Mirror: http://tinyurl.com/qbfpp74
This is an addendum to:
Roots of Bhāratam Janam from 7th millennium BCE and evidences from Indus Script corpora. Refuting Parpola's Dravidian basis for decipherment
Indus Script Corpora Cipher hypertexts with hieroglyph-multiplexes signify blacksmith, metal ingot types, implements
This note further refutes Asko Parpola's Dravidian solution to Indus script (see embedded document) and also refutes reading of a hieroglyph on Mohenjo-daro seal m 290 as: கழுதை kaḻutai and offers a rebus-metonymy decipherment in Proto-Prakritam as khara'ass, onager' with evidence from Paippalada Samhita (20.39.2) Rebus: khār खार् 'blacksmith'
Seal m 290 Mohenjo-daroIndus Script epigraph deciphered: kol'working in iron' + pattar'goldsmith guild' + ṭāṅka ʻleg, thighʼ (Oriya) PLUS khar'ass, onager' (Kashmiri) PLUS kharedo = a currycomb (Gujarati) deciphered as: ṭaṅka 'mint' PLUS khār खार् 'blacksmith' PLUS kharādī ‘ turner’ (Gujarati)On this seal, hind leg + wild ass hieroglyphs sequence identified by Asko Parpola, see: http://www.thehindu.com/opinion/op-ed/article481104.ece
See: Seal found in Banawali in a gold-silversmith’s residence
Banawali. Seal B 17 Horned tiger in front of sangaDa 'lathe, portable furnace'Hieroglyph multiplex: gaNDa 'four' Rebus: khaNDa 'metal implements' aya 'fish' Rebus: aya 'iron' ayas 'metal' aDaren 'lid' Rebus: aduru 'native metal'
Hieroglyph: sal 'splinter' Rebus: sal 'workshop'
Hieroglyhph: Ko. gōṭu ʻ silver or gold braid ʼ Rebus: M. goṭ metal wristlet ʼ P. goṭṭā ʻ gold or silver lace ʼ, H. goṭā m. ʻ edging of such ʼ (→ K. goṭa m. ʻ edging of gold braid ʼ, S. goṭo m. ʻ gold or silver lace ʼ); P. goṭ f. ʻ spool on which gold or silver wire is wound, piece on a chequer board ʼ; (CDIAL 4271)
Hieroglyph-multiplex: body PLUS platform: meD 'body' Rebus: meD 'iron' PLUS Hieroglyhph: pī˜ṛī ʻplatform of lingamʼ Rebus: Mth. pĩṛ, pĩṛā ʻlumpʼ Thus, the message of the hieroglyph-multiplex is: lump of iron.
The epigraph on Seal m290 is read as Proto-Prakritam:
Three hieroglyphs on text: ṭāṅka ʻleg, thighʼ (Oriya) PLUS khar 'ass, onager' (Kashmiri) PLUS kharedo = a currycomb (Gujarati)
Rebus: ṭaṅka- 'mint' PLUS khār खार् 'blacksmith' PLUS kharadT ' turner' (Gujarati) Tiger PLUS (trough -- broken seal): kola 'tiger' Rebus; kolle 'blacksmith' kol 'working in iron' kole.l 'smithy, temple' kolimi 'smithy, forge' PLUS pattar 'trough' Rebus: pattar 'guild of goldsmiths'.
Hieroglyph (third hieroglyph on text of seal m 290) and three alternative sets of homonyms:
Set 1: G. kã̄gsī f. ʻcombʼ Rebus: kamsa 'bronze, bell-metal'.kaṁsá1 m. ʻ metal cup ʼ AV., 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 ʻ gong 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; K. k&ebrevdotdot;nzü f. ʻ clay or copper pot ʼ; A. kã̄hi ʻ bell -- metal dish ʼ; G. kã̄śī f. ʻ bell -- metal cymbal ʼ, kã̄śiyɔ m. ʻ open bellmetal pan ʼ. A. kã̄h also ʻ gong ʼ or < kāˊṁsya -- .(CDIAL 2576)
Set 2: 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)
Set 3: kaṅkaṭa -- 2 ʻ comb ʼ Rebus: Pk. kakkhaḍa -- , °khala -- ʻ rough ʼ; Ash. kakeṛäˊ ʻ hard See: http://bharatkalyan97.blogspot.in/2015/08/supercaro-ingots-1-of-cast-metal-2-for.html
Hieroglyph:ṭaṅka3 (a) ʻ *rod, spike ʼ, (b) m. ʻ leg ʼ lex. 2. ṭaṅga -- 3 m. ʻ leg ʼ lex. [Orig. ʻ stick ʼ? Cf. list s.v. *ḍakka -- 2 ] 1. (a) K. ṭang m. ʻ projecting spike which acts as a bolt at one corner of a door ʼ; N. ṭāṅo ʻ rod, fishing rod ʼ, °ṅi ʻ measuring rod ʼ; H. ṭã̄k f. ʻ iron pin, rivet ʼ (→ Ku. ṭã̄ki ʻ thin iron bar ʼ). (b) Pk. ṭaṁka -- m., °kā -- f. ʻ leg ʼ, S. ṭaṅga f., L. P. ṭaṅg f., Ku. ṭã̄g, N. ṭāṅ; Or. ṭāṅka ʻ leg, thigh ʼ, °ku ʻ thigh, buttock ʼ. 2. B. ṭāṅ, ṭeṅri ʻ leg, thigh ʼ; Mth. ṭã̄g, ṭãgri ʻ leg, foot ʼ; Bhoj. ṭāṅ, ṭaṅari ʻ leg ʼ, Aw. lakh. H. ṭã̄g f.; G. ṭã̄g f., °gɔ m. ʻ leg from hip to foot ʼ; M. ṭã̄g f. ʻ leg ʼ.*uṭṭaṅka -- 2 , *uṭṭaṅga -- . ṭaṅka -- 4 ʻ peak, crag ʼ see *ṭakka -- 3 . Addenda: ṭaṅka -- 3 . 1(b): S.kcch. ṭaṅg(h) f. ʻ leg ʼ, WPah.kṭg. (kc.) ṭāṅg f. (obl. -- a) ʻ leg (from knee to foot) ʼ.2. ṭaṅga -- 3 : A. ṭāṅī ʻ wedge ʼ AFD 201.(CDIAL 5428)
Hieroglyph: a short-sized horse: टांकण or टाकण (p. 337) [ ṭāṅkaṇa or ṭākaṇa ] m (चाल .(Marathi)
Rebus: stamped coin, mint: टंक (p. 335) [ ṭaṅka ] m S A stone-cutter's chisel. 2 A weight equal to four माष &c. See under टांक Sig. I. टंकण (p. 336) [ ṭaṅkaṇa ] n S Brute borax. See टांकणखार . टंकशाला (p. 336) [ ṭaṅkaśālā ] f (S) pop. टंकसाळ or टकसाळ f A mint. टंकसाळचा फुटका or फुटलेला (p. 336) [ ṭaṅkasāḷacā phuṭakā or phuṭalēlā ] a (Broken in the mint.) Spoiled or mutilated in birth, or in the parents' home, or in early training &c. The phrase is from टंकसाळ ) Epithet of that सोनार or goldsmith who is employed in coining: opp. to अंगसाळ्या . 2 A person generally employed at the mint. टकारी or टंकारी (p. 336) [ ṭakārī or ṭaṅkārī ] m (टंक ) A caste or an indivi, dual of it. They are workers in stone, makers of handmills &c.टांक (p. 337) [ ṭāṅka ] m (टंक S) A weight, according to some, of one तोळा or the seventy-secondth part of a पक्का शेर ; according to others, of nine मासे ; according to others, of four मासे . 2 The nib of a pen. 3 By melon. A penful of ink. Pr. टांका आगळें लि- हावें घांसा उणें जेवावें Write a nibful over;4 A metal plate with an image of a god impressed. Hence fig. An indispensable person at a feast or rite--who must be invited. 