Mirror: http://tinyurl.com/nb9pez5
To-date some 21 Copper anthropomorphs of Sarasvati-Sindhu civilization have been published. Some of these are found in the Ancient Near East and Persian Gulf sites. Most are found in northern India.
Two copper anthropomorphs, one from Sheorajpur (with incised 'fish' on a warrior-body with ram's horns) and another from Haryana (with cast and ligatured 'crocodile' and 'one-horned young bull' on a warrior-body with ram's horns) are deciphered in Indus Script Cipher.
The deciphered plain texts are sangara'proclamations' (they are signified
sangara because the hieroglyph-multiplex is सांगड (p. 840) [ sāṅgaḍa ] A body formed of two or more (fruits, animals, men) linked or joined together (Marathi):
sangara aya meḍ bhaṭa 'proclamation: iron copper furnace' (Sheorajpur anthropomorph)
sangara aya meḍ bhaṭakhār kōnda 'proclamation: iron copper furnace smith engraver' (Haryana anthropomorph)
The two anthropomorphs are deemed to be part of Indus Script Corpora since both artifacts use hieroglyph components to construct and signify cyphertexts. In addition, copper anthropomorphs have been found in Lothal and Oman datable to 2nd and 3rd millennium BCE, respectively.
The pattern of construction of cyphertexts seen on both the artefacts is a unique combination of form and function which characterize over 7000 inscriptions of Indus Script Corpora. The form is hieroglyph-multiplex (or symbolic hypertexts) and the function is rebus messaging or signifying proclamation (sangara) of metalwork.
Formation of hieroglyph-multiplexes to signify metlwork can be identified as the signature-tune, a cipher-key of the Indus writing system.
This is consistent with the insights provided by Dennys Frenez and Massimo Vidale about Indus Script as composed of symbolic hypertexts. For example, the components are presented for the hieroglyph-multiplex of a composite or joined animal parts as hieroglyph components (Dennys Frenez & Massimo Vidale, 2012, Harappa Chimaeras as 'Symbolic Hypertexts'. Some Thoughts on Plato, Chimaera and the Indus Civilization in: South Asian Studies Volume 28, Issue 2, pp. 107-130):
The joining of hieroglyph components to create a hieroglyph-multiplex is also noticed in the composite forms for 'ligatured signs' built-up using hieroglyph components, demonstrated vivivly on two sides of Kalibangan terracotta tablet 079.
Kalibangan 079
Kalibangan Terracotta object K-79 with incised hieroglyphs
On two sides of a Kalibangan (Text 8401) oval-shaped terracota object (Kalibangan 079) two large signs are incised: one on each side of the two flat sides. ASH No. 274.Sign 418 A remarkable ligatured hieroglyph on Indus Script Corpora
A characteristic feature of the use of hieroglyph-multiplexes in the inscriptions is ‘ligaturing’ of hieroglyph components.
Sign 418 seems to be a ligature of a number of composite signs: signs 12, 59, 171, 342, 373. The composite, ligatured hieroglyph Sign 418 can also be seen as a ligature of Sign 15 (itself a composite of Signs 12 and 342) plus other sign components: sign 59, 171, 373.
Sign 15 itself seems to be a ligature of signs 12 and 342.
Sign 15 PLUS three linear strokes on 28 tiny tablets of Harappa are read rebus : kuṭhi kaṇḍa kanka 'smelting furnace account (scribe), supercargo' PLUS kolom 'three' Rebus: kolami 'smithy'. kaṇḍa kanka also signifies: metalware supercargo.kuṭi ‘water-carrier’ (Telugu); Rebus: kuṭhi ‘smelter furnace’ (Santali) See: http://bharatkalyan97.blogspot.co.uk/2011/11/decoding-longest-inscription-of-indus.html
Hieroglyph: Bun-shaped or lozenge glyph Rebus: ḍab 'ingot, wealth'.
ad.ar ‘harrow’ (Santali) [cf. harrow ligatured to water-carrier] Rebus: adaru =native metal (Kannada) Vikalpa 2: pasa_ iron ring through which plough iron is thrust; pa_sa_ lump of metal (H.); pa_s silver ingot, iron share of harrow (M.)
