Mirror: http://tinyurl.com/oxv2jne
Note: I acknowledge with gratitude Prof. Richard Sproat's identification of a lucid hieroglyph on Jasper Akkadian cylinder seal as 'moon'(and not merely as 'crucible'). This guided me to search for and locate a rebus rendering based on a Pashto gloss: kamar 'moon' rebus: kamar 'blacksmith' (Santali). Both are IE language family languages and hence, Prakritam, Meluhha.
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Girsu (Tlloh) archaeological find. 11 ft. tall copper plated flagpost. This may relate to a period when
Girsu (ca. 2900-2335 BCE) was the capital of Lagash at the time of Gudea.
Hieroglyph: ढाल (p. 356) [ ḍhāla ] 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. vदे . ढालकाठी (p. 356) [ 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 commonwealthढालपट्टा (p. 356) [ ḍhālapaṭṭā ] m (Shield and sword.) A soldier's accoutrements comprehensively.ढालाईत (p. 356) [ ḍhālāīta ] That bears the great flag with proceeds in front of an army in march.ढाळणें (p. 356) [ ḍhāḷaṇēṃ ] v c (Active of ढळणें ) To wave over or around (a fan, brush &c.) Ex. सेवक वरि ढाळति चामरें ॥ .ढालकरी (p. 356) [ ḍhālakarī ] m The bearer or or attendant upon the ढाल of an army or a cheiftain. 2 fig. The staff, support, or upholding person of a family or community. (Marathi) ḍhālā a tall banner (Kannada)
Rebus: ḍhālu 'cast, mould' (Kannada) J. ḍhāḷṇu ʻ to cause to melt ʼ; P.ḍhalṇā ʻ to be poured out, fall, melt ʼ(CDIAL 5582) ढाळ (p. 356) [ ḍhāḷa ] Cast, mould, form (as ofmetal vessels, trinkets &c.(Marathi)
Aقمر ḳamar, s.m. (9th) The moon. Sing. and Pl.
Seeسپوږمي or سپوګمي رښړه rabaṟṟṉaʿh, s.f. (3rd) Moonshine, the light of the moon, moonlight. Pl. يْ ey. See سپوږمي (Pashto)
P کمر kamar, s.m. (2nd) The middle of a mountain, a precipice, a cliff, an escarpment, the high bank of a river, a place where a portion has fallen from a mountain. Pl. کمرونه kamarūnah. کمر بند kamar band, s.m. (2nd) A girdle, a zone, a waist belt. Pl. کمر بندونه kamar bandūnah. کمر کیسه kamar kīsaʿh, s.f. (3rd) A waist-belt with powder horn, and other furniture for a soldier. Pl. يْ ey. See ملا
P کمري kamarī, adj. Weak in the loins (as a horse), respecting the loins. (Masc. and Fem.) (Pashto) Ta. kamar crack, chasm, cleft in the ground caused by drought. Ka. kamari, kammari declivity, steep bank, cliff, ravine.(DEDR 1229)kambar कंबर् or kamar कमर् । कटिः m. the loins, the waist; a girdle, zone, belt; the middle (of a mountain, etc.); the flank (of an army). -band -बन्द् (= । कटिबन्धनम् m. a girdle, zone, sash, belt,(Kashmiri) కమ్మరు (p. 0247) [ kammaru ] or కమరు kammaru. [Tel.] n. A girdle. మొలనూలు .(Telugu)
Rebus: karmāˊra m. ʻ blacksmith ʼ RV. [EWA i 176 < stem *karmar -- ~ karman -- , but perh. with ODBL 668 ← Drav. cf. Tam. karumā ʻ smith, smelter ʼ whence meaning ʻ smith ʼ was transferred also to karmakāra -- ] Pa. kammāra -- m. ʻ worker in metal ʼ; Pk. kammāra -- , °aya -- m. ʻ blacksmith ʼ, A. kamār, B. kāmār; Or. kamāra ʻ blacksmith, caste of non -- Aryans, caste of fishermen ʼ; Mth. kamār ʻ blacksmith ʼ, Si. kam̆burā.*karmāraśālā -- .Addenda: karmāˊra -- : Md. kan̆buru ʻ blacksmith ʼ.(CDIAL 2898) కమ్మటము [ kammaṭamu ] Same asకమటము . కమ్మటీడు kammaṭīḍu. [Tel.] A man of the goldsmith caste.