5 (Poetry.) A rupee or any silver coin. 6 (Enhancing particle to कोरडा ) Utterly dried up--a river, tank, well. टांक गुंतणें g. of s. To be bound by some note of hand passed or writing executed. टांक मारणें To set down in writing. टांकानें (or लेखणीच्या टांकानें ) गळा कापणें To kill with the pen. टांकणें (p. 337) [ ṭāṅkaṇēṃ ] v c (टंक ) To reset or rechisel; to refreshen the impressions (of a mill or grinding stone): also to chisel or face it originally. टाकसाळ or टांकसाळ (p. 337) [ ṭākasāḷa or ṭāṅkasāḷa ] f (टंकशाला S) A mint. टाकसाळी or टांकसाळी (p. 337) [ ṭākasāḷī or ṭāṅkasāḷī ] a (टाकसाळ ) Pertaining or relating to the mint--money, a person. टाकसाळी or टांकसाळी (p. 337) [ ṭākasāḷī or ṭāṅkasāḷī ] f A cess upon a mintestablishment,(Marathi) Ta. taṅkam pure gold, that which is precious, of great worth. Ma. taṅkam pure gold. /? < Skt. ṭaṅka- a stamped (gold) coin. (DEDR 3013) *ṭaṅkati2 ʻ chisels ʼ. [ṭaṅka -- 2 ] Pa. ṭaṅkita -- mañca -- ʻ a stone (i.e. chiselled) platform ʼ; G. ṭã̄kvũ ʻ to chisel ʼ, M. ṭã̄kṇẽ. ṭaṅkaśālā -- , ṭaṅkakaś° f. ʻ mint ʼ lex. [ṭaṅka -- 1 , śāˊlā -- ] N. ṭaksāl, °ār, B. ṭāksāl, ṭã̄k°, ṭek°, Bhoj. ṭaksār, H. ṭaksāl, °ār f., G. ṭãksāḷ f., M. ṭã̄ksāl, ṭāk°, ṭãk°, ṭak°. -- Deriv. G. ṭaksāḷī m. ʻ mint -- master ʼ, M. ṭāksāḷyā m.Addenda: ṭaṅkaśālā -- : Brj. ṭaksāḷī, °sārī m. ʻ mint -- master ʼ.(CDIAL 5433, 5434) ṭaṅka2 m.n. ʻ spade, hoe, chisel ʼ R. 2. ṭaṅga -- 2 m.n. ʻ sword, spade ʼ lex. Pa. ṭaṅka -- m. ʻ stone mason's chisel ʼ; Pk. ṭaṁka -- m. ʻ stone -- chisel, sword ʼ; Woṭ. ṭhõ ʻ axe ʼ; Bshk. ṭhoṅ ʻ battleaxe ʼ, ṭheṅ ʻ small axe ʼ (< *ṭaṅkī); Tor. (Biddulph) "tunger" m. ʻ axe ʼ (ṭ? AO viii 310), Phal. ṭhō˘ṅgi f.; K.ṭŏnguru m. ʻ a kind of hoe ʼ; N. (Tarai) ṭã̄gi ʻ adze ʼ; H. ṭã̄kī f. ʻ chisel ʼ; G. ṭã̄k f. ʻ pen nib ʼ; M. ṭã̄k m. ʻ pen nib ʼ, ṭã̄kī f. ʻ chisel ʼ.2. A. ṭāṅgi ʻ stone chisel ʼ; B. ṭāṅg, °gi ʻ spade, axe ʼ; Or. ṭāṅgi ʻ battle -- axe ʼ; Bi. ṭã̄gā, °gī ʻ adze ʼ; Bhoj. ṭāṅī ʻ axe ʼ; H. ṭã̄gī f. ʻ hatchet ʼ.(CDIAL 5427)
Alternatives:
Hieroglyph: d.hagara_m = n.pl. the buttocks; the hips (G.) d.hagara_m 'thigh' (G.) Rebus: d.han:gar 'blacksmith' (H.)
Hieroglyph: thigh, buttocks: koṭho [Skt. koṣṭha inner part] the stomach, the belly (Gujarat) kūti = pudendum muliebre (Ta.); posteriors, membrum muliebre (Ma.); ku.0y anus, region of buttocks in general (To.); kūdi = anus, posteriors, membrum muliebre (Tu.)(DEDR 188). kūṭu = hip (Tu.); kuṭa = thigh (Pe.); kuṭe id. (Mand.); kūṭi hip (Kui)(DEDR 1885). gūde prolapsus of the anus (Ka.Tu.); gūda, gudda id. (Te.)(DEDR 1891).
Allograph: kuṭi, kuṭhi, kuṭa, kuṭha a tree (Kaus'.); kuḍa tree (Pkt.); kuṛā tree; kaṛek tree, oak (Pas;.)(CDIAL 3228).kuṭha, kuṭa (Ka.), kudal (Go.) kudar. (Go.) kuṭhāra, kuṭha, kuṭaka = a tree (Sanskrit) kut., kurun: = stump of a tree (Bond.a); khuṭ = id. (Or.) kuṭamu = a tree (Telugu)
Rebus: kuṭhi ‘a furnace for smelting iron ore to smelt iron’; kolheko kuṭhieda koles smelt iron (Santali) kuṭhi, kuṭi (Or.; Sad. koṭhi) (1) the smelting furnace of the blacksmith; kuṭire bica duljad.ko talkena, they were feeding the furnace with ore; (2) the name of ēkuṭi has been given to the fire which, in lac factories, warms the water bath for softening the lac so that it can be spread into sheets; to make a smelting furnace; kuṭhi-o of a smelting furnace, to be made; the smelting furnace of the blacksmith is made of mud, cone-shaped, 2’ 6” dia. At the base and 1’ 6” at the top. The hole in the centre, into which the mixture of charcoal and iron ore is poured, is about 6” to 7” in dia. At the base it has two holes, a smaller one into which the nozzle of the bellow is inserted, as seen in fig. 1, and a larger one on the opposite side through which the molten iron flows out into a cavity (Mundari) kuṭhi = a factory; lil kuṭhi = an indigo factory (koṭhi - Hindi) (Santali.Bodding)
kuṭhi = an earthen furnace for smelting iron; make do., smelt iron; kolheko do kuṭhi benaokate baliko dhukana, the Kolhes build an earthen furnace and smelt iron-ore, blowing the bellows; tehen:ko kuṭhi yet kana, they are working (or building) the furnace to-day (H. koṭhī ) (Santali. Bodding) kuṭṭhita = hot, sweltering; molten (of tamba, cp. uttatta)(Pali.lex.) uttatta (ut + tapta) = heated, of metals: molten, refined; shining, splendid, pure (Pali.lex.) kuṭṭakam, kuṭṭukam = cauldron (Ma.); kuṭṭuva = big copper pot for heating water (Kod.)(DEDR 1668). gudgā to blaze; gud.va flame (Man.d); gudva, gūdūvwa, guduwa id. (Kuwi)(DEDR 1715). dāntar-kuṭha = fireplace (Sv.); kōti wooden vessel for mixing yeast (Sh.); kōlhāhouse with mud roof and walls, granary (P.); kuṭhī factory (A.); koṭhā brick-built house (B.); kuṭhī bank, granary (B.); koṭho jar in which indigo is stored, warehouse (G.); koṭhī lare earthen jar, factory (G.); kuṭhīgranary, factory (M.)(CDIAL 3546). koṭho = a warehouse; a revenue office, in which dues are paid and collected; koṭhī a store-room; a factory (Gujarat) koḍ = the place where artisans work (Gujarati)
"In my opinion, also karmAra- m. `blacksmith' is a loanword and is not derived from the root kR- `to make', as is usually assumed." (Lubotsky, Alexander, 1999, Indo-Iranian substratum, note 3, p.4; Originally appeared in: Early Contacts between Uralic and Indo-European: Linguistic and Archaeological Considerations. Papers presented at an international symposium held at the Tvärminne Research Station of the University of Helsinki 8-10 January 1999. (Mémoires de la Société Finno-ougrienne 242.) Chr. Carpelan, A. Parpola, P. Koskikallio (eds.). Helsinki 2001, 301-317.) http://www.ieed.nl/lubotsky/pdf/Indo-Iranian%20substratum.pdf On the same anology, it cannot be assumed that Skt. kāra is derived from the root kR.
