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Dong Son bronze drum surfaces display cire perdue hieroglyphs of extraordinary artistry, orthographic fidelity and brilliance. It is for archaeometallurgical researchers to unravel the precise methods used to achieve such excellent embossed hieroglyphs.
An intimation of embossed hieroglyphic work is seen on Harappa copper tablets.
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Copper tablet (H2000-4498/9889-01) with raised script found in Trench 43 Source: http://www.harappa.com/indus4/351.html http://bharatkalyan97.blogspot.in/2015/08/indus-script-corpora-cipher-hypertexts.html
![Image result for daimabad seal]()
Daimabad seal. Hieroglyph: karava 'narrownecked jar' ![Image result for rim of jar]()
Rim of narrownecked jar shown in a two-part message of a prism tablet m1429, Mohenjodaro describing the supercargo, karNI http://bharatkalyan97.blogspot.in/2015/08/indus-script-corpora-cipher-hypertexts.html
![Image result for rim of jar meluhha]()
This hieroglyph may signify karuv 'embossed' on karuvi 'metal implements, weapons.' Ta. karuvi instrument, tool. Ma. kari, karivi, karuvi, karu tool, plough, weapon.(DEDR 1290) கருவி karuvi , n. prob. கரு³. [M. karuvi.] 1. Instrument, tool, implement; ஆயுதம். கருவி கொண்டு . . . பொருள்கையுறின் (சிலப். 16, 186). 2. Means, materials, as for a sacrifice; சாதனம். அறிவற்றங் காக்குங் கருவி (குறள், 421). 3. Armour, coat of mail; கவசம். (திவா.) 4. Shield; கேடகம். கருவித்தேன் (சீவக. 1606). 5. Saddle; குதிரைக் கலணை. (திவா.) 6. Horse-whip; குதிரைச்சம் மட்டி. (சூடா.) 7. Assembly, collection, flock, group; தொகுதி. (தொல். சொல். 354, உரை.)(Tamil)
Rebus: karavi 'mould' karuv-iḍu to put bosses or raised figures, mould, model
Ta. karu mould, matrix; karukku engraving, carving, embossed work. Ma. karu figure, mould; karukku-paṇi embossed work; karaṭu the original of a copy. Ka. karu embossed work, bas-relief;karuv-iḍu to put bosses or raised figures, mould, model. Tu. karu, garu, karavi a mould. Te. karugu, karuvu id. Kuwi (S.) garra form, mint; ḍālu- gara womb (for ḍālu, see 1123).(DEDR 1280) खडू (p. 193) [ khaḍū ] f A kind of pipeclay. 2 A composition (of pulverized millstone &c. with water) to rub over writing-boards. 3 f The protuberant portion of a piece of wood or stone, as left after the shaving or chipping away of the parts adjoining (as of a yoke, of the pannels of a door, the embossments, relief, or rising-work of a statue). G. korvũ ʻ to scoop, carve, bore a hole ʼ; M. korṇẽ ʻ to scoop, engrave, cut gradually off ʼ; N. kornu ʻ to scratch, tear, comb ʼ; A. koriba ʻ to hoe ʼ, korokiba ʻ to scoop out ʼ. <-> With expressive redup. H. kakornā ʻ to scrape ʼ.S.kcch. korṇū ʻ to bore (a hole) ʼ; WPah.kṭg. kornõ ʻ to bore, drill ʼ, kurnõ ʻ to be bored ʼ.(CDIAL 3530)
Remarkable narratives comparable to the hieroglyph narratives on Dong Son bronze drums are seen on some Indus Script epigraphs. Some examples:
Crocodile, tiger looking back, spy on tree
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http://bharatkalyan97.blogspot.in/2015/06/meluhha-hieroglyphs-makara-torana-rope.html h1973B h1974B Harappa Two tablets. One side shows a person seated on a tree branch, a tiger looking up, a crocodile on the top register and other animals in procession in the bottom register. Obverse side (comparable to h1970, h1971 and h1972) shows an elephant, a person strangling two tigers (jackals or foxes) and a six-spoked wheel.
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One side (m1431B) of a four-sided tablet shows a procession of a tiger, an elephant and a rhinoceros (with fishes (or perhaps, crocodile) on top?).