Hieroglyph: ayo ‘fish’ (Munda) Rebus: ayo ‘metal’ (Gujarati) ayas ‘alloy’ (Sanskrit)
Sign 147On Sign 147, six bun-shaped ingots are ligatured to six ends of the hierolgyph. The ovals are ligatured because the related hieroglyph denotes wealth: ḍab 'ingot, wealth'.
The numeral count of SIX bun-ingots: bhaṭa ‘six ’; rebus: bhaṭa ‘furnace’.
The Meluhha word signifying the bun-shaped ingot: ḍab Thus, the composite hieroglyph of Sign 147 with hieroglyphs: cross PLUS oval PLUS long linear stroke is read:
Hierolyphic components of the composite, ligatured hieroglyphs: dāṭu 'cross'; ḍab 'spot'; koḍa 'one'.
Rebus: dhatu bhaṭa ḍab koḍa, 'mineral ingot furnace workshop'.
See: http://bharatkalyan97.blogspot.in/2015/05/backbone-of-indus-script-corpora-tin.html The six ovals ligatured to the ends of X and | represent bun ingots.
The Sheorajpur anthropomorph (348 on Plate A) has a 'fish' hieroglyph incised on the chest. This Sheorajpur anthropomorph has been deciphered: 1. aya 'fish'; 2. meD 'body' (bhaTa 'warrior'); 3. meNDha 'ram'; 4. sangada 'joined animal parts'. Rebus: aya 'iron,metal'; meḍ 'iron''copper'; baTa 'furnace'; sangar 'proclamation'.
On meḍ 'copper' in Eurasian languages:
Wilhelm von Hevesy wrote about the Finno-Ugric-Munda kinship, like "Munda-Magyar-Maori, an Indian link between the antipodes new tracks of Hungarian origins" and "Finnisch-Ugrisches aus Indien". (DRIEM, George van: Languages of the Himalayas: an ethnolinguistic handbook. 1997. p.161-162.) Sumerian-Ural-Altaic language affinities have been noted. Given the presence of Meluhha settlements in Sumer, some Meluhha glosses might have been adapted in these languages. One etyma cluster refers to 'iron' exemplified by meD (Ho.). The alternative suggestion for the origin of the gloss med 'copper' in Uralic languages may be explained by the word meD (Ho.) of Munda family of Meluhha language stream:
Sa. <i>mE~R~hE~'d</i> `iron'. ! <i>mE~RhE~d</i>(M).
Ma. <i>mErhE'd</i> `iron'.
Mu. <i>mERE'd</i> `iron'.
~ <i>mE~R~E~'d</i> `iron'. ! <i>mENhEd</i>(M).
Ho <i>meD</i> `iron'.
Bj. <i>merhd</i>(Hunter) `iron'.
KW <i>mENhEd</i>
@(V168,M080)
— Slavic glosses for 'copper'
Мед [Med]Bulgarian
Bakar Bosnian
Медзь [medz']Belarusian
Měď Czech
Bakar Croatian
KòperKashubian
Бакар [Bakar]Macedonian
Miedź Polish
Медь [Med']Russian
Meď Slovak
BakerSlovenian
Бакар [Bakar]Serbian
Мідь [mid'] Ukrainian[unquote]
Miedź, med' (Northern Slavic, Altaic) 'copper'.
One suggestion is that corruptions from the German "Schmied", "Geschmeide" = jewelry. Schmied, a smith (of tin, gold, silver, or other metal)(German) result in med ‘copper’.
I suggest that the lanuages which use Med 'copper, metal, iron' are cultural contact areas of Meluhha and in particular, Meluhha metalworkers.
The hieroglyph components of the Haryana anthropomorph are: 1. crocodile; 2. one-horned young bull; 3. anthropomorph (with ram's curved horns, body and legs resembling a person).
Art curator Naman Ahuja had put up a work of art on display in Brussels, as part of the exhibition titled The Body in Indian Art.
An animal-headed anthropomorph http://www.business-standard.com/article/specials/naman-ahuja-is-mastering-the-art-of-reaching-out-114092501180_1.html
The remarkable artifact 30 cm tall, 2 kg., is said to have been found under the foundation of a home in Haryana. It was in display in Brussels and later in Delhi in September 2014.