కమ్మరము [ kammaramu ] kammaramu. [Tel.] n. Smith's work, iron work. కమ్మరవాడు , కమ్మరి or కమ్మరీడు kammara-vāḍu. n. An iron-smith or blacksmith. బైటికమ్మరవాడు an itinerant blacksmith. (Telugu) Kammāra [Vedic karmāra] a smith, a worker in metals generally D ii. 126, A v. 263; a silversmith Sn 962= Dh 239; J i. 223; a goldsmith J iii. 281; v. 282. The smiths in old India do not seem to be divided into black -- , gold -- and silver -- smiths, but seem to have been able to work equally well in iron, gold, and silver, as can be seen e. g. from J iii. 282 and VvA 250, where the smith is the maker of a needle. They were constituted into a guild, and some of them were well -- to -- do as appears from what is said of Cunda at D ii. 126; owing to their usefulness they were held in great esteem by the people and king alike J iii. 281. -- uddhana a smith's furnace, a forge J vi. 218; -- kula a smithy M i. 25; kūṭa a smith's hammer Vism 254; -- gaggarī a smith's bellows S i. 106; J vi. 165; Vism 287 (in comparison); -- putta "son of a smith," i. e. a smith by birth and trade D ii. 126; A v. 263; as goldsmith J vi. 237, Sn 48 (Nd2 ad loc.: k˚ vuccati suvaṇṇakāro); -- bhaṇḍu (bhaṇḍ, cp. Sk. bhāṇḍika a barber) a smith with a bald head Vin i. 76; -- sālā a smithy Vism 413; Mhvs 5, 31.(Pali)
<kamar>(B),<karma>(B) {N} ``^black^smith''. Fem. <kamar-boi>'. *Des. @B05220. #16371. <kamar=gana>(B) {N} ``^bellows of a ^black^smith''. *Des. |<gana> `'. @B05230. #10713.<kamar>(P) {N} ``^blacksmith''. *Sa., Mu.<kamar>, Sad.<kAmAr>, B.<kamarO>, O.<kOmarA>; cf. Ju.<kamar saRe>, ~<kOjOG>. %16041. #15931. <kamar saRe>(P) {N} ``blacksmith's shop''. |<saRe> `shop'. %16050. #15940. (Munda etyma)
Alternatives:
Hieroglyph: <arke> {N} ``^moon, ^month; ^time (of an event)(D)''. @N0449,N0452,(D). #1311. <arke kuni? u~Dam guigini> {N} ``^waning moon''. |<kuni?> `old woman; to age', <u~Dam> `old man; to age', <guigini> `?' (cf. <guj-gi-nu lok> `dead person'). !the moon is becoming old gradually; the moon is reducing gradually. @N0457. ??<gu ui>. #1320. <arke onob oRu?-gu pi.piG> {N} ``^waxing moon''. |<onob> `mature young woman', <oRu?> `mature young man', <gu> `?', <pi.piG> `to come, to happen'. !The moon is becoming matured gradually; the moon is waxing. @N0458. ??. #1330. <arke-to?>,,<arke-tog> {V} ``to ^shine (of the moon)''. {N} ``^moonlit ^night''. |<to?> `?'. @W0034,N0454. #1340.(Munda etyma) Rebus: arka 'copper, gold'
Hierolglyph: கோடு² kōṭuCusp, horn, as of the crescent moon; முனை. கோடுகூடு மதியம் (பதிற்றுப். 31, 12). 25. Side; பக்கம். கோடுய ரடுப்பு (புறநா. 164). Rebus: [M. kōṭṭa.] Stronghold, fortified place; அரணிருக்கை. (W.)(Tamil)
Based on this Indus Script cipher of the hieroglyph 'moon', the following revisions are made for the decipherment of the Jasper cylinder seal:
The four persons (kamar) may be recognized as soldiers based on the Pashto gloss: kamar kīsaʿh, s.f. (3rd) A waist-belt with powder horn, and other furniture for a soldier. The kamar is semantically reinforced by orthographic determinative of six curls of hair: baTa 'six' Rebus: bhaTa 'furnace' PLUS PLUS meDh 'curl' Rebus: meD 'iron'
to indicate that the message conveyed is of four smelters for iron (metal).