Seal m 71 Mohenjo-daro. Hind leg hieroglyph.
Full text of Asko Parpola's Kalaignar M. Karunanidhi Classical Tamil Research Endowment Lecture, World Classical Tamil Conference 25 June 2010 Coimbatore (embedded) at https://www.scribd.com/doc/200035437/A-Dravidian-Solution-to-the-Indus-Script-Problem-by-Asko-Parpola
kharun - khalun transform attested in Kashmiri. So, too khura - khulan 'wild ass' (Skt. -- Mongolian)
khaḍ 1 खड् m. an ass, i.q. khar 1. This is the form that the word takes towards Islāmābād (El.). khar 1 खर् खरः m. (f. khürü ; or khariñ खरिञ्), a donkey, an ass (L.V. 88; K.Pr. 26, 73, 14-5, 166, 174, 19, 215, 235, 262; H. iii, 8, 9; v, 7; K. 224); often used ˚ -- , to indicate the commonest, largest, or coarsest of the kind, like 'horse' in our 'horse-radish', 'a horse-laugh', etc.; cf. khar-bādām, bel., and kharkhasun, s.v. Towards Islāmābād the word is pronounced khaḍ (El.). -āhang -आहंग् f. an ass's bray (K.Pr. 235). (Kashmiri)
Equus hemionis is called kulan (Turkmenia, Central Asia) (Moore 1993: 167-168)
Equus h. hemionus - the Mongolian Kulan (in northern Mongolia) (E. h. luteus - the Gobi Kulan in southern Mongolia and northern China, is probably a synonym of E. h. hemionus (Oakenfull et al. 2000, Grubb 2005))
E. h. khur – the Khur (India)
E. h. kulan the Turkmen Kulan (in Turkmenistan, re-introduced in Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan and Ukraine)
E. h. onager - the Onager (Iran, introduced in Saudi Arabia)
E. h. hemippus – the Syrian Wild Ass (Extinct, formerly from Syria south into the Arabian Peninsula)
The reintroduced population in Israel is of hybrid origin (E. h. onager and E. h. kulan)...
khār 1 खार् । लोहकारः m. (sg. abl. khāra 1 खार; the pl. dat. of this word is khāran 1 खारन्, which is to be distinguished from khāran 2, q.v., s.v.), a blacksmith, an iron worker (cf. bandūka-khār, p. 111b, l. 46; K.Pr. 46; H. xi, 17); a farrier (El.). This word is often a part of a name, and in such case comes at the end (W. 118) as in Wahab khār, Wahab the smith (H. ii, 12; vi, 17)
khāra-basta खार-बस््त । चर्मप्रसेविका f. the skin bellows of a blacksmith. -büṭhü -ब&above;ठू&below; । लोहकारभित्तिः f. the wall of a blacksmith's furnace or hearth. -bāy -बाय् । लोहकारपत्नी f. a blacksmith's wife (Gr.Gr. 34). -dŏkuru -द्वकुरु&below; । लोहकारायोघनः m. a blacksmith's hammer, a sledge-hammer. -gȧji -ग&above;जि&below; or -güjü -ग&above;जू&below; । लोहकारचुल्लिः f. a blacksmith's furnace or hearth. -hāl -हाल् । लोहकारकन्दुः f. (sg. dat. -höjü -हा&above;जू&below;), a blacksmith's smelting furnace; cf. hāl 5. -kūrü -कूरू&below; । लोहकारकन्या f. a blacksmith's daughter. -koṭu -क&above;टु&below; । लोहकारपुत्रः m. the son of a blacksmith, esp. a skilful son, who can work at the same profession. -küṭü -क&above;टू&below; । लोहकारकन्या f. a blacksmith's daughter, esp. one who has the virtues and qualities properly belonging to her father's profession or caste. -më˘ʦü 1 -म्य&above;च&dotbelow;ू&below; । लोहकारमृत्तिका f. (for 2, see [khāra 3] ), 'blacksmith's earth,' i.e. iron-ore. -nĕcyuwu -न्यचिवु&below; । लोहकारात्मजः m. a blacksmith's son. -nay -नय् । लोहकारनालिका f. (for khāranay 2, see [khārun] ), the trough into which the blacksmith allows melted iron to flow after smelting. -ʦañĕ -च्&dotbelow;ञ । लोहकारशान्ताङ्गाराः f.pl. charcoal used by blacksmiths in their furnaces. -wān वान् ।
kō̃da khārüñü, to raise a kiln; met. to raise or make a really good kiln in which only perfect bricks are baked (Śiv. 133; cf. kō̃da khasüñü, p. 384b, l. 28). Such compounds will be found under the various substantives which form the first member. In vill. use this verb often takes the form khālun (e.g. H. vii, 19). El. gives a variant khāsun. (Kashmiri)
khālun खालुन् conj. 1, another form of khārun, q.v. (1 p.p. khôlu खोलु;, f. khöjü खा जू;, H. vii, 19; 2 p.p. khājyōvखाज्योव्), to cause to mount, to cause to ascend; to take upstairs (H. x, 7); to fix (upon a machine) (H. vii, 19); zima khālun, to cause responsibility to mount (upon so-and-so), to prove (so-and-so) responsible (H. x, 12); and so on in all the meanings of khārun. (Kashmiri)
http://beta.thehindu.com/opinion/op-ed/article481104.ece Parpola is leading up the rann path, with contorted etymological constructions, blinded by faith in Old Tamil as the language of the civilization which produced Indus writing. The gloss for equus hemionus is likely to be khar attested in Punjabi, Gujarati, Marathi, Kashmiri. Cognates are attested in almost all languages of India.
K. khar m., khürü. Pr. korūˊ, S. kharu m., P. G. M. khar m., Bshk. Kt. kur ʻ donkey ʼ (for loss of aspiration Morgenstierne ID 334) (CDIAL 3818)
Considering the use of kulan, khulan in Turkmenia and Mongolia, respectively, the early name for the wild ass or onager is likely to be khura or khuro. The well-known rule in r- l- transform is called ralayorabhedah. khulan (Mongolia) is cognate with khuro (Kutchi. Gujarati). It is only a conjecture to assume that khar - khur is the result of anglicization.