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Phoneme karba has two hieroglyph components which are semantic determinatives: kari 'elephant' ibha'elephant'
Allograph: pot with narrow neck: Koḍ. karava clay pot with narrow neck. Go. (Ma.) karvi narrow-mouthed earthen vessel for oil or liquor (DEDR 1273A)
Hieroglyph: हेर [ hēra ] m (हेरक S through
1. Pk. hēraï ʻ looks for or at ʼ (vihīraï ʻ watches for ʼ); K.ḍoḍ. hērūō ʻ was seen ʼ; WPah.bhad. bhal. he_ rnū ʻ to look at ʼ (bhal. hirāṇū ʻ to show ʼ), pāḍ. hēraṇ, paṅ. hēṇā, cur. hērnā, Ku. herṇo, N. hernu, A. heriba, B. herā, Or. heribā (caus. herāibā), Mth. herab, OAw. heraï, H. hernā; G. hervũ ʻ to spy ʼ, M. herṇẽ. 2. Pk. hēria -- m. ʻ spy ʼ; Kal. (Leitner) "hériu"ʻ spy ʼ; G. herɔ m. ʻ spy ʼ, herũ n. ʻ spying ʼ. Addenda: *hērati: WPah.kṭg. (Wkc.) hèrnõ, kc. erno ʻ observe ʼ; Garh. hernu ʻ to look' (CDIAL 14165) Ko. er uk- (uky-) to play 'peeping tom'. Kui ēra (ēri-) to spy, scout; n. spying, scouting; pl action ērka (ērki-). ? Kuwi (S.) hēnai to scout; hēri kiyali to see; (Su. P.) hēnḍ- (hēṭ-) id. Kur. ērnā (īryas) to see, look, look at, look after, look for, wait for, examine, try; ērta'ānā to let see, show; ērānakhrnā to look at one another. Malt. ére to see, behold, observe; érye to peep, spy. Cf. 892 Kur. ēthrnā. / Cf. Skt. heraka- spy, Pkt. her- to look at or for, and many NIA verbs; Turner, CDIAL, no. 14165(DEDR 903)
Hieroglyph: Ta. ciṟai, ciṟaku, ciṟakar wing; iṟai, iṟaku, iṟakar, iṟakkai wing, feather. Ma. iṟaku, ciṟaku wing. Ko. rek wing, feather. Ka. eṟake, eṟaṅke, ṟakke, ṟekke wing; ṟaṭṭe, ṟeṭṭe wing, upper arm. Koḍ.rekke wing; raṭṭe upper arm. Tu. ediṅke, reṅkè wing. Te. eṟaka, ṟekka, rekka, neṟaka, neṟi id. Kol. reḍapa, (SR.) reppā id.; (P.) reṛapa id., feather. Nk. rekka, reppa wing. Pa. (S.) rekka id. Go. (S.)rekka wing-feather; reka (M.) feather, (Ko.) wing (Voc. 3045). Konḍa ṟeka wing, upper arm. Kuwi (Su.) rekka wing. Cf. 1983 Ko. kerŋgl and 3424 To. tergy.(DEDR 2591)
Assuming that metalworkers from Indian sprachbund had contacts with Dong Son culture from ca. 3rd millennium BCE, some rebus renderings of hieroglyphs displayed on the Dong Son bronze drums are suggested. These suggestions require further detailed investigations from the Khmer and Austro-Asiatic glosses of the times in the world's largest tin belt along the Mekong River delta in the Far East. There are indications that Munda (Austro-Asiatic) speaking metalworkers might have been in contact from ca. 3rd millennium BCE.
The depiction of frogs on the Dong Son drums is significant. I suggest that it is a hieroglyph signifying metal ingot: Kur. mūxā frog. Malt. múqe id. / Cf.
Skt. mūkaka- id. (DEDR
5023) Rebus: mū̃h ‘ingot’.
Muha. The quantity of iron produced at one time in a native smelting furnace. (Santali)
It is possible that metalwork consignments accompanied the consignments of
bronze drums as they were carried to different locations in the Far East.
