Twisted rope as hieroglyph on a plaque. Hieroglyph: मेढा [ mēḍhā ] 'a curl or snarl; twist in thread' (Marathi) Rebus: mẽṛhẽt, meḍ ‘iron’ (Mu.Ho.) eruvai'eagle' Rebus: eruvai'copper'. kōḍe, kōḍiya. [Tel.] n. A bullcalf. Rebus: koḍ artisan’s workshop (Kuwi) kunda ‘turner’ kundār turner (Assamese) Technical description Votive bas-relief of Dudu, priest of Ningirsu in the time of Entemena, prince of Lagash C. 2400 BCE Tello (ancient Girsu) Bituminous stone H. 25 cm; W. 23 cm; Th. 8 cm De Sarzec excavations, 1881 AO 2354 Plaques perforated in the center and decorated with scenes incised or carved in relief were particularly widespread in the Second and Third Early Dynastic Periods (2800-2340 BC), and have been found at many sites in Mesopotamian and more rarely in Syria or Iran. The perforated plaque of Dudu, high priest of Ningirsu in the reign of Entemena, prince of Lagash (c.2450 BC), belongs to this tradition. It has some distinctive features, however, such as being made of bitumen.This plaque belongs to the category of perforated plaques, widespread throughout Phases I and II of the Early Dynastic Period, c.2800-2340BC, and found at many sites in Mesopotamia (especially in the Diyala region), and more rarely in Syria (Mari) and Iran (Susa). Some 120 examples are known, of which about 50 come from religious buildings. These plaques are usually rectangular in form, perforated in the middle and decorated with scenes incised or carved in relief. They are most commonly of limestone or gypsum: this plaque, being of bitumen, is an exception to the rule.
The precise function of such plaques is unknown, and the purpose of the central perforation remains a mystery. pe: मेढा [ mēḍhā ] A twist or tangle arising in thread or cord, a curl or snarl.(Marathi)(CDIAL 10312).L. meṛh f. ʻrope tying oxen to each other and to post on threshing floorʼ(CDIAL 10317) Rebus: mẽṛhẽt, meḍ ‘iron’ (Mu.Ho.)
Some hieroglyphs listed as 'signs' in Mahadevan concordance of Indus script include the following set of variants of 'ant' hieroglyph; 'hare' hieroglyph:
Ant hieroglyph: h151 5057Text
h144 4280Text
h131 4271Text
చీముంత [ cīmunta ] chīmunta.. [Tel.] n. A metal vessel.
†cīmara -- ʻ copper ʼ in cīmara -- kāra -- ʻ coppersmith ʼ in Saṁghāṭa -- sūtra Gilgit MS. 37 folio 85 verso, 3 (= zaṅs -- mkhan in Tibetan Pekin text Vol. 28 Japanese facsimile 285 a 3 which in Mahāvyutpatti 3790 renders śaulbika -- BHS ii 533. But the Chinese version (Taishō issaikyō ed. text no. 423 p. 971 col. 3, line 2) has t'ie ʻ iron ʼ: H. W. Bailey 21.2.65). [The Kaf. and Dard. word for ʻ iron ʼ appears also in Bur. čhomār, čhumər. Turk. timur (NTS ii 250) may come from the same unknown source. Semant. cf. lōhá -- ]Ash. ċímä, ċimə ʻ iron ʼ (ċiməkára ʻ blacksmith ʼ), Kt. čimé;, Wg. čümāˊr, Pr. zíme, Dm. čimár(r), Paš.lauṛ. čimāˊr, Shum. čímar, Woṭ. Gaw. ċimár,Kal. čīmbar, Kho. čúmur, Bshk. čime r, Tor. čimu, Mai. sē̃war, Phal. čímar, Sh.gil. čimĕr (adj. čĭmārí), gur. čimăr m., jij. čime r, K. ċa muru m. (adj.ċa maruwu ).(CDIAL 14496)
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Kalibangan 080 Seal impression 8120 Text
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m0143 Mohenjo-Daro seal 2002 Text![]()
kāṇḍā ‘metalware’
http://www.christies.com/LotFinder/lot_details.aspx?pos=5&intObjectID=2067289&sid= A NEO-BABYLONIAN BANDED AGATE CYLINDER SEAL With a winged lion-griffin with avian hind-legs in profile to the right, his wings hanging, his arms outstretched, holding an ibex in his raised right hand, a lion with its head turned back in his left hand, the terminal a winged solar disk above a stand, with a four-line inscription in Babylonian cuneiform reading, "To Shamash, Mr...., physician, dedicated (this seal)"
Hieroglyph: ceṭṭai 'wing' Rebus: seṭṭi 'merchant. kol 'tiger' Rebus: kol 'working in iron''. melh 'goat' Rebus: milakkhu 'copper' arye 'lion' Rebus: āra 'brass'. eruvai 'eagle' Rebus: eruvai 'copper'. khaṇḍa 'divisions' Rebus: kāṇḍā ‘metalware’.
kulai, 'hare', Meluhha hieroglyph
Morgan Library and Museum ![]()
Worshiper Holding Hare Before Enthroned Male Figure, Vultures Above
Cylinder seal and impression Syria (ca. 1720–1650 B.C.E) Hematite 21 x 10 mm Seal no. 937 http://www.themorgan.org/collections/collectionsList.asp?id=Seals
Hieroglyphs on the cylinder seal read rebus:
The glyph of a crescent with a ball above may denote a crucible + ingot.
kola 'woman'Rebus: kolhe‘smelter’.