..Wild ass either of two species belonging to the horse family, Equidae, especially the African wild ass (Equus africanus) sometimes referred to as the true ass. The related Asiatic wild ass, sometimes called the Asian wild ass or the half-ass (E. hemionus), is usually known by the local names of its various races: e.g., kulan (E. h. kulan,Mongolia) and khur (E. h. khur, India and Pakistan). The Syrian wild ass (E. h. hemippus) is extinct. The donkey (E. asinus) is a domesticated descendant of E. africanus. http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/39081/ass
Races include the Mongolian khulan (E. h. hemionus), the Gobi khulan (E. h. luteus), and the Indian wild ass (E. h. khur). http://data.iucn.org/themes/ssc/sgs/equid/ASWAss.html
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/e/ed/Kulaani_Korkeasaari.jpg Photo of Turkmenian kulan 'onager, wild ass, equus hemionus'. See map showing distribution of sub-species: http://data.iucn.org/themes/ssc/sgs/equid/AsMap.html
http://www.trekearth.com/gallery/Asia/India/West/Gujarat/little_rann_of_kutch/photo1166040.htm khur 'wild ass' (Kutch)
العربية: حمار بري هندي، خور، غورخار · Deutsch: Khur
Thanks to Parpola for providing textual references to the following glosses in his presentation in Oct. 2009:
xar-e dashti (Persian); Xara (Avestan); go_r-Xar, Xaeraeg (Middle and New Persian)
gur 'onager' (Persian)
khar (Baluchi)
khara 'ass' (Paippalada Samhita 20.39.2)
gorkhur (Kutch; cf. Todd, 1832)
gor-khara (Ardhamagadhi; Pannaanaasutta; cf. Mahavyutpatti no. 4797)
krishna-khara, gaura-khara; shveta-khara (Vasishtha Dharmasutra 21.1.3)
gaurakhara (Matsya P. 118.58)
rgyan (Tibetan); hence, equus kiang
In historic times the Asiatic Wild Ass ranged through much of Mongolia, north to Transbaikalia (Russia), east to northeastern Inner Mongolia (China) and possibly western Manchuria (China), and west to Dzhungarian Gate (Grubb 2005). It formerly occurred in Kazakhstan, north to the upper Irtysh and Ural Rivers in Russia, and westward north of the Caucasus and Black Sea to at least the Dniestr River (Ukraine), Anatolia (Turkey), Syria, and southeast of the Caspian Sea in Iran, northern Iraq, Afghanistan, and Pakistan, east to Thar Desert of northwestern India (Grubb 2005). It also extended through the Arabian Peninsula as far south as central Saudi Arabia. It survived in Armenia and Azerbaijan until 17th-18th Centuries (Wolfe 1979). The Syrian Wild Ass became extinct in 1927...There are five generally recognized subspecies (Grubb 2005):
E. h. khur – the Khur (India)
E. h. kulan the Turkmen Kulan (in Turkmenistan, re-introduced in Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan and Ukraine)
E. h. onager - the Onager (Iran, introduced in Saudi Arabia)
E. h. hemippus – the Syrian Wild Ass (Extinct, formerly from Syria south into the Arabian Peninsula)
The reintroduced population in Israel is of hybrid origin (E. h. onager and E. h. kulan)...
The Khur Equus hemionus khur was formerly widespread in the arid zone of northwestern India and Pakistan, westwards through much of central Asia. However, it is now limited to the Little Rann of Kutch in Gujarat, India. The khur probably went extinct in Baluchistan and the extreme south of Pakistan, on the Indian border, during the 1960s (Corbet and Hill 1992). There are some recent records of Khur along India-Pakistan border. During the last two decades Khur has shown range expansion along with an increase in their population (Shah 2004).
Hieroglyph: bahulā f. pl. ʻ the Pleiades ʼ VarBr̥S., °likā -- f. pl. lex. [bahulá -- ]
Kal. bahul ʻ the Pleiades ʼ, Kho. ból, (Lor.) bou l, bolh , Sh. (Lor.) b*l le .(CDIAL 9195)
| Citation: | Moehlman, P.D., Shah, N. & Feh, C. 2008. Equus hemionus. In: IUCN 2010. IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Version 2010.1. <www.iucnredlist.org>. Downloaded on23 June 2010. |
I submit that to trace, as Asko Parpola does, roots to Dravida (Tamil) is an article of faith: kaḻutai in Tamil is likely to refer to a domestic ass and not to onager or wild ass. This can be substantiated by the following etyma identified as cognates in the Madras University Tamil Lexicon: கழுதை kaḻutai n. cf. gardabha. [T. gāḍida, K. kaḷte, M. kaḻuta, Tu. katte.] Domestic ass, donkey, Equus asinus; ஒரு விலங்கு. வெள்வாய்க் கழுதைப் புல்லினம் (புறநா. 392, 9). கர்த்தபம் karttapam , n. < gardabha. Ass, donkey; கழுதை. (பிங்.)(Tamil) The Proto-Prakritam root of gardabha √gard can be found in speech form khar 'donkey' (Kashmiri) gardabhá m. ʻ ass ʼ RV., °bhīˊ -- f. AV., °bhaka -- m. ʻ any- one resembling an ass ʼ Kāś. [√gard ] Pa. gaddabha -- , gadrabha -- m., °bhī -- f., Pk. gaddaha -- , °aya -- , gaḍḍaha -- m., gaddabhī -- f., Gy. as. ghádar JGLS new ser. ii 255 (< gadrabha -- ?), Wg. gadāˊ, Niṅg. gadə́, Woṭ. gadāˊ m., °daī f., Gaw. gadāˊ m., °deṛi f., Kho. gordóg (< gardabhaka -- ; → Kal. gardɔkh as the Kalashas have no donkeys, G. Morgenstierne FestskrBroch 150), Bshk. g*l dāˊ m., °dḗī f., Tor. godhṓ m., gedhḗi f., Mai.ghadā, Sv. gadaṛṓ, S. gaḍahu m., L. gaḍḍãh m., °ḍẽh f., (Ju.) gaḍ̠ -- hã̄ m., °hī f. ʻ ass, blockhead ʼ; P. gadhā m., °dhī f., WPah. pāḍ. cur. cam. Ku. gadhā, N. gadoho m., °dahi f., A. gādh m., °dhī f., B.gādhā m., °dhī f., Or. gadha m., °dhuṇī f. ʻ ass ʼ, gadhā ʻ blockhead ʼ; Bi. Mth. Bhoj. H. gadahā m., °hī f., OG. ghaddaü m., G. gaddhɔ m., °dhī f., M. gāḍhav m., °ḍhvī f. (lw. gadhḍā m.), Ko. gāḍhū, Si.gäḍum̆buvā (gadubuvā ← Pa.).Addenda: gardabhá -- : S.kcch. gaḍoṛī f. ʻ she -- ass ʼ; WPah.kṭg. (kc.) gáddhɔ m. ʻ donkey ʼ, Garh. gardhā, gadṛu, A. gādha AFD 210.(CDIAL 4054).
I do not know how these etyma √gard can be the root for the etyma with cognates of semantic: khar-khur 'onager'. A productive endeavor may be to trace the roots to attested glosses of Proto-Prakritam speech forms: khara 'ass' (Paippalada Samhita 20.39.2) khar (Baluchi)
The name of an ancient writing system, खरोष्टी [p= 337,3] °रोट्ठि Jain.f. a kind of written character or alphabet Lalit. x , 29 is derivable from khara 'ass' (Paippalada Samhita): khara. 'onager' + ṓṣṭha 'ass lip':
khara1 m. ʻ donkey ʼ KātyŚr., °rī -- f. Pāṇ.NiDoc. Pk. khara -- m., Gy. pal. ḳăr m., kắri f., arm. xari, eur. gr. kher, kfer, rum. xerú, Kt. kur, Pr. korūˊ, Dm. khar m., °ri f., Tir. kh*l r, Paš. lauṛ. khar m., khär f., Kal. urt. khār, Phal. khār m., khári f., K.khar m., khürü f., pog. kash. ḍoḍ. khar, S. kharu m., P. G. M. khar m., OM. khari f.; -- ext. Ash. kərəṭék, Shum. xareṭá; <-> L. kharkā m., °kī f. -- Kho. khairánu ʻ donkey's foal ʼ (+?). †*kharatara -- ʻ mule ʼ. [khara -- 1 : cf. Ir. *xaratara -- in Khot. khaḍara ʻ mule ʼ H. W. Bailey BSOAS x 590 and letter 14.9.79, Sogd. g atark Benveniste Textes sogdiens 179 (→ Turk. qatir → Oss.dig. qadir). See Type aśvatará -- in New Indo -- aryan R. L. Turner in ColPa 419ff.] (CDIAL 3818, 3820) *kharapāla ʻ donkey -- driver ʼ. [khara -- 1 , pālá -- ]Paš. kharwāl.(CDIAL 3822) The compounds kharwāl, *xaratara attest to khara 'donkey' as an ancient root etymon in the use of khara 'ass' in Paippalada Samhita 20.39.2.