Hieroglyph: arka 'sun' Rebus: arka, eraka 'copper, gold, moltencast'
kaṅká m. ʻ heron ʼ VS. [← Drav. T. Burrow TPS 1945, 87; onomat. Mayrhofer EWA i 137. Drav. influence certain in o of M. and Si.: Tam. Kan. Mal. kokku ʻ crane ʼ, Tu. korṅgu, Tel. koṅga, Kuvi koṅgi, Kui kohko] Pa. kaṅka -- m. ʻ heron ʼ, Pk. kaṁka -- m., S. kaṅgu m. ʻ crane, heron ʼ (→ Bal. kang); B. kã̄k ʻ heron ʼ, Or. kāṅka; G. kã̄kṛũ n. ʻ a partic. ravenous bird ʼ; -- with o from Drav.: M. kõkā m. ʻ heron ʼ; Si. kokā, pl. kokku ʻ various kinds of crane or heron ʼ, kekī ʻ female crane ʼ, kēki ʻ a species of crane, the paddy bird ʼ (ē?).(CDIAL 2595) Ta. kokku common crane, Grus cinerea; stork, paddy bird; kuruku heron, stork, crane, bird, gallinaceous fowl, aṉṟil bird. Ma. kokku, kokkan, kocca, kuriyan paddy bird, heron; kuru heron. To.košk heron.
Ka. kokku, kokkare crane; kukku heron, crane. Tu. korṅgu crane, stork. Te. koṅga, kokkera, kokkarāyi crane; pegguru, begguru (< peru-kuru) adjutant crane. Kol. (Kin.) koŋga crane.
Pa.kokkal (pl. kokkacil) id. Ga. (S) kokkāle (pl. kokkāsil) heron; (S.2 ) koŋalin (pl. koŋasil), (S.3 ) kokalin crane. Go. (L.) koruku id. (Voc. 921); (Mu.) kokoḍal heron, duck (Voc. 870); (Ma. Ko.) koŋga crane (Voc. 874). Kui kohko paddy bird. Kuwi (S.) kongi,(Ṭ.) kokoṛa crane.
Br. xāxūr demoiselle crane. / Cf. Skt. kaṅka- heron; Turner, CDIAL, no. 2595.(DEDR 2125) కొంగ (p. 0313) [ koṅga ] konga. [Tel.] n. A bird of the heron or stork kind.బకము (Telugu)
Hieroglyph: bakulā, 'crane': baka -- m. ʻ the bird Ardea nivea ʼ Mn. [Prob. onom. in origin: hence retention of -- kk -- , -- k -- , -- g -- in MIA. and NIA. forms (as also in Drav. T. Burrow BSOAS xii 387): see EWA ii 400 and W. Wüst IL Turner Jubilee Vol. i 336, 347]
Pa. baka -- m. ʻ crane ʼ, Pk. baka -- , bakka -- , baga -- , baya<-> m., bagī -- f.; K. brag m. ʻ the blue heron Ardea cinerea ʼ; S. bagu, bago, bagulo m. ʻ crane ʼ, P. baglā, N. bakullo, A. bag, B. bak, Or. baga, H. bag, bakulā, bagulā, baglā m., G. M. bag m. (CDIAL 9115) బాకా (p. 0880) [ bākā ] , బాంకా or భాంకా bākā. [H.] n. A long trumpet, ఒకవిధమైన ఊదువాద్యము . (Telugu)
Allograph: bahulā, 'Pleiades' Rebus: bagala 'a cargo boat' Rebus: bāhulā 'armour for the arms' (Samskritam)
Hieroglyph: maraka 'peacock' (Santali. Mu.) Rebus: मारक loha 'a kind of calcining metal' (Samskritam)
Rebus: Ka. eṟe to pour any liquids, cast (as metal); n. pouring; eṟacu, ercu to scoop, sprinkle, scatter, strew, sow; eṟaka, eraka any metal infusion; molten state, fusion. Tu. eraka molten, cast (as metal); eraguni to melt. Kur. ecchnā to dash a liquid out or over (by scooping, splashing, besprinkling). Cf. 840 Kur. elkhnā (Pfeiffer). (DEDR 866) Kur. elkhnā to pour liquid out (by tilting a vessel standing on the ground); elkhrnā to be poured out. Malt. eqe to pour out from a vessel. Cf. 866 Ta. eṟṟu (Pfeiffer). (DEDR 840)
karuvu n. Melting: what is melted (Te.)कारु [ kāru ] m (S) An artificer or artisan. 2 A common term for the twelve बलुतेदार q. v. Also कारुनारु m pl q. v. in नारुकारु. (Marathi) कारिगर, कारिगार, कारागीर, कारेगार, कारागार [ kārigara, kārigāra, kārāgīra, kārēgāra, kārāgāra ] m ( P) A good workman, a clever artificer or artisan. 2 Affixed as an honorary designation to the names of Barbers, and sometimes of सुतार, गवंडी, & चितारी. 3 Used laxly as adj and in the sense of Effectual, availing, effective of the end. बलुतें [ balutēṃ ] n A share of the corn and garden-produce assigned for the subsistence of the twelve public servants of a village, for whom see below. 