H. mẽṛā, mẽḍā m. ʻ ram with curling horns ʼ (CDIAL 10120). Rebus: mẽṛhẽt, meḍ ‘iron’ (Mu.Ho.)
kuṛī f. ʻ girl (Punjabi) Rebus: kuṭhi 'smelter'; dula 'pair' Rebus: dul 'cast metal'. Thus, the two young girls denote dul kuṭhi 'smelter for cast metal'.
मेढा [ mēḍhā ] 'polar star' Rebus: mẽṛhẽt, meḍ ‘iron’ (Mu.Ho.) ayo 'fish' Rebus: ayo 'iron' (Gujarati); ayas 'alloyed metal' (Sanskrit) eruvai 'eagle' Rebus: eruvai 'copper'.
*kuḍa1 ʻ boy, son ʼ, °ḍī ʻ girl, daughter ʼ. [Prob. ← Mu. (Sant. Muṇḍari koṛa ʻ boy ʼ, kuṛi ʻ girl ʼ, Ho koa, kui, Kūrkū kōn, kōnjē); or ← Drav. (Tam. kur̤a ʻ young ʼ, Kan. koḍaʻ youth ʼ) T. Burrow BSOAS xii 373. Prob. separate from RV. kŕ̊tā -- ʻ girl ʼ H. W. Bailey TPS 1955, 65. -- Cf. kuḍáti ʻ acts like a child ʼ Dhātup.]NiDoc. kuḍ'aǵa ʻ boy ʼ, kuḍ'i ʻ girl ʼ; Ash. kūˊṛə ʻ child, foetus ʼ, istrimalī -- kuṛäˊ ʻ girl ʼ; Kt. kŕū, kuŕuk ʻ young of animals ʼ; Pr. kyúdotdot;ru ʻ young of animals, child ʼ, kyurú ʻ boy ʼ, kurīˊʻ colt, calf ʼ; Dm. kúŕa ʻ child ʼ, Shum. kuṛ; Kal. kūŕ*l k ʻ young of animals ʼ; Phal. kuṛĭ̄ ʻ woman, wife ʼ; K. kūrü f. ʻ young girl ʼ, kash. kōṛī, ram. kuṛhī; L. kuṛā m. ʻ bridegroom ʼ, kuṛī f. ʻ girl, virgin, bride ʼ, awāṇ. kuṛī f. ʻ woman ʼ; P. kuṛī f. ʻ girl, daughter ʼ, P. bhaṭ. WPah. khaś. kuṛi, cur. kuḷī, cam. kǒḷā ʻ boy ʼ, kuṛī ʻ girl ʼ; -- B. ã̄ṭ -- kuṛā ʻ childless ʼ (ã̄ṭa ʻ tight ʼ)? -- X pṓta -- 1 : WPah. bhad. kō ʻ son ʼ, kūī ʻ daughter ʼ, bhal. ko m., koi f., pāḍ. kuā, kōī, paṅ. koā, kūī.(CDIAL 3245).
A cylinder seal shows: a winged goddess brings a prince down to his loving parentsmoreI recognize a few hieroglyphs on the artifacts (drawings) on this monograph of Tom van Bakel; I think it is possible to read rebus in Meluhha a few hieroglyphs on the artifacts:
Louvre AO7296http://www.bibliotecapleyades.net/sumer_anunnaki/anunnaki3a/Louvre%20Dec%201%202002%20192.html ml
1. Drawing of a Syrian cylinder seal (ca. 1600 - 1400 BCE).
2. Jamdat Nasr cylinder seal from Ur. Ur excavations Archaic seal impressions no 370
1. kulai ‘a hare’ (Santali) Allograph: kul ‘tiger’ (Santali) Rebus: kolhe‘smelter’. (Hieroglyph attached) A pair of hares: dul kolhe 'cast metal smelter'. (Hieroglyph: dula 'pair')
2. karaDi 'safflower' Rebus: karaDa 'hard alloy'.(Hieroglyph attached)
3. Twisted rope: मेढा [ mēḍhā ] A twist or tangle arising in thread or cord, a curl or snarl.(Marathi)(CDIAL 10312).L. meṛh f. ʻrope tying oxen to each other and to post on threshing floorʼ(CDIAL 10317) Rebus: meḍ'iron'. mẽṛhet ‘iron’ (Mu.Ho.) (Hieroglyph attached; below the cord/twist are two seated lions)
4. arye 'lion' Rebus: araa 'brass'.
5. dula 'pair' Rebus: dul 'cast (metal). Thus a cast iron-brass alloy indicated.
