroglyph: eraka, 'nave of wheel').
This consistency in semantics between sacredness and smithywork is exemplified by the Kota language (Meluhha) gloss: kole.l with two meanings: smithy, temple.
So, I suggest Tukulti Ninurta I was offering prayers to the fire-god karandi and announcing the technological contributions made to the bronze-age evolution by using the 'nave of wheel' hieroglyph to denote eraka'nave of wheel' Rebus: arka, eraka'moltencast copper' traded across the Tin Road from Assur to Kanesh.
S. Kalyanaraman
Sarasvati Research Center
February 22, 2014.