2 In some districts. A share of the dues of the hereditary officers of a village, such as पाटील, कुळकरणी &c. बलुतेदार or बलुता [ balutēdāra or balutā ] or त्या m (बलुतें &c.) A public servant of a village entitled to बलुतें. There are twelve distinct from the regular Governmentofficers पाटील, कुळकरणी &c.; viz. सुतार, लोहार, महार, मांग (These four constitute पहिली or थोरली कास or वळ the first division. Of three of them each is entitled to चार पाचुंदे, twenty bundles of Holcus or the thrashed corn, and the महार to आठ पाचुंदे); कुंभार, चाम्हार, परीट, न्हावी constitute दुसरी orमधली कास or वळ, and are entitled, each, to तीन पाचुंदे; भट, मुलाणा, गुरव, कोळी form तिसरी or धाकटी कास or वळ, and have, each, दोन पाचुंदे. Likewise there are twelve अलुते or supernumerary public claimants, viz. तेली, तांबोळी, साळी, माळी, जंगम, कळवांत, डवऱ्या, ठाकर, घडशी, तराळ, सोनार, चौगुला. Of these the allowance of corn is not settled. The learner must be prepared to meet with other enumerations of the बलुतेदार (e. g. पाटील, कुळ- करणी, चौधरी, पोतदार, देशपांड्या, न्हावी, परीट, गुरव, सुतार, कुंभार, वेसकर, जोशी; also सुतार, लोहार, चाम्हार, कुंभार as constituting the first-class and claiming the largest division of बलुतें; next न्हावी, परीट, कोळी, गुरव as constituting the middle class and claiming a subdivision of बलुतें; lastly, भट, मुलाणा, सोनार, मांग; and, in the Konkan̤, yet another list); and with other accounts of the assignments of corn; for this and many similar matters, originally determined diversely, have undergone the usual influence of time, place, and ignorance. Of the बलुतेदार in the Indápúr pergunnah the list and description stands thus:--First class, सुतार, लोहार, चाम्हार, महार; Second, परीट, कुंभार, न्हावी, मांग; Third, सोनार, मुलाणा, गुरव, जोशी, कोळी, रामोशी; in all fourteen, but in no one village are the whole fourteen to be found or traced. In the Panḍharpúr districts the order is:--पहिली or थोरली वळ (1st class); महार, सुतार, लोहार, चाम्हार, दुसरी or मधली वळ(2nd class); परीट, कुंभार, न्हावी, मांग, तिसरी or धाकटी वळ (3rd class); कुळकरणी, जोशी, गुरव, पोतदार; twelve बलुते and of अलुते there are eighteen. According to Grant Duff, the बलतेदार are सुतार, लोहार, चाम्हार, मांग, कुंभार, न्हावी, परीट, गुरव, जोशी, भाट, मुलाणा; and the अलुते are सोनार, जंगम, शिंपी, कोळी, तराळ or वेसकर, माळी, डवऱ्यागोसावी, घडशी, रामोशी, तेली, तांबोळी, गोंधळी. In many villages of Northern Dakhan̤ the महार receives the बलुतें of the first, second, and third classes; and, consequently, besides the महार, there are but nine बलुतेदार. The following are the only अलुतेदार or नारू now to be found;--सोनार, मांग, शिंपी, भट गोंधळी, कोर- गू, कोतवाल, तराळ, but of the अलुतेदार & बलुते- दार there is much confused intermixture, the अलुतेदार of one district being the बलुतेदार of another, and vice lls. (The word कास used above, in पहिली कास, मध्यम कास, तिसरी कास requires explanation. It means Udder; and, as the बलुतेदार are, in the phraseology of endearment or fondling, termed वासरें (calves), their allotments or divisions are figured by successive bodies of calves drawing at the कास or under of the गांव under the figure of a गाय or cow.) (Marathi)kruciji ‘smith’ (Old Church Slavic)
"Common bronze alloys have the unusual and desirable property of expanding slightly just before they set, thus filling the finest details of a mould." https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bronze_sculpture
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Dong Son bronze drum surfaces display cire perdue hieroglyphs of extraordinary artistry, orthographic fidelity and brilliance. It is for archaeometallurgical researchers to unravel the precise methods used to achieve such excellent embossed hieroglyphs.