The four hieroglyphs are: from l. to r. 1. moon PLUS storage pot of ingots, 2. sun, 3. narrow-necked pot with overflowing water, 4. fish A hooded snake is on the edge of the composition. (The dark red color of jasper reinforces the semantics: eruvai 'dark red, copper' Hieroglyph: eruvai 'reed'; see four reedposts held.
kamar 'moon' Rebus: kamar 'blacksmith'
arka 'sun' Rebus: arka, eraka 'copper, gold, moltencast'
lokANDa 'overflowing pot' Rebus: lokhaNDa 'metal implements, excellent implements'
aya 'fish' Rebus: aya 'iron' (Gujarati) ayas 'metal' (Rigveda)
baTa 'six' Rebus: bhaTa 'furnace' PLUS meDh 'curl' Rebus: meD 'iron'
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Cylinder seal with kneeling nude heroes, ca. 2220–2159BCE.; Akkadian
Mesopotamia
Red jasper; H. 1 1/8 in. (2.8 cm), Diam. 5/8 in. (1.6 cm)
Anonymous Loan (L.1992.23.5)
Note: I acknowledge with gratitude Prof. Richard Sproat's identification of a lucid hieroglyph on Jasper Akkadian cylinder seal as 'moon'(and not merely as 'crucible'). This guided me to search for and locate a rebus rendering based on a Pashto gloss: kamar 'moon' rebus: kamar 'blacksmith' (Santali). Both are IE language family languages and hence, Prakritam, Meluhha.
Girsu (Tlloh) archaeological find. 11 ft. tall copper plated flagpost. This may relate to a period when Girsu (ca. 2900-2335 BCE) was the capital of Lagash at the time of Gudea.
Hieroglyph: ढाल (p. 356) [ ḍhāla ] 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. v
Rebus: ḍhālu 'cast, mould' (Kannada) J. ḍhāḷṇu ʻ to cause to melt ʼ; P.ḍhalṇā ʻ to be poured out, fall, melt ʼ(CDIAL 5582) ढाळ (p. 356) [ ḍhāḷa ] Cast, mould, form (as ofmetal vessels, trinkets &c.(Marathi)
A
See
Rebus: karmāˊra m. ʻ blacksmith ʼ RV. [EWA i 176 < stem *karmar -- ~ karman -- , but perh. with ODBL 668 ← Drav. cf. Tam. karumā ʻ smith, smelter ʼ whence meaning ʻ smith ʼ was transferred also to karmakāra -- ] Pa. kammāra -- m. ʻ worker in metal ʼ; Pk. kammāra -- , °aya -- m. ʻ blacksmith ʼ, A. kamār, B. kāmār; Or. kamāra ʻ blacksmith, caste of non -- Aryans, caste of fishermen ʼ; Mth. kamār ʻ blacksmith ʼ, Si. kam̆burā.*karmāraśālā -- .Addenda: karmāˊra -- : Md. kan̆buru ʻ blacksmith ʼ.(CDIAL 2898) కమ్మటము [ kammaṭamu ] Same as
<kamar>(B),<karma>(B) {N} ``^black^smith''. Fem. <kamar-boi>'. *Des. @B05220. #16371. <kamar=gana>(B) {N} ``^bellows of a ^black^smith''. *Des. |<gana> `'. @B05230. #10713.<kamar>(P) {N} ``^blacksmith''. *Sa., Mu.<kamar>, Sad.<kAmAr>, B.<kamarO>, O.<kOmarA>; cf. Ju.<kamar saRe>, ~<kOjOG>. %16041. #15931. <kamar saRe>(P) {N} ``blacksmith's shop''. |<saRe> `shop'. %16050. #15940. (Munda etyma)
Alternatives:
Hieroglyph: <arke> {N} ``^moon, ^month; ^time (of an event)(D)''. @N0449,N0452,(D). #1311. <arke kuni? u~Dam guigini> {N} ``^waning moon''. |<kuni?> `old woman; to age', <u~Dam> `old man; to age', <guigini> `?' (cf. <guj-gi-nu lok> `dead person'). !the moon is becoming old gradually; the moon is reducing gradually. @N0457. ??<gu ui>. #1320. <arke onob oRu?-gu pi.piG> {N} ``^waxing moon''. |<onob> `mature young woman', <oRu?> `mature young man', <gu> `?', <pi.piG> `to come, to happen'. !The moon is becoming matured gradually; the moon is waxing. @N0458. ??. #1330. <arke-to?>,,<arke-tog> {V} ``to ^shine (of the moon)''. {N} ``^moonlit ^night''. |<to?> `?'. @W0034,N0454. #1340.(Munda etyma) Rebus: arka 'copper, gold'
Hierolglyph: கோடு² kōṭuCusp, horn, as of the crescent moon; முனை. கோடுகூடு மதியம் (பதிற்றுப். 31, 12). 25. Side; பக்கம். கோடுய ரடுப்பு (புறநா. 164). Rebus: [M. kōṭṭa.] Stronghold, fortified place; அரணிருக்கை. (W.)(Tamil)
Based on this Indus Script cipher of the hieroglyph 'moon', the following revisions are made for the decipherment of the Jasper cylinder seal:
The four persons (kamar) may be recognized as soldiers based on the Pashto gloss: kamar kīsaʿh, s.f. (3rd) A waist-belt with powder horn, and other furniture for a soldier. The kamar is semantically reinforced by orthographic determinative of six curls of hair: baTa 'six' Rebus: bhaTa 'furnace' PLUS PLUS meDh 'curl' Rebus: meD 'iron'
to indicate that the message conveyed is of four smelters for iron (metal).