ṓṣṭha m. ʻ lip ʼ RV. Pa. oṭṭha -- m., Pk. oṭṭha -- , uṭ°, hoṭṭha -- , huṭ° m., Gy. pal. ōšt, eur. vušt m.; Ash. ọ̈̄ṣṭ, Wg. ṳ̄ṣṭ, wūṣṭ, Kt. yūṣṭ (prob. ← Ind. NTS xiii 232); Paš. lauṛ. ūṭh f. ← Ind. (?), gul. ūṣṭ ʻ lip ʼ, dar. weg. uṣṭ ʻ bank of a river ʼ (IIFL iii 3, 22); Kal. rumb. ūṣṭ, uṣṭ ʻ lip ʼ; Sh. ō̃ṭṷ m. ʻ upper lip ʼ, ō̃ṭi̯ f. ʻ lower lip ʼ (→ Ḍ ōṭe pl.); K. wuṭh, dat. °ṭhas m. ʻ lip ʼ; L. hoṭh m., P. hoṭh, hõṭh m., WPah. bhal. oṭh m., jaun. hōṭh, Ku. ū̃ṭh, gng. ōṭh, N. oṭh, A. ō̃ṭh, MB. Or. oṭha, Mth. Bhoj. oṭh, Aw. lakh. ō̃ṭh, hō̃ṭh, H. oṭh, õṭh, hoṭh, hõṭh m., G. oṭh, hoṭh m., M. oṭh, õṭh, hoṭ m., Si. oṭa. ōṣṭhī -- .Addenda: ṓṣṭha -- : WPah.poet. oṭhḷu m. ʻ lip ʼ, hoṭṛu, kṭg. hóṭṭh, kc. ōṭh, Garh. hoṭh, hō̃ṭ.(CDIAL 2563).
Pleiades, women wearing scarf as headgear, wristlets, bangles
Kal. bahul ʻ the Pleiades ʼ, Kho. ból, (Lor.) bo
Rebus:thick, solid armour for the arms: bāhula n. ʻ armour for the arms ʼ lex. [bāhú -- ]Pk. bāhulaga -- m. ʻ arm ʼ; Gy. pal. baúlă ʻ bracelet ʼ; L. bôhlī, mult. bāhvlī, (Ju.) ḇālhī f. ʻ action of the arms in swimming ʼ, ḇūhlī f. ʻ sleeve ʼ; P. bāhulī f. ʻ sleeve ʼ, ludh. bauhlī f.; Ku. baũlī ʻ hand, arm ʼ,baũlo ʻ sleeve ʼ, gng. bɔ̄˜*l_ ; N. bāulo ʻ sleeve ʼ, °li ʻ small do. ʼ; Or. bāhuḷa ʻ armour for the arms ʼ; M. bāhuḷā, bāvḷā m. ʻ region of the shoulderjoint ʼ.(CDIAL 9233) *bāhutrā ʻ arm -- armour ʼ. [bāhutra -- m.n. Apte: cf. bāhutrāṇa -- n. lex. -- bāhú -- , trāˊ -- ]A. bāhati ʻ armour for the arms ʼ.(CDIAL 9231) Rebus: bahulá ʻ large, thick ʼ RV. [~ bahura -- . -- bahú -- ]Pa. Pk. bahula -- ʻ much, abundant ʼ; Gy. germ. buxlo ʻ wide ʼ, pal. bōl, bṓli ʻ much, great ʼ; A. bahul ʻ much, abundant ʼ; Or. bahuḷa ʻ much, thick ʼ; Si. bahula, bola ʻ thick, solid ʼ.bahulā -- ; bahulīkr̥ta Addenda: bahulá -- : Md. bō ʻ thick ʼ, bolē ʻ is thick ʼ.(CDIAL 9194) bahulīkr̥ta ʻ *thickened ʼ (ʻ augmented ʼ MBh.). [bah- ulá -- , kr̥tá -- ] L. bôhlī f. ʻ milk of a cow newly calved ʼ.(CDIAL 9196)
dhaṭu 'scarf' Rebus: dhatu 'mineral ore' PLUS karã̄ n. arms, pl. ʻ wristlets, bangles ʼ Rebus: khār खार् 'blacksmith'
Hieroglyph: WPah.kṭg. dhàṭṭu m. ʻ woman's headgear, kerchief ʼ, kc. dhaṭu m. (also dhaṭhu m. ʻ scarf ʼ, J. dhāṭ(h)u m. Him.I 105).
Rebus: mineral: dhāˊtu n. ʻ substance ʼ RV., m. ʻ element ʼ MBh., ʻ metal, mineral, ore (esp. of a red colour) ʼ Mn., ʻ ashes of the dead ʼ lex., ʻ *strand of rope ʼ (cf. tridhāˊtu -- ʻ threefold ʼ RV., ayugdhātu -- ʻ having an uneven number of strands ʼ KātyŚr.). [√dhā ]Pa. dhātu -- m. ʻ element, ashes of the dead, relic ʼ; KharI. dhatu ʻ relic ʼ; Pk. dhāu -- m. ʻ metal, red chalk ʼ; N. dhāu ʻ ore (esp. of copper) ʼ; Or. ḍhāu ʻ red chalk, red ochre ʼ (whence ḍhāuā ʻ reddish ʼ; M.dhāū, dhāv m.f. ʻ a partic. soft red stone ʼ (whence dhā̆vaḍ m. ʻ a caste of iron -- smelters ʼ, dhāvḍī ʻ composed of or relating to iron ʼ); -- Si. dā ʻ relic ʼ; -- S. dhāī f. ʻ wisp of fibres added from time to time to a rope that is being twisted ʼ, L. dhāī˜ f. (CDIAL 6773).
Hieroglyph: G. karã̄ n. pl. ʻ wristlets, bangles ʼ.kará1 ʻ doing, causing ʼ AV., m. ʻ hand ʼ RV. [√kr̥ 1 ]Pa. Pk. kara -- m. ʻ hand ʼ; S. karu m. ʻ arm ʼ; Mth. kar m. ʻ hand ʼ (prob. ← Sk.); Si. kara ʻ hand, shoulder ʼ, inscr. karā ʻ to ʼ < karāya. -- Deriv. S. karāī f. ʻ wrist ʼ(CDIAL 2779) Rebus: khAr 'blacksmith'.
 |
[Pleiades, scarfed, framework, scarfed person, worshipper, markhor, ficus religiosa] Brief memoranda:
The bottom register has hieroglyphs of: worshipper, ram, ficus, buffal-horned person: bhaTa 'worshipper' Rebus: bhaTa 'furnace' meDha 'ram' Rebus: meD 'iron', loa 'ficus' Rebus: loh 'copper, metal' taTThAr 'buffalo horn'
Rebus: ṭhaṭherā 'brass worker' (Punjabi) Thus, the message of this portion of the epigraph is: brass worker furnaces of loh 'copper' and meD 'iron'
The top register has scarfed, pleiades: Hieroglyph: dhatu 'scarf' Rebus: dhatu 'mineral ore' bahulA 'Pleiades' Rebus 1:bagalo 'Arab merchant vessel, boat' Rebus 2: bāhula 'armour for the arms'
Hieroglyph: worshipper: bhaṭā G. bhuvɔ m. ʻ worshipper in a temple ʼ rather < bhr̥ta --(CDIAL 9554) Yājñ.com., Rebus: bhaṭā ‘kiln, furnace’
Hieroglyph: ram, markhor: Dm. mraṅ m. ‘markhor’ Wkh. merg f. ‘ibex’ (CDIAL 9885) Tor. miṇḍ ‘ram’, miṇḍā́l ‘markhor’ (CDIAL 10310) Rebus: meḍ(Ho.); mẽṛhet ‘iron’ (Munda.Ho.)