An intimation of embossed hieroglyphic work is seen on Harappa copper tablets.
Copper tablet (H2000-4498/9889-01) with raised script found in Trench 43 Source: http://www.harappa.com/indus4/351.html http://bharatkalyan97.blogspot.in/2015/08/indus-script-corpora-cipher-hypertexts.html
Daimabad seal. Hieroglyph: karava 'narrownecked jar' Rebus: karavi 'mould' karuv-iḍu to put bosses or raised figures, mould, model
Remarkable narratives comparable to the hieroglyph narratives on Dong Son bronze drums are seen on some Indus Script epigraphs. Some examples:
Crocodile, tiger looking back, spy on tree
http://bharatkalyan97.blogspot.in/2015/06/meluhha-hieroglyphs-makara-torana-rope.html h1973B h1974B Harappa Two tablets. One side shows a person seated on a tree branch, a tiger looking up, a crocodile on the top register and other animals in procession in the bottom register. Obverse side (comparable to h1970, h1971 and h1972) shows an elephant, a person strangling two tigers (jackals or foxes) and a six-spoked wheel.
The following glyphics of m1431 prism tablet show the association between the tiger + person on tree glyphic set and crocile + 3 animal glyphic set.
Mohenjo-daro m1431 four-sided tablet. Row of animals in file (a one-horned bull, an elephant and a rhinoceros from right); a gharial with a fish held in its jaw above the animals; a bird (?) at right. Pict-116: From R.—a person holding a vessel; a woman with a platter (?); a kneeling person with a staff in his hands facing the woman; a goat with its forelegs on a platform under a tree. [Or, two antelopes flanking a tree on a platform, with one antelope looking backwards?]
One side (m1431B) of a four-sided tablet shows a procession of a tiger, an elephant and a rhinoceros (with fishes (or perhaps, crocodile) on top?).
kāru ‘crocodile’ (Telugu). Rebus: artisan (Marathi) Rebus: khar ‘blacksmith’ (Kashmiri)
kola ‘tiger’ Rebus: kol ‘working in iron’. Heraka ‘spy’ Rebus: eraka ‘copper’. khōṇḍa ‘leafless tree’ (Marathi). Rebus: kõdār’turner’ (Bengali) dhamkara 'leafless tree' Rebus: dhangar 'blacksmith'
Looking back: krammara ‘look back’ Rebus: kamar ‘smith, artisan’.
koḍe ‘young bull’ (Telugu) खोंड [ khōṇḍa ] m A young bull, a bullcalf. Rebus: kõdā ‘to turn in a lathe’ (B.) कोंद kōnda ‘engraver, lapidary setting or infixing gems’ (Marathi) कोंडण [kōṇḍaṇa] f A fold or pen. (Marathi) ayakāra ‘ironsmith’ (Pali)[fish = aya (G.); crocodile = kāru (Te.)] baṭṭai quail (N.Santali) Rebus: bhaṭa = an oven, kiln, furnace (Santali)
ayo 'fish' Rebus: ayas 'metal'. kaṇḍa 'arrow' Rebus: khāṇḍa ‘tools, pots and pans, and metal-ware’. ayaskāṇḍa is a compounde word attested in Panini. The compound or glyphs of fish + arrow may denote metalware tools, pots and pans.kola 'tiger' Rebus: kol 'working in iron, alloy of 5 metals - pancaloha'. ibha 'elephant' Rebus ibbo 'merchant'; ib ‘iron'. Alternative: కరటి [ karaṭi ] karaṭi. [Skt.] n. An elephant. ఏనుగు (Telugu) Rebus: kharādī ‘ turner’ (Gujarati) kāṇḍa 'rhimpceros' Rebus: khāṇḍa ‘tools, pots and pans, and metal-ware’. The text on m0489 tablet: loa 'ficus religiosa' Rebus: loh 'copper'. kolmo 'rice plant' Rebus: kolami 'smithy, forge'. dula 'pair' Rebus: dul 'cast metal'. Thus the display of the metalware catalog includes the technological competence to work with minerals, metals and alloys and produce tools, pots and pans. The persons involved are krammara 'turn back' Rebus: kamar 'smiths, artisans'. kola 'tiger' Rebus: kol 'working in iron, working in pancaloha alloys'. పంచలోహము pancha-lōnamu. n. A mixed metal, composed of five ingredients, viz., copper, zinc, tin, lead, and iron (Telugu). Thus, when five svastika hieroglyphs are depicted, the depiction is of satthiya 'svastika' Rebus: satthiya 'zinc' and the totality of 5 alloying metals of copper, zinc, tin, lead and iron.