6. The person on the right holding an antelope is mlekh 'goat' Rebus: meṛh 'helper of merchant' (Desinaamamaalaa of Hemachandra)
7. eraka 'wing' Rebus: erako 'moltencast copper'.
8. kola 'woman' Rebus: kol 'working in iron'; kolhe 'smelter'.
9. kuTi 'girl' (cf. two girls held upside down); Rebus: kuThi 'smelter furnace'. Thus, a copper smelter furnace is indicated.
10. khamḍa 'copulation' (Santali) Rebus: kampaṭṭa ‘mint, coiner’.
செம்பு² cempu , n. < செம்-மை. [K. M. cembu.] 1. Copper, Cuprum, as reddish; தாமிரம். செம்பிற் செய்நவுங் கஞ்சத் தொழிலவும் (சிலப். 14, 174). 2. Gold; பொன். (அக. நி.) 3. [K. Tu. cembu.] Metal vessel; செம்பு முதலியவற்றாற் செய்யப்பட்ட பாத்திரவகை. 4. Liquid measure=3¼ cēr செம்புக்குட்டி cempu-k-kuṭṭi Ta. cempu copper, gold, metal vessel, liquid measure; cempaṉ brown-coloured cow or bull; tampikai a kind of small water-pot. Ma. cempu copper, copper vessel. ? Ko. keby, keb-giṇḍy globular metal drinking-vessel with spout. To. teb copper; ? köb small brass vessel. Ka. cambu, cembu, combu copper, globular copper or glass vessel used for drinking water; cambige, tambige, tambuge globular copper or glass vessel.Koḍ. cembï copper, small metal pot. Tu. cembu brass, copper, small copper or brass pot; tambigè small, round, metal vessel. Te. cembu goblet, pitcher, ewer; tambuga a sort of drinking-vessel. / Cf. Mar. cābū a metal vessel with a belly and a tapering neck, a goglet. Are the Dr. words influenced by Skt. tāmra-, Pkt. tamba- copper?(DEDR 2775).
Bronze vessel of Etruscan or Rhodian craftship found in a mound at Graeckwyl, Switzerland, dated to the 7th century bce. The winged goddess is flanked by four lions, the upper two resting on two snakes that emerge from her head. An eagle sits on her head, and she holds two hares in her hands. http://www.pinterest.com/smphilip/archaeology/
British Museum number102397Description Grey-brown chalcedony cylinder seal (white / cream patination was probably acquired during burial); antithetical group consisting of a four-winged hero in the centre, facing right, flanked by ostriches which he grasps by the neck; beneath each ostrich are two ostrich chicks; in the upper field above the ostrich on the left, a smaller ostrich pursues a gazelle, while above the ostrich on the right is an eight-pointed, globe-centred star set in a crescent. The hero wears an oval-topped helmet with two pairs of horns, his hair falls from two short horizontal lines in a thick curl on his shoulder, and both it and the beard are depicted with lines ending in rows of small drill-holes; he is bare-chested and wears a plain-belted, short, wrap-over kilt with a curved edge and double hem which is decorated with the dot-in-square motif. All the ostriches have eyes indicated by drill-holes at the inner end of the beak, bodies depicted like bundles tied together before the flaring tail, and huge feet indicated by a mass of small drill-holes; the large birds have an additional drill-hole at the top of beak and on the leg-joints, diagonal hatching at the bottom of the neck, wings with two rows of feathers spread on either side of the neck, and they are standing on one leg and kicking out at the hero with the other; the small birds are shown striding towards the centre, one on either side of the larger birds' leg, and have only one row of feathers to their wings and only one visible wing, except the chick on the left, where two are shown. Both wings of the ostrich pursuing the gazelle are visible too, and its legs are spread very far apart, so that one leg is almost touching the fleeing gazelle's rump and perhaps kicking up at it. The gazelle is set diagonally and looks back over its shoulder at the ostrich; its horn and belly are very finely hatched and small drill-holes mark its hooves. Very slight chipping of the edges.
A Winged Hero Pursuing Two Ostriches Cylinder seal and impression. Mesopotamia, Middle Assyrian period (ca. 1250–1150 B.C.)
P شتر مرغ s̱ẖutur-murg̠ẖ, s.m. (5th) An ostrich. Pl شتر مرغان s̱ẖutur-murg̠ẖān. شتر مرغه s̱ẖutur-murg̠ẖaʿh, s.f. (3rd) A female ostrich. Pl. يْ ey. (Pashto) (lurmu -- Akkadian; ghashirmushen -- Sumerian)
Ewe and Ram Flanking Plant with a Gatepost
Goats Before a ShrineMarble 40 x 35.5 mm Seal no. 23
(ca. 2334–2154 B.C.E) Marble 28 x 26 (25) mm Seal no. 167
काणkāṇa‘one-eyed’ Rebus: kanḍ ‘stone’; kāṇḍā‘tools, pots and pans and metal-ware’. Rebus 1: karṇikaकर्णिक‘having a helm, m. a steersman’. Rebus 2: karaṇika ‘scribe, account (of) kārṇī ‘boat cargo’.