Hieroglyph: standing person with buffalo horn: taTThAr 'buffalo horn' Rebus: taTTAr 'brass worker' Ta. taṭṭāṉ gold or silver smith; fem. taṭṭātti. Ma. taṭṭu a blow, knock; taṭṭuka to tap, dash, hit, strike against, knock; taṭṭān goldsmith; fem. taṭṭātti; taṭṭāranwasherma(DEDR 3039) *ṭhaṭṭhakāra- brassworker;(CDIAL 5490) *ṭhaṭṭh ʻ strike ʼ. [Onom.?]
N. ṭhaṭāunu ʻ to strike, beat ʼ, ṭhaṭāi ʻ striking ʼ, ṭhaṭāk -- ṭhuṭuk ʻ noise of beating ʼ; H. ṭhaṭhānā ʻ to beat ʼ, ṭhaṭhāī f. ʻ noise of beating ʼ. ṭhaṭṭhakāra ʻ brass worker ʼ. 2. *ṭhaṭṭhakara -- . [*2. P. ludh. ṭhaṭherā m., Ku. ṭhaṭhero m., N. ṭhaṭero, Bi. ṭhaṭherā, Mth. ṭhaṭheri, H. ṭhaṭherā m.(CDIAL 5490, 5493).
Hieroglyph: loa ‘ficus’ Rebus: lo ‘copper’ Hieroglyph: loa 'ficus religiosa' Rebus: lo, loh 'copper, metal' (Samskritam)Rebus: lo 'copper' lōhá ʻ red, copper -- coloured ʼ ŚrS., ʻ made of copper ʼ ŚBr., m.n. ʻ copper ʼ VS., ʻ iron ʼ MBh. [*rudh -- ] Pa. lōha -- m. ʻ metal, esp. copper or bronze ʼ; Pk. lōha -- m. ʻ iron ʼ, Gy. pal. li°, lihi, obl. elhás, as. loa JGLS new ser. ii 258; Wg. (Lumsden) "loa"ʻ steel ʼ; Kho. loh ʻ copper ʼ; S. lohu m. ʻ iron ʼ, L. lohā m., awāṇ. lōˋā, P. lohā m. (→ K.rām. ḍoḍ. lohā), WPah.bhad. lɔ̃un., bhal. lòtilde; n., pāḍ. jaun. lōh, paṅ. luhā, cur. cam. lohā, Ku. luwā, N. lohu, °hā, A. lo, B. lo, no, Or. lohā, luhā, Mth. loh, Bhoj. lohā, Aw.lakh. lōh, H. loh, lohā m., G. M. loh n.; Si. loho, lō ʻ metal, ore, iron ʼ; Md. ratu -- lō ʻ copper ʼ. WPah.kṭg. (kc.) lóɔ ʻ iron ʼ, J. lohā m., Garh. loho; Md. lō ʻ metal ʼ.(CDIAL 11158)
Hieroglyph: Te. pilaka a tuft or knot of hair. Konḍa pilka, pilika pigtail, dangling ends of hair. Kuwi (F.) pilka lovelock (worn curled under the ear by males).(DEDR 4179) Rebus: pĩṛulo ʻ calf of leg, thigh ʼ; A. pirā ʻ severed leg of an animal with flesh still attached ʼ, pīri ʻ lump of earth taken with a plant for transplanting ʼ;pī˜ṛī ʻ platform of lingam ʼ; Mth. pĩṛ, pĩṛā ʻ lump ʼ(CDIAL 8168)
Brief memoranda:
baṭa = rimless pot (Kannada) Rebus: baṭa = a kind of iron (Gujarati)
muka ‘ladle’ (Tamil)(DEDR 4887) Rebus: mū̃h ‘ingot’ (Santali) PLUS dula 'pair' Rebus: dul 'cast metal'. (See two ladles). Thus, the offering on the stool denotes: a metal ingot.
bagala ‘pleiades’ Rebus: bagalo = an Arabian merchant vessel (G.) bagala = an Arab boat of a particular description (Ka.); bagalā (M.); bagarige, bagarage = a kind of vessel (Ka.)
m0448 (Framework, tiger, scarfed-horned person with bracelets on arms, worshipper, twig, horn, markhor, stool, ladle) The offering on the offering platform is:
muka ‘ladle’ (Tamil)(DEDR 4887) Rebus: mū̃h ‘ingot’ (Santali) PLUS dula 'pair' Rebus: dul 'cast metal'. (See two ladles). Thus, the offering on the stool denotes: a metal ingot. (See embedded image enhancement and interpretation of Huntington).
h097 Text 4251 h097 Pict-95: Seven robed figures (with stylized twigs on their head and pig-tails) standing in a row.
Mohenjo-daro tablet. Excavation No. HR 4161, National Museum of India, New Delhi.
Seal m 1186 Mohenjo-daro
See decipherment at: http://bharatkalyan97.blogspot.in/2012/04/what-is-offering-on-seal-m1186-it-is.html
Decipherment: ḍabu ‘an iron spoon’ (Santali) Rebus: ḍab, ḍhimba, ḍhompo ‘lump (ingot?)’, clot, make a lump or clot, coagulate, fuse, melt together (Santali) ḍabe, ḍabea wide horns (Santali) Rebus: ḍhābā workplace (P.)
The stool on which the bowl is placed is also a hieroglyph read rebus:
Kur. kaṇḍō a stool. Malt. Kanḍo stool, seat. (DEDR 1179) Rebus: kaṇḍ 'stone (ore)' as in: ayaskāṇḍ 'excellent iron' (Panini)
dhaṭu m. (also dhaṭhu) m. ‘scarf’ (WPah.) (CDIAL 6707) Allograph: ḍato = claws of crab (Santali) Rebus: dhātu = mineral (Skt.), dhatu id. (Santali)
See the human face ligatured to a ram's body (an indication of the hieroglyphic nature of the orthographic composition):
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.lex.)
miṇḍāl 'markhor' (Tor.wali) meḍho 'a ram, a sheep' (G.)(CDIAL 10120)mēṇḍhaʻramʼ(CDIAL 9606).मेंढा [mēṇḍhā] m (मेष S through H) A male sheep, a ram or tup. मेंढका or क्या [ mēṇḍhakā or kyā ] a (मेंढा) A shepherd (Marathi) Rebus: meḍ 'iron' (Ho.) mēṇḍh 'gold' as in: मेंढसर [ mēṇḍhasara ] m A bracelet of gold thread. (Marathi)
मेढ [mēḍha] f A forked stake. Used as a post. Hence a short post generally whether forked or not. Pr. हातीं लागली चेड आणि धर मांडवाची मेढ.
m1186 (DK6847) [Pleiades, scarfed, framework, ficus religiosa , scarfed person, worshipper, twigs (on head), horn, markhor, human face ligatured to markhor, stool, ladle, frame of a building]
Brief memoranda:
bhaṭā G. bhuvɔ m. ʻ worshipper in a temple ʼ rather < bhr̥ta --(CDIAL 9554) Yājñ.com., Rebus: bhaṭā ‘kiln, furnace’
bhaṭā G. bhuvɔ m. ʻ worshipper in a temple ʼ rather < bhr̥ta --(CDIAL 9554) Yājñ.com., Rebus: bhaṭā ‘kiln, furnace’
mū̃h ‘human face’ Rebus: mū̃h ‘ingot’ (See human face ligatured to a markhor: Seal m1186) PLUS Dm. mraṅ m. ‘markhor’ Wkh. merg f. ‘ibex’ (CDIAL 9885) Tor. miṇḍ ‘ram’, miṇḍā́l ‘markhor’ (CDIAL 10310) Rebus: meḍ(Ho.); mẽṛhet ‘iron’ (Munda.Ho.)
lo, no ‘nine’ phonetic reinforcement of: loa ‘ficus’ Rebus: lo ‘copper’
dhaṭu m. (also dhaṭhu) m. ‘scarf’ (Western Pahari) (CDIAL 6707) Rebus: dhatu ‘minerals’ (Santali)
maṇḍa m. ʻ ornament ʼ Rebus: meḍ (Ho.); mẽṛhet ‘iron’ (Munda.Ho.)