Glyph: Animals in procession: खांडा [khāṇḍā] A flock (of sheep or goats) (Marathi) கண்டி¹ kaṇṭi Flock, herd (Tamil) Rebus: khāṇḍā ‘tools, pots and pans, and metal-ware’.
Hieroglyph: heraka ‘spy’. Rebus: eraka, arka 'copper, gold'; eraka 'moltencast, metal infusion'; era ‘copper’.
Trunk of elephant hieoroglyph component on this combined animal signifies: karba 'elephant' Rebus: karba 'iron'. Hieroglyph: karabha 'trunk of elephant' (Pali)
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 'very hard iron' (Tulu) Tu. kari soot, charcoal; kariya black; karṅka state of being burnt or singed; karṅkāḍuni to burn (tr.); karñcuni to be burned to cinders; karñcāvuni to cause to burn to cinders; kardů black; karba iron; karvāvuni to burn the down of a fowl by holding it over the fire; karṇṭuni to be scorched; karguḍe a very black man; fem. karguḍi, kargi. Kor. (T.) kardi black. kabbiṇa iron (Kannada) kabïn iron (Toda) karum poṉ iron (Tamil)(DEDR 1278)
Hieroglyph: ibha 'elephant' Rebus: ib 'iron' (Santali). kāṇḍā 'rhinoceros' Rebus: khāṇḍa ‘tools, pots and pans, and metal-ware’. karā 'crocodile' Rebus: khar 'blacksmith' (Kashmiri) Note: Ib is the name of a station between Howrah and Nagpur. The Railway station is in the iron ore belt.
Hieroglyph: हेर [ hēra ] m (
1. Pk. hēraï ʻ looks for or at ʼ (vihīraï ʻ watches for ʼ); K.ḍoḍ. hērūō ʻ was seen ʼ; WPah.bhad. bhal. h
Hieroglyph: Ta. ciṟai, ciṟaku, ciṟakar wing; iṟai, iṟaku, iṟakar, iṟakkai wing, feather. Ma. iṟaku, ciṟaku wing. Ko. rek wing, feather. Ka. eṟake, eṟaṅke, ṟakke, ṟekke wing; ṟaṭṭe, ṟeṭṭe wing, upper arm. Koḍ.rekke wing; raṭṭe upper arm. Tu. ediṅke, reṅkè wing. Te. eṟaka, ṟekka, rekka, neṟaka, neṟi id. Kol. reḍapa, (SR.) reppā id.; (P.) reṛapa id., feather. Nk. rekka, reppa wing. Pa. (S.) rekka id. Go. (S.)rekka wing-feather; reka (M.) feather, (Ko.) wing (Voc. 3045). Konḍa ṟeka wing, upper arm. Kuwi (Su.) rekka wing. Cf. 1983 Ko. kerŋgl and 3424 To. tergy.(DEDR 2591)
Assuming that metalworkers from Indian sprachbund had contacts with Dong Son culture from ca. 3rd millennium BCE, some rebus renderings of hieroglyphs displayed on the Dong Son bronze drums are suggested. These suggestions require further detailed investigations from the Khmer and Austro-Asiatic glosses of the times in the world's largest tin belt along the Mekong River delta in the Far East. There are indications that Munda (Austro-Asiatic) speaking metalworkers might have been in contact from ca. 3rd millennium BCE.
The depiction of frogs on the Dong Son drums is significant. I suggest that it is a hieroglyph signifying metal ingot: Kur. mūxā frog. Malt. múqe id. / Cf.
Skt. mūkaka- id. (DEDR
5023) Rebus: mū̃h ‘ingot’.