Description which appeared in The Art Newspaper reads: “The figure has a cast relief on its chest of a unicorn-like animal, similar to motifs found on seals of the Harappa culture, which thrived until around 1900 BCE.”
The inscription above this creature; according to the curator Naman Ahuja the inscription represents “a combination of Harappan signs and Brahmi letters.”
A clipped enlargement of the 'inscription' from the photograph of composite anthropomorph may be seen.It appears that the inscription is composed of Indus Script hieroglyphs and no Brahmi letters can be discerned.
The hieroglyphs of the inscription include the following, possible metalwork catalog signifiers from r. to l.:
The second hieroglyph from r. is comparable to these variants of 'rim-of-jar' hieroglyph. The hieroglyph has a frequency of 1395 occurrences in the corpus of Indus script inscriptions (Mahadevan)
Hieroglyph: baraḍo = spine; backbone (Tulu) Rebus: baran, bharat ‘mixed alloys’ (5 copper, 4 zinc and 1 tin) (Punjabi)
Hieroglyph: karNIka 'rim of jar' (Samskritam); kanka ‘rim of jar’ (Santali) Rebus: karṇaka ‘scribe’ (Samskritam) Alternative: khanaka ‘mineworker’ (Sanskrit) Rebus: karNI 'supercargo'.
Hieroglyph: 'two cartwheels and axle rod of the cart-frame' sal 'wedge joining the parts of a solid cart wheel' (Santali) Rebus: sal 'workshop' (Santali)
Thus, together, the sequence of three hieroglyphs signify: mixed alloy (bharat) supercargo (karNI) workshop (sal).
This reading is consistent with the reading of the hieroglyph components constituting the anthropomorph form of 1. body (warrior); 2. crocodile; 3. ram 4. joined animal parts (sangaDa). The rebus readings are; meD 'body' bhaTa 'warrior' Rebus: meD 'iron''copper' (Slavic) baTa 'furnace'; karA 'crocodile' Rebus: khAr 'blacksmith'; meNDha 'ram' Rebus: meD 'iron''copper'; sangaDa 'joined animal parts' Rebus: sangar 'proclamation'. The anthropomorph together with the inscribed three hieroglyph 'signs' thus constitutes a professional calling card --proclamation -- of the blacksmith working in iron, copper furnace: sangar: meD baTa khAr.
Fig. 1: Prehistoric metallic artefacts from the Sultanate of Oman: 1-8 al-Aqir/Bahla'; 9 Ra's al-Jins 2, building vii, room 2, period 3 (DA 11961) "The cleaver no. 8 is unparalleled in the prehistory of the entire Near East. Its form resembles an iron coco-nut knife from a reportedly subrecent context in Gudevella (near Kharligarh, Dist. Balangir, Orissa) which the author examined some years ago in India...The dating of the figures, which command our immediate attention, depends on two strands of thought. First, the Umm an-Nar Period/Culture dating mentioned above, en-compasses a time-space from 2500 to 1800 BC. In any case, the presence of “bun“ ingots among the finds by nomeans contradicts a dating for the anthropomorphic figures toward the end of the second millennium BC. Since these are a product of a simple form of copper production, they existed with the beginning of smelting in Oman. The earliest dated examples predate this, i.e. the Umm an-NarPeriod. Thereafter, copper continues to be produced intothe medieval period. Anthropomorphic figures from the Ganges-Yamuna Doab which resemble significantly the al-Aqir artefacts (fig. 2,10-15) form a second line of evidence for the dating. To date, some 21 anthropomorphs from northern India have been published." (p. 539; cf. Yule, 1985, 128: Yule et al. 1989 (1992) 274: Yule et al 2002. More are known to exist, particularly from a large hoard deriving from Madarpur.)