A group of six or seven women wearing twigs may not represent Pleiades, bagaḷā). The groups of such glyphs occur on four inscribed objects of Indus writing. (See four pictorial compositions on: m1186A, h097, m0442At m0442Bt). Glyph (seven women): bahula_ = Pleiades (Skt.)bagaḷā = name of a certain godess (Te.) bagaḷā ,bagaḷe, vagalā (Ka.); baka , bagaḷlā , vagaḷā (Te.) bakkula = a demon, uttering horrible cries, a form assumed by the Yakkha Ajakalāpaka, to terrify the Buddha (Pali.lex.) bahulā f. pl. the Pleiades VarBr̥S., likā -- f. pl. lex. [bahulá -- ] Kal. bahul the Pleiades , Kho. ból, (Lor.) boul, bolh, Sh. (Lor.) b*lle (CDIAL 9195) bahulegal. = the Pleiades or Kṛittikā-s (Ka.lex.) bahula_ (VarBr.S.); bahul (Kal.) six presiding female deities: vahulā the six presiding female deities of the Pleiades (Skt.); vākulai id. (Ta.)(Ta.lex.) Pleiades: bahulikā pl. pleiades; bahula born under the pleiades; the pleiades (Skt.lex.) bahule, bahulegal. the pleiades or kr.ttikās (Ka.)(Ka.lex.) Image: female deities of the pleiades: vākulēyan- < va_kulēya Skanda (Ta.lex.) பாகுளி pākuḷi, n. perh. bāhulī. Full moon in the month of Puraṭṭāci; புரட்டாசி மாதத்துப் பெளர்ணமி. அதைப் பாகுளி யென்று (விநாயகபு. 37, 81). Glyph (twig on head on seven women): adaru ‘twig’; rebus: aduru ‘native metal’. Thus, the seven women ligatured with twigs on their heads can be read as: bahulā + adaru; rebus: bangala ‘goldsmith’s portable furnace’ + aduru ‘native metal’. bāhulēya Kārttikēya, son of S'iva; bāhula the month kārttika (Skt.Ka.)(Ka.lex.) வாகுலை vākulai, n. < Vahulā. The six presiding female deities of the Pleiades. Rebus: bagalo = an Arabian merchant vessel (G.lex.) bagala = an Arab boat of a particular description (Ka.); bagalā (M.); bagarige, bagarage = a kind of vessel (Ka.) bagalo = an Arabian merchant vessel (G.lex.) cf. m1429 seal. बहुल Born under the Pleiades; P.IV.3.33. An epithet of fire. -ला 1 A cow; कस्मात् समाने बहुलाप्रदाने सद्भिः प्रशस्तं कपिलाप्रदानम् Mb.13.77.9. The Pleiades (pl.) -लम् 1 The sky. बहुलिका (pl.) The Pleiades. बाहुल a. Manifold. -लः Fire; शीतरुजं समये च परस्मिन् बाहुलतो रसिका शमयन्ती Rām. Ch.4.99. -2 The month Kārtika. -लम् 1 Manifoldness. बाहुलेयः An epithet of Kārtikeya.बाहुल्यम् 1 Abundance, plenty, copiousness. -2 Manifoldness, multiplicity, variety. -3 The usual course or common order of things. (बाहुल्यात्, -ल्येन 1 usually, commonly. -2 in all probability.) बाह्लिः N. of a country (Balkh). -Comp. -ज, -जात a. bred in the Balkh country, of the Balkh breed.बाह्लकाः बाह्लिकाः बाह्लीकाः m. (pl.) N. of a people.-कम् 1 Saffron; ... प्रियाङ्गसंगव्यालुप्तस्तनतटबाह्लिक- श्रियो$पि दृश्यन्ते बहिरबलाः Rām. Ch.7.64. Amarakosha makes references to the Saffron of Bahlika and Kashmira countries (Amarkosha, p 159, Amarsimha.)
The Sumerians were also aware of the importance of Pleiades, showing it in several seals and images.
(E. Douglas van Buren. The Seven Dots in Mesopotamian Art and Their Meaning. AfO 13 (1939-41), 227 ff.)Alternative readings of Sumerian hieroglyphs:
koThAri 'crucible' Rebus: koThAri 'warehouse, treasurer'
arka 'sun' Rebus: arka, eraka 'copper, gold, moltencast'
7 numerals: four + three: gaNDa 'four' Rebus: khaNDa 'metal implements'; kolmo 'three' Rebus: kolimi 'smithy, forge' sangaDa 'portable furnace, standard' Rebus: sangar 'fortification'; sanghAta 'adamantine glue' (Varahamihira) सांगडणी [ sāṅgaḍaṇī ] f (Verbal of सांगडणें) Linking or joining together. Pali: Sanghāṭa [fr. saŋ+ghaṭeti, lit. "binding together"miṇḍāl 'markhor' (Tōrwālī) meḍho 'ram' Rebus: meD 'iron' kola 'jackal' Rebus: kol 'working in iron' kaNDa 'arrow' Rebus: khaNDa 'metal implements'.
Detail of the seal.(Framework, ficus religiosa, scarfed person, twig, horn)http://huntingtonarchive.osu.edu/resources/downloads/webPresentations/harappanSeals.pdf
Detail of the seal. (ladles, rimless pot, worshipper, kneeling) http://huntingtonarchive.osu.edu/resources/downloads/webPresentations/harappanSeals.pdf
Brief memoranda:
baṭa = rimless pot (Kannada) Rebus: baṭa = a kind of iron (Gujarati)
muka ‘ladle’ (Tamil)(DEDR 4887) Rebus: mū̃h ‘ingot’ (Santali) PLUS dula 'pair' Rebus: dul 'cast metal'. (See two ladles). Thus, the offering on the stool denotes: a metal ingot.
The ‘offering’ (and production of metal ingot) is on a fire-altar: kaṇḍo ‘stool, seat’ Rebus: kāṇḍa ‘metalware’kaṇḍa ‘fire-altar’
m0442 (Seated in penance, ornament) Brief memoranda:
kamaḍha ‘penance’ Rebus: kammaṭa ‘mint, coiner’; kaṇḍo ‘stool, seat’ Rebus: kāṇḍa ‘metalware’ kaṇḍa ‘fire-altar’.
maṇḍa m. ʻ ornament ʼ Rebus: meḍ (Ho.); mẽṛhet ‘iron’ (Munda.Ho.)
kaṇḍo ‘stool, seat’ Rebus: kāṇḍa ‘metalware’ kaṇḍa ‘fire-altar’
Engraved Shell. Barakat Gallery. (Framework, ficus religiosa, tiger, scarfed person, horns, worshipper, twig)
Characteristic orthography to signify an am with bangles, wristlets hieroglyph in hieroglyph-multiplexes of Indus Script Corpora
Hieroglyph: G. karã̄ n. pl. ʻ wristlets, bangles ʼ.kará1 ʻ doing, causing ʼ AV., m. ʻ hand ʼ RV. [√kr̥ 1 ]Pa. Pk. kara -- m. ʻ hand ʼ; S. karu m. ʻ arm ʼ; Mth. kar m. ʻ hand ʼ (prob. ← Sk.); Si. kara ʻ hand, shoulder ʼ, inscr. karā ʻ to ʼ < karāya. -- Deriv. S. karāī f. ʻ wrist ʼ(CDIAL 2779) Rebus: khAr 'blacksmith'.