It is possible that metalwork consignments accompanied the consignments of
bronze drums as they were carried to different locations in the Far East.
maṇḍa (Sanskrit) OMarw. mīḍako m. ʻ frog ʼ, mīṁḍakī f. ʻ small frog ʼ, G. me_ḍak, meḍ°
m., me_ḍkī, meḍ° f.; M. mẽḍūk -- mukh n. ʻ frog -- like face ʼ. 1. Pa. maṇḍūka -- m., °kī -- f. ʻ
frog ʼ, Pk. maṁḍū˘ka -- , °ḍūa -- , °ḍuga -- m., (CDIAL 9746) Rebus: mẽṛhẽt, meḍ ‘iron’
(Mu.Ho.)
miṇḍāl ‘markhor’ (Tōrwālī)meḍho a ram, a sheep (Gujarati)(CDIAL 10120) Rebus: mẽṛhẽt,
meḍ ‘iron’ (Mu.Ho.)
Hieroglyph: arka 'sun' Rebus: arka, eraka 'copper, gold, moltencast'
kaṅká m. ʻ heron ʼ VS. [← Drav. T. Burrow TPS 1945, 87; onomat. Mayrhofer EWA i 137. Drav. influence certain in o of M. and Si.: Tam. Kan. Mal. kokku ʻ crane ʼ, Tu. korṅgu, Tel. koṅga, Kuvi koṅgi, Kui kohko] Pa. kaṅka -- m. ʻ heron ʼ, Pk. kaṁka -- m., S. kaṅgu m. ʻ crane, heron ʼ (→ Bal. kang); B. kã̄k ʻ heron ʼ, Or. kāṅka; G. kã̄kṛũ n. ʻ a partic. ravenous bird ʼ; -- with o from Drav.: M. kõkā m. ʻ heron ʼ; Si. kokā, pl. kokku ʻ various kinds of crane or heron ʼ, kekī ʻ female crane ʼ, kēki ʻ a species of crane, the paddy bird ʼ (ē?).(CDIAL 2595) Ta. kokku common crane, Grus cinerea; stork, paddy bird; kuruku heron, stork, crane, bird, gallinaceous fowl, aṉṟil bird. Ma. kokku, kokkan, kocca, kuriyan paddy bird, heron; kuru heron. To.košk heron.
Ka. kokku, kokkare crane; kukku heron, crane. Tu. korṅgu crane, stork. Te. koṅga, kokkera, kokkarāyi crane; pegguru, begguru (< peru-kuru) adjutant crane. Kol. (Kin.) koŋga crane.
Pa.kokkal (pl. kokkacil) id. Ga. (S) kokkāle (pl. kokkāsil) heron; (S.
Br. xāxūr demoiselle crane. / Cf. Skt. kaṅka- heron; Turner, CDIAL, no. 2595.(DEDR 2125) కొంగ (p. 0313) [ koṅga ] konga. [Tel.] n. A bird of the heron or stork kind.
Hieroglyph: maraka 'peacock' (Santali. Mu.) Rebus: मारक loha 'a kind of calcining metal' (Samskritam)
Rebus: Ka. eṟe to pour any liquids, cast (as metal); n. pouring; eṟacu, ercu to scoop, sprinkle, scatter, strew, sow; eṟaka, eraka any metal infusion; molten state, fusion. Tu. eraka molten, cast (as metal); eraguni to melt. Kur. ecchnā to dash a liquid out or over (by scooping, splashing, besprinkling). Cf. 840 Kur. elkhnā (Pfeiffer). (DEDR 866) Kur. elkhnā to pour liquid out (by tilting a vessel standing on the ground); elkhrnā to be poured out. Malt. eqe to pour out from a vessel. Cf. 866 Ta. eṟṟu (Pfeiffer). (DEDR 840)
karuvu n. Melting: what is melted (Te.)कारु [ kāru ] m (S) An artificer or artisan. 2 A common term for the twelve बलुतेदार q. v. Also कारुनारु m pl q. v. in नारुकारु. (Marathi) कारिगर, कारिगार, कारागीर, कारेगार, कारागार [ kārigara, kārigāra, kārāgīra, kārēgāra, kārāgāra ] m ( P) A good workman, a clever artificer or artisan. 2 Affixed as an honorary designation to the names of Barbers, and sometimes of सुतार, गवंडी, & चितारी. 3 Used laxly as adj and in the sense of Effectual, availing, effective of the end. बलुतें [ balutēṃ ] n A share of the corn and garden-produce assigned for the subsistence of the twelve public servants of a village, for whom see below. 