Selected hoard artefacts from 1-2 South Haryana, 3-4 Uttar Pradesh, 5 Madhya Pradesh, 6-8 South Bihar-North Orissa-Bengal. Haryana hoard artefacts are deposited in the Kanya Gurukul Museum of Narela, Haryana.(Paul Yule, The Bronze Age Metalwork of India, Prähistorische Bronzefunde XX,8 (München 1985), http://archiv.ub.uni-heidelberg.de/savifadok/volltexte/2011/1895/ ).Hoard objects contain from 78-99% copper. Six objects contain up to 32.9% iron. ( P. Yule/A. Hauptmann/M. Hughes, The Copper Hoards of the Indian Subcontinent: Preliminaries for an Interpretation,Jahrbuch des Römisch-Germanischen Zentralmuseums Mainz 36, 1989 [1992] 262-263 Tab. 4 & 5 http://archiv.ub.uni-heidelberg.de/savifadok/volltexte/2009/509/)
Certain copper artefacts from the 3rd millennium contexts in Oman resemble the anthropomorphs of the Indian copper hoards. ( Paul Yule, Beyond the Pale of Near Eastern Archaeology: Anthropomorphic Figures from al-Aqir near Baḥlāʾ, Sultanate of Oman, Man and Mining – T. Stöllner et al. (eds.) Mensch und Bergbau Studies in Honour of Gerd Weisgerber on Occasion of his 65th Birthday, Bochum, 2003, 537–542http://archiv.ub.uni-heidelberg.de/propylaeumdok/volltexte/2008/109/ also under the same title in Pragdhara 14, 2004, 231–239; A New Prehistoric Anthropomorphic Figure from the Sharqiyah, Oman, in: ‘My Life is like the Summer Rose’ Maurizio Tosi e l’Archeologia come modo de vivere, Papers in Honour of Maurizio Tosi on his 70th Birthday, C. Lamberg-Karlovsky‒B. Genito‒B. Cerasetti (eds.), BAR Intern. Series 2690, Oxford, 2014, 759–60, https://uni-heidelberg.academia.edu/paulyule)
Certain copper artefacts from the late 3rd millennium contexts in Oman resemble the anthropomorphs of the Indian Copper Hoards.
With curved horns, the ’anthropomorph’ is a ligature of a mountain goat or markhor (makara) and a fish incised between the horns. Typical find of Gangetic Copper Hoards. At Sheorajpur, three anthropomorphs in metal were found. (Sheorajpur, Dt. Kanpur. Three anthropomorphic figures of copper. AI, 7, 1951, pp. 20, 29).
Fig. 2: Anthropomorphic figures from the Indian Subcontinent. 10 type I, Saipai, Dist. Etawah, U.P.; 11 type I, Lothal, Dist. Ahmedabad,Guj.; 12 type I variant, Madarpur, Dist. Moradabad, U.P.; 13 type II, Sheorajpur, Dist. Kanpur, U.P.; 14 miscellaneous type, Fathgarh,
Fig. 2: Anthropomorphic figures from the Indian Subcontinent. 10 type I, Saipai, Dist. Etawah, U.P.; 11 type I, Lothal, Dist. Ahmedabad,Guj.; 12 type I variant, Madarpur, Dist. Moradabad, U.P.; 13 type II, Sheorajpur, Dist. Kanpur, U.P.; 14 miscellaneous type, Fathgarh,Dist. Farrukhabad, U.P.; 15 miscellaneous type, Dist. Manbhum, Bihar.
One anthropomorph had fish hieroglyph incised on the chest of the copper object, Sheorajpur, upper Ganges valley, ca. 2nd millennium BCE, 4 kg; 47.7 X 39 X 2.1 cm. State Museum, Lucknow (O.37) Typical find of Gangetic Copper Hoards. miṇḍāl markhor (Tor.wali) meḍho a ram, a sheep (G.)(CDIAL 10120) Rebus: meḍh ‘helper of merchant’ (Gujarati) meḍ iron (Ho.) meṛed-bica = iron stone ore, in contrast to bali-bica, iron sand ore (Munda) ayo ‘fish’ Rebus: ayo, ayas ‘metal. Thus, together read rebus: ayo meḍh ‘iron stone ore, metal merchant.’
"Anthropomorphs occur in a variety of shapes and sizes (Plate A). The two basic types dominate, as defined by the proportions in combination with certain morphological features. All show processes suggestive of a human head, arms and legs. With one exception (no. 539) all are highly geometricising and flat. Fashioned from thick metal sheeting, these artifacts have stocky proportions and are patterned on both sides with elongated gouches or dents which usually are lengthwise oriented. Sometimes, however, the patterning is chevroned or cross-hatched. Significantly, the upper edge of the 'head' shows no thickening, as is the case of type H anthropomorphs. Examples have come to light at mid doab and a broken anthropomorph from distant Lothal as well. The only stratified example derives from Lothal, level IV. height range. 23.2-24.1cm; L/W: 0.65 - 0.88: 1; weight mean: 1260 gm." (Yule, Paul, pp.51-52).