The four hieroglyphs are: from l. to r. 1. moon PLUS storage pot of ingots, 2. sun, 3. narrow-necked pot with overflowing water, 4. fish A hooded snake is on the edge of the composition. (The dark red color of jasper reinforces the semantics: eruvai 'dark red, copper' Hieroglyph: eruvai 'reed'; see four reedposts held.
kamar 'moon' Rebus: kamar 'blacksmith'
arka 'sun' Rebus: arka, eraka 'copper, gold, moltencast'
lokANDa 'overflowing pot' Rebus: lokhaNDa 'metal implements, excellent implements'
aya 'fish' Rebus: aya 'iron' (Gujarati) ayas 'metal' (Rigveda)
baTa 'six' Rebus: bhaTa 'furnace' PLUS meDh 'curl' Rebus: meD 'iron'
Red jasper H. 1 1/8 in. (2.8 cm), Diam. 5/8 in. (1.6 cm) cylinder Seal with four hieroglyphs and four kneeling persons (with six curls on their hair) holding flagposts, c. 2220-2159 B.C.E., Akkadian (Metropolitan Museum of Art) Cylinder Seal (with modern impression). The four hieroglyphs are: from l. to r. 1. crucible PLUS storage pot of ingots, 2. sun, 3. narrow-necked pot with overflowing water, 4. fish A hooded snake is on the edge of the composition. (The dark red color of jasper reinforces the semantics: eruvai 'dark red, copper' Hieroglyph: eruvai 'reed'; see four reedposts held.
koThAri 'crucible' Rebus: koThAri 'treasurer, warehouse'
If the hieroglyph on the leftmost is moon, a possible rebus reading: قمر ḳamar
A قمر ḳamar, s.m. (9th) The moon. Sing. and Pl. See سپوږمي or سپوګمي (Pashto) Rebus: kamar 'blacksmith'
Mesopotamia
Red jasper; H. 1 1/8 in. (2.8 cm), Diam. 5/8 in. (1.6 cm)
Anonymous Loan (L.1992.23.5)
Citation
"Cylinder seal with kneeling nude heroes [Mesopotamia]" (L.1992.23.5) In Heilbrunn Timeline of Art History . New York: The Metropolitan Museum of Art, 2000–. http://www.metmuseum.org/toah/works-of-art/L.1992.23.5. (October 2006)
Four representations of a nude hero with six sidelocks of hair appear on this cylinder seal. Each wears a three-strand belt with a tassel. In all cases, the hero kneels on one knee and with both hands holds up a gatepost standard in front of his raised leg. Two vertical lines of inscription, one placed before a hero and another placed behind a second hero, give the name as Shatpum, son of Shallum, but do not provide an official title. Placed vertically in the field, a serpent appears behind one hero. In the spaces between the tops of the standards are four symbols: a sun disk, a lunar crescent, a fish, and a vase with flowing streams of water.
The nude hero is often shown with this very explicit type of gatepost, which perhaps is the emblem of a specific god or group of deities. The heroes with gateposts, the flowing vase, and the fish suggest that the iconography of this seal is somehow connected with Ea, god of sweet water and wisdom. However, the meaning of individual symbols could change in different contexts. The sun, moon, vase, and fish are undoubtedly astral or planetary symbols—the vase with streams and the fish are forerunners of what in much later times become zodiacal signs.
S. Kalyanaraman
Sarasvati Research Center
August 19, 2015