2 In some districts. A share of the dues of the hereditary officers of a village, such as पाटील, कुळकरणी &c. बलुतेदार or बलुता [ balutēdāra or balutā ] or त्या m (बलुतें &c.) A public servant of a village entitled to बलुतें. There are twelve distinct from the regular Governmentofficers पाटील, कुळकरणी &c.; viz. सुतार, लोहार, महार, मांग (These four constitute पहिली or थोरली कास or वळ the first division. Of three of them each is entitled to चार पाचुंदे, twenty bundles of Holcus or the thrashed corn, and the महार to आठ पाचुंदे); कुंभार, चाम्हार, परीट, न्हावी constitute दुसरी orमधली कास or वळ, and are entitled, each, to तीन पाचुंदे; भट, मुलाणा, गुरव, कोळी form तिसरी or धाकटी कास or वळ, and have, each, दोन पाचुंदे. Likewise there are twelve अलुते or supernumerary public claimants, viz. तेली, तांबोळी, साळी, माळी, जंगम, कळवांत, डवऱ्या, ठाकर, घडशी, तराळ, सोनार, चौगुला. Of these the allowance of corn is not settled. The learner must be prepared to meet with other enumerations of the बलुतेदार (e. g. पाटील, कुळ- करणी, चौधरी, पोतदार, देशपांड्या, न्हावी, परीट, गुरव, सुतार, कुंभार, वेसकर, जोशी; also सुतार, लोहार, चाम्हार, कुंभार as constituting the first-class and claiming the largest division of बलुतें; next न्हावी, परीट, कोळी, गुरव as constituting the middle class and claiming a subdivision of बलुतें; lastly, भट, मुलाणा, सोनार, मांग; and, in the Konkan̤, yet another list); and with other accounts of the assignments of corn; for this and many similar matters, originally determined diversely, have undergone the usual influence of time, place, and ignorance. Of the बलुतेदार in the Indápúr pergunnah the list and description stands thus:--First class, सुतार, लोहार, चाम्हार, महार; Second, परीट, कुंभार, न्हावी, मांग; Third, सोनार, मुलाणा, गुरव, जोशी, कोळी, रामोशी; in all fourteen, but in no one village are the whole fourteen to be found or traced. In the Panḍharpúr districts the order is:--पहिली or थोरली वळ (1st class); महार, सुतार, लोहार, चाम्हार, दुसरी or मधली वळ(2nd class); परीट, कुंभार, न्हावी, मांग, तिसरी or धाकटी वळ (3rd class); कुळकरणी, जोशी, गुरव, पोतदार; twelve बलुते and of अलुते there are eighteen. According to Grant Duff, the बलतेदार are सुतार, लोहार, चाम्हार, मांग, कुंभार, न्हावी, परीट, गुरव, जोशी, भाट, मुलाणा; and the अलुते are सोनार, जंगम, शिंपी, कोळी, तराळ or वेसकर, माळी, डवऱ्यागोसावी, घडशी, रामोशी, तेली, तांबोळी, गोंधळी. In many villages of Northern Dakhan̤ the महार receives the बलुतें of the first, second, and third classes; and, consequently, besides the महार, there are but nine बलुतेदार. The following are the only अलुतेदार or नारू now to be found;--सोनार, मांग, शिंपी, भट गोंधळी, कोर- गू, कोतवाल, तराळ, but of the अलुतेदार & बलुते- दार there is much confused intermixture, the अलुतेदार of one district being the बलुतेदार of another, and vice lls. (The word कास used above, in पहिली कास, मध्यम कास, तिसरी कास requires explanation. It means Udder; and, as the बलुतेदार are, in the phraseology of endearment or fondling, termed वासरें (calves), their allotments or divisions are figured by successive bodies of calves drawing at the कास or under of the गांव under the figure of a गाय or cow.) (Marathi)kruciji ‘smith’ (Old Church Slavic)
"Common bronze alloys have the unusual and desirable property of expanding slightly just before they set, thus filling the finest details of a mould." https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bronze_sculpture
Nahal Mishmar cire perdue artifacts were made of arsenitcal copper. 
Image on Ngoc Lu bronze drum