"Conclusions..."To the west at Harappa Lothal in Gujarat the presence of a fragmentary import type I anthropomorph suggests contact with the doab." "(p.92)
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"Anthropomorphs occur in a variety of shapes and sizes (Plate A). The two basic types dominate, as defined by the proportions in combination with certain morphological features. All show processes suggestive of a human head, arms and legs. With one exception (no. 539) all are highly geometricising and flat. Fashioned from thick metal sheeting, these artifacts have stocky proportions and are patterned on both sides with elongated gouches or dents which usually are lengthwise oriented. Sometimes, however, the patterning is chevroned or cross-hatched. Significantly, the upper edge of the 'head' shows no thickening, as is the case of type H anthropomorphs. Examples have come to light at mid doab and a broken anthropomorph from distant Lothal as well. The only stratified example derives from Lothal, level IV. height range. 23.2-24.1cm; L/W: 0.65 - 0.88: 1; weight mean: 1260 gm." (Yule, Paul, pp.51-52).
"Conclusions..."To the west at Harappa Lothal in Gujarat the presence of a fragmentary import type I anthropomorph suggests contact with the doab." "(p.92)
A remarkable legacy of the civilization occurs in the use of ‘fish‘ sign on a copper anthropomorph found in a copper hoard. This is an apparent link of the ‘fish’ broadly with the profession of ‘metal-work’. The ‘fish’ sign is apparently related to the copper object which seems to depict a ‘fighting ram’ symbolized by its in-curving horns. The ‘fish’ sign may relate to a copper furnace. The underlying imagery defined by the style of the copper casting is the pair of curving horns of a fighting ram ligatured into the outspread legs (of a warrior).
Title / Object: | anthropomorphic sheorajpur |
Fund context: | Saipai, Dist. Kanpur |
Time of admission: | 1981 |
Pool: | |
Image ID: | 213 101 |
Copyright: | Dr Paul Yule, Heidelberg |
Photo credit: | Yule, Metalwork of the Bronze in India, Pl 23 348 (dwg) |
Saipal, Dist. Etawah, UP. Anthropomorph, type I. 24.1x27.04x0.76 cm., 1270 gm., both sides show a chevron patterning, left arm broken off (Pl. 22, 337). Purana Qila Coll. Delhi (74.12/4) -- Lal, BB, 1972, 285 fig. 2d pl. 43d
The rebus readings of the composite hieroglyph may be suggested:
Sheorajpur anthropomorph with 'fish' hieroglyph and 'markhor' horns hieroglyph. ayo'fish' Rebus: ayo 'iron, metal' (Gujarati)
miṇḍāl markhor (Tor.wali) meḍho a ram, a sheep (Gujarati)(CDIAL 10120) Rebus: meḍ 'iron' (Ho.) bhaTa 'warrior' Rebus: baTa 'furnace'.
miṇḍāl markhor (Tor.wali) meḍho a ram, a sheep (Gujarati)(CDIAL 10120) Rebus: meḍ 'iron' (Ho.) bhaTa 'warrior' Rebus: baTa 'furnace'.
1. khoṇḍ, kõda 'young bull-calf' Rebus: kũdār ‘turner’. कोंद kōnda ‘engraver, lapidary setting or infixing gems’ (Marathi)
2. kāru 'crocodile' (Telugu) Rebus: kāruvu 'artisan' (Telugu) khār 'blacksmith' (Kashmiri)
m0482A One side of a two-sided tablet m1429C One side of a prism tablet. ayo ‘fish’ (Mu.); rebus: aya ‘(alloyed) metal’ (G.) kāru a wild crocodile or alligator (Telugu) Rebus:khār a blacksmith, an iron worker (cf. bandūka-khār) (Kashmiri)
Combined rebus reading: ayakāra ‘iron-smith’ (Pali)
http://bharatkalyan97.blogspot.in/2015/05/composite-copper-alloy-anthropomorphic.html Composite copper alloy anthropomorphic Meluhha hieroglyphs of Haryana and Sheorajpur: fish, markhor, crocodile, one-horned young bull Mirror: http://tinyurl.com/np7wr4j
http://bharatkalyan97.blogspot.in/2014/01/crocodiles-help-scholar-link-indus.html Crocodiles help scholar link Indus Valley, Sangam era
Ax Blade (Celt)
Date: 1500–1000 B.C.