Why is a 'dancing girl' glyph shown on a potsherd discovered at Bhirrana? Because, dance-step is a hieroglyph written as hypertext cipher.Hieroglyph: karã̄ n. pl. ʻ wristlets, bangles ʼ (Gujarati) Rebus: khAr 'blacksmith'
Mohenjo-daro seal. Ligaturing components: horns of zebu, human face, tail-hood of serpent, elephant tusk (hand), scarves on neck, bovine forelegs, feline hind legs. 
m1177, m1175, m300
Seal. Kalibangan K-50
Source: .(Dennys Frenez & Massimo Vidale, 2012, South Asian Studies, Vol. 28, No. 2, September 2012, p.115. http://bharatkalyan97.blogspot.in/2015/08/ancient-near-east-figurines-cylinder.html
It is remarkable that samples of orthography on seated persons in penance on Indus seals, the hands are decorated with wristlets and bangles. Obviously, the artisan is conveying the gloss: karã̄ 'wristlets, bangles' while signifying the hand: kara (Rigveda. Prakritam. Pali)
Hieroglyph: karabha 'trunk of elephant' (Pali) 2803 karin m. ʻ elephant ʼ. [See karabhá -- ]Pa. karin -- m., Pk. kari -- , °iṇa -- m., °iṇī -- , °iṇiyā -- f.; <-> Si. kiriyā ← Pa.(CDIAL 2803)
Hieroglyph: hand: kará1 ʻ doing, causing ʼ AV., m. ʻ hand ʼ RV. [√kr̥ 1 ]
Pa. Pk. kara -- m. ʻ hand ʼ; S. karu m. ʻ arm ʼ; Mth. kar m. ʻ hand ʼ (prob. ← Sk.); Si. kara ʻ hand, shoulder ʼ, inscr. karā ʻ to ʼ < karāya. -- Deriv. S. karāī f. ʻ wrist ʼ; G. karã̄ n. pl. ʻ wristlets, bangles ʼ.(CDIAL 2779)Rebus: karba, ajirda karba 'iron' (Tulu) (Note: cognate of ajirda is ayas 'metal', aduru 'native metal').
The 'ram' glyph shows the animal with curved, long horns and sometimes also gets ligatured with a human face on some Indus script inscriptions. The human face is also read rebus in mleccha (meluhha): mũhe ‘face’ (Santali); rebus:mũh ingot (Santali); opening or hole (in a stove for stoking (Bi.)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 of four ends; kolhe tehen mẽṛhẽt ko mūhā akata = the Kolhes have to-day produced pig iron (Santali.lex.) kaula mengro ‘blacksmith’ (Gypsy) mleccha-mukha (Skt.) = milakkhu ‘copper’ (Pali) The Sanskrit loss mleccha-mukha should literally mean: copper-ingot absorbing the Santali gloss, mu~h, as a suffix. See used in cmpds. (Telugu): మ్లేచ్ఛముఖము mlēchha-mukhamu. n. Copper, రాగి. మ్లేచ్ఛము mlēchhamu. n. Cinnabar. ఇంగిలీకము.
Thus, a 'ram' glyph ligatured with 'human face' glyph reads: mũh meḍh 'ram face'; rebus: (metal) ingot merchant. It is notable that meḍ, meḍho has two rebus meanings: 1. iron (metal); 2. merchant.
Two terracotta figurines. Nausharo. With sindhur (saffron?) at the parting of the hair. A cultural tradition which continues in Indian sprachbund.
Tradition of sindhur adornment. Sindhur worn in the parting of the hair. Nausharo: female figurine. Period IB, 280-2600 BCE. 11.6X30.9 cm. (The eyes are puctated and theornaments and hair are all appliqué. This figurine comes from Nausharo, Period IB, but is identical to many figurines from Mehergarh Period VII, datin between 2800 and 2600 BCE. Material: terracotta;11.6 cm. high, 30.9 cm. wide. Nausharo NS 91.01.32.01. Dept. of Arch., Karachi. Jarrige 1988: 87, fig.41 (After fig. 2.19, Kenoyer, 2000). Hair is painted black and parted in the middle of the forehead, with traces of red pigment in the parting. This form of ornamentation may be the origin of the later Hindu tradition where a married woman wears a streak of vermilion or powdered cinnabar (sindhur) in the part of her hair. Choker and pentant necklace are also painted with red pigment, possibly to represent carnelian beads."The fact that Puranic evidence locates the Bahlikas in Uttarapatha and further the close association of the Bahlikas with the Kambojas as well as with Tusharas, Sakas and Yavanas in the Atharvaveda Parisista and in some other ancient sources suggests that the Bahlikas were located as a close neighbor to the Tusharas, Sakas, Yavanas and the Kambojas etc. Since the Kambojas were located in Badakshan and Pamirs, the Tusharas on the north of Pamirs and the Sakas on the river Jaxartes and beyond, the Bahlikas or Bahlams, as neighbors to these people should be placed in Bactria...The Iron pillar of Delhi inscription by King Chandra (4 CE), also makes mention of Bahlikas as living on the west side of the Indus River (Sindhu). After crossing the seven mouths of the Indus, King Chandra is stated to have defeated the Bahlikas...These above several references attest that the Bahlikas were originally located beyond the seven mouths of river Indus in the country of Bactria and the land was watered by the river Oxus. But later, a section of these people had moved from Balkh to Punjab while still others appear to have moved to south-western India as neighbors to the Saurashtras and Abhiras of Sauviras...The ancient Bahlika appears to have spanned a large expanse of territory. The commentator of Harsha-Carita of Bana Bhatta also defines the Kambojas as Kambojah-Bahlika-Desajah i.e. the Kambojas originated in/belonged to Bahlika. Thus, it seems likely that in the remote antiquity, the ancestors of the Uttarakurus, Uttaramadras and the Parama Kambojas were one people or otherwise were closely allied and had lived in/around Bahlika (Bactria)...The Bahlikas have been equated to Mlechchas in the later Brahmanical literature. There is a distinct prophetic statement in the Mahabharata that the mlechcha kings of Sakas, Yavanas, Kambojas, Bahlikas etc. will rule unrighteously in Kali yuga. (3.188.34-36) Brahmanda (V), III, Upodghata-Pada, Ch 16.17." Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bahlikas
Could the entire narrative be a boat-journey, journey on a bagalo -- across cosmic sea -- अन्तरिक्षम् -- of Suryā and bagaḷā - The sun (feminine) and Pleiades?
harappa.com "Slide 88. Three objects (harappa.com) 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. On the left is a seated animal figurine with female head. The manner of sitting suggests that this may be a feline, and a hole in the base indicates that it would have been raised on a stick as a standard or puppet. The head is identical to those seen on female figurines with a fan shaped headdress and two cup shaped side pieces. The choker with pendant beads is also common on female figurines. Material: terra cotta Dimensions: 7.1 cm height, 4.8 cm length, 3.5 cm width Harappa, 2384 Harappa Museum, HM 2082 Vats 1940: 300, pl. LXXVII, 67 In the center is miniature mask of horned deity with human face and bared teeth of a tiger. A large mustache or divided upper lip frames the canines, and a flaring beard adds to the effect of rage. The eyes are defined as raised lumps that may have originally been painted. Short feline ears contrast with two short horns similar to a bull rather than the curving water buffalo horns. Two holes on either side allow the mask to be attached to a puppet or worn as an amulet. Material: terra cotta Dimensions: 5.24 height, 4.86 width Harappa Harappa Museum, H93-2093 Meadow and Kenoyer, 1994 On the right is feline figurine with male human face. The ears, eyes and mouth are filled with black pigment and traces of black are visible on the flaring beard that is now broken. The accentuated almond shaped eyes and wide mouth are characteristic of the bearded horned deity figurines found at Harappa and Mohenjo-daro (no. 122, 123). This figurine was found in a sump pit filled with discarded goblets, animal and female figurines and garbage. It dates to the final phase of the Harappan occupation, around 2000 B. C.
Harappa, Lot 5063-1 Harappa Museum, H94-2311 Material: terra cotta Dimensions: 5.5 cm height, 12.4 cm length, 4.3 cm width
Approximate dimensions (W x H(L) x D) of the larger figurine: 3.5 x 7.1 x 4.8 cm. (Photograph by Richard H. Meadow)
S. Kalyanaraman
Sarasvati Research Center
August 24, 2015