Culture: India
Medium: Copper
Dimensions: 6 1/4 x 5 9/16 in. (15.9 x 14.1 cm)
Classification: Metalwork
Credit Line: Samuel Eilenberg Collection, Bequest of Samuel Eilenberg, 1998
Accession Number: 2001.433.19
"These anthropomorphic figures, harpoons, ax blades (celts), and antennae swords were cast and hammered from unalloyed copper. They may be dated to 1500 to 1000 B.C. Given that pure copper is a relatively soft metal and most of the objects show little or no signs of wear, it seems likely that their function was largely dedicatory. Hoards of such objects have been found across north India, the greatest concentration being in Uttar Pradesh. The findspots suggest they were ritually deposited in rivers or marshes, though several related antennae swords were recorded in late Indus Valley civilization (ca. 1500 B.C.) burials at Sanauli."
From Lothal was reported a fragmentary Type 1 anthropomorph (13.0 pres. X 12.8 pres. X c. 0.08 cm, Cu 97.27%, Pb 2.51% (Rao), surface patterning runs lengthwise, lower portion slightly thicker than the edge of the head, 'arms' and 'legs' broken off (Pl. 1, 22)-- ASI Ahmedabad (10918 -- Rao, SR, 1958, 13 pl. 21A).The extraordinary presence of a Lothal anthropomorph of the type found on the banks of River Ganga in Sheorajpur (Uttar Pradesh) makes it apposite to discuss the anthropomorph as a Meluhha hieroglyph, since Lothal is reportedly a mature site of the civilization.
The anthropomorph from Lothal/Gujarat (fig. 2,11), from a layer which its excavator dates to the 19 th century BCE. Lothal, phase 4 of period A, type 1. Some anthropomorphs were found stratified together with Ochre-Coloured Pottery, dated to ca. 2nd millennium BCE. Anthropomorph of Ra's al-Jins (Fig. 1,9) clearly reinforces the fact that South Asians travelled to and stayed at the site of Ra's al-Jins. "The excavators date the context from which the Ra’s al-Jins copper artefact derived to their period III, i.e. 2300-2200 BCE (Cleuziou & Tosi 1997, 57), which falls within thesame time as at least some of the copper ingots which are represented at al-Aqir, and for example also in context from al-Maysar site M01...the Franco-Italian teamhas emphasized the presence of a settled Harappan-Peri-od population and lively trade with South Asia at Ra's al-Jins in coastal Arabia. (Cleuziou, S. & Tosi, M., 1997, Evidence for the use of aromatics in the early Bronze Age of Oman, in: A. Avanzini, ed., Profumi d'Arabia, Rome 57-81)."
"In the late third-early second millennium, given the presence of a textually documented 'Meluhha village' in Lagash (southern Mesopotamia), one cannot be too surprised that such colonies existed 'east of Eden' in south-eastern Arabia juxtaposed with South Asia. In any case, here we encounter yet again evidence for contact between the two regions -- a contact of greater intimacy and importance than for the other areas of the Gulf."(Paul Yule, 2003, Beyond the pale of near Eastern Archaeology: Anthropomorphic figures from al-Aqir near Bahla' In: Stöllner, T. (Hrsg.): Mensch und Bergbau Studies in Honour of Gerd Weisgerber on Occasion of his 65th Birthday. Bochum 2003, pp. 537-542).
See: Weisgerber, G., 1988, Oman: A bronze-producing centre during the 1st half of the 1st millennium BCE, in: J. Curtis, ed., Bronze-working centres of western Asia, c. 1000-539 BCE, London, 285-295. ![]()
Copper deposits in India After JA Dunn 1965; S. Krishnaswami 1979: Important Cu-districts; . Small deposits and old working
S. Kalyanaraman
Sarasvati Research Center
October 11, 2015