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Dilmun seals (35) and decipherment through Indus Script Cipher
I am grateful to Luca Peyronel for selecting the following Dilmun seals from out of hundreds from Failaka, Bahrain and other Persian Gulf sites and categorizing them on iconographic frames (i.e. with the types of hieroglyphs signified on the seals). Peyronel gleans meanings of sacredness and ritual offerings from adorants explaining the iconograhic motifs.
The procedure for gleaning semantics (i.e. decipherment) of the hierolyphs is to treat them as Indus Script Cipher of rebus-metonymy-Meluhha speech renderings of metalwork proclamations.
I, therefore, suggest -- an alternative semantic framework -- that all the 35 Dilmun seals are Indus Script hieroglyph-multiplexes which are technical descriptions for documentation or proclamation as metalwork catalogues.
Proto-Prakritam or Meluhha hieroglyphs and rebus-metonymy readings of the hieroglyph-multiplexes on the 35 Dilmun seals:
Hieroglyph: sãgaḍ f. ʻa body formed of two or more fruits or animals or men &c. linked together' (Marathi). sãghāṛɔ (Gujarati) 'joined animal or animal parts, linked together' Rebus: sangara'proclamation'.
Hieroglyph: dula 'pair' Rebus: dul 'cast metal'
Hieroglyphs:
1. kolom 'three'
2. Hieroglyph: kolmo 'rice plant' Rebus: kolimi 'smithy, forge'.
Hieroglyph: 'human face': mũhe ‘face’ (Santali) Rebus: mũh opening or hole (in a stove for stoking (Bi.); ingot (Santali) 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 of four ends; kolhe tehen mẽṛhẽt ko mūhā akata = the Kolhes have to-day produced pig iron (Santali) kaula mengro ‘blacksmith’ (Gypsy) mleccha-mukha (Skt.) = milakkhu ‘copper’ (Pali) The Samskritam gloss mleccha-mukha should literally mean: copper-ingot absorbing the Santali gloss, mũh, as a suffix.
Hieroglyph: करडूं or करडें [karaḍū or ṅkaraḍēṃ ] n A kid. Rebus: karaḍa 'hard alloy of metal (Marathi) Allograph: करण्ड m. a sort of duck L. కారండవము (p. 0274) [ kāraṇḍavamu ] kāraṇḍavamu. [Skt.] n. A sort of duck. (Telugu) karaṭa1 m. ʻ crow ʼ BhP., °aka -- m. lex. [Cf. karaṭu -- , karkaṭu -- m. ʻ Numidian crane ʼ, karēṭu -- , °ēṭavya -- , °ēḍuka -- m. lex., karaṇḍa2 -- m. ʻ duck ʼ lex: see kāraṇḍava -- ]Pk. karaḍa -- m. ʻ crow ʼ, °ḍā -- f. ʻ a partic. kind of bird ʼ; S. karaṛa -- ḍhī˜gu m. ʻ a very large aquatic bird ʼ; L. karṛā m., °ṛī f. ʻ the common teal ʼ.(CDIAL 2787)
koḍ `horn' (Kuwi) Rebus: koḍ `artisan's workshop' (Gujarati).
कुठारु [p= 289,1] kuṭhāru monkey (Samskritam) Rebus: armourer (Samskritam)
koṭhāri 'crucible' Rebus: koṭhāri 'treasurer' (If the hieroglyph on the leftmost is moon, a possible rebus reading: قمر ḳamar A قمر ḳamar, s.m. (9th) The moon. Sing. and Pl. See سپوږمي or سپوګمي (Pashto) Rebus: kamar 'blacksmith' )
Hieroglyph: arka ‘sun’; agasāle ‘goldsmithy’ (Ka.) erka = ekke (Tbh. of arka) aka (Tbh. of arka) copper (metal); crystal (Ka.lex.) cf. eruvai = copper (Ta.lex.) eraka, er-aka = any metal infusion (Ka.Tu.); erako molten cast (Tulu) Rebus: eraka = copper (Ka.) eruvai = copper (Tamil); ere - a dark-red colour (Ka.)(DEDR 817). eraka, era, er-a = syn. erka, copper, weapons (Kannada)
Hierolyphs:
1. kuDi 'to drink'
2. kuTi 'tree' Rebus: kuThi '
Hieroglyphs:
1. gaṇḍa 'four'
2. కాండము [ kāṇḍamu ] kānḍamu. [Skt.] n. Water. నీళ్లు (Telugu) kaṇṭhá -- : (b) ʻ water -- channel ʼ
3. khaṇḍ 'field,division' (Samskritam) Rebus 1: kaṇḍ 'fire-altar' (Santali) Rebus 2: khaṇḍa 'metal implements' lokhãḍ, kāṇḍa ‘flowing water’‘overflowing pot’ Rebus: lokhãḍ, kāṇḍā ‘metalware, tools, pots and pans’(Gujarati)
kole.l 'temple' Rebus: kole.l 'smithy' (Kota)
kāṅga 'comb' Rebus: kanga 'brazier, fireplace' (Kashmiri)
Hieroglyphs:
1. kula '
2. kur.i 'woman'
3. kola ‘tiger’ (Telugu); kola ‘tiger, jackal’ (Kon.). Rebus: kol ‘working in iron’ (Tamil) kolhe 'smelter'
mē̃ḍh 'antelope, ram'; rebus: mē̃ḍ 'iron' (Mu.)
క్రమ్మర krammara. adv. క్రమ్మరిల్లు or క్రమరబడు Same as క్రమ్మరు 'look back' (Telugu). Rebus: krəm backʼ(Kho.)(CDIAL 3145) Rebus: kamar 'artisan, smith'
pattar 'trough' Rebus: pattar 'guild, goldsmith'.
ḍhangar ‘bull’ Rebus: dhangar ‘blacksmith’ (Maithili) ḍangar ‘blacksmith’ (Hindi)
balad m. ʻox ʼ, gng. bald, (Ku.) barad, id. (Nepali. Tarai) Rebus: bharat (5 copper, 4 zinc and 1 tin)(Punjabi) pattar ‘trough’ Rebus: pattar ‘guild, goldsmith’. Thus, copper-zinc-tin alloy (worker) guild. Rebus: bharata 'alloy of copper, pewter, tin' (Marathi) bhāraṇ = to bring out from a kiln (G.) bāraṇiyo = one whose profession it is to sift ashes or dust in a goldsmith’s workshop (G.lex.) In the Punjab, the mixed alloys were generally called, bharat (5 copper, 4 zinc and 1 tin). In Bengal, an alloy called bharan or toul was created by adding some brass or zinc into pure bronze. bharata = casting metals in moulds; bharavum = to fill in; to put in; to pour into (G.lex.) Bengali. ভরন [ bharana ] n an inferior metal obtained from an alloy of coper, zinc and tin. baran, bharat ‘mixed alloys’ (5 copper, 4 zinc and 1 tin) (Punjabi)
Hieroglyph: ‘hoof’: Kumaon. khuṭo ʻleg, footʼ, °ṭī ʻgoat's legʼ; Nepalese. khuṭo ʻleg, footʼ(CDIAL 3894). S. khuṛī f. ʻheelʼ; WPah. paṅ. khūṛ ʻfootʼ. (CDIAL 3906). Rebus: khũṭ ‘community, guild’ (Santali)
Kur. kaṇḍō a stool. Malt. kanḍo stool, seat. (DEDR 1179) Rebus: kaṇḍ ‘fire-altar, furnace’ (Santali) kāṇḍa ’stone ore’. kāṇḍa 'tools, pots and pans
‘scarf’ hieroglyph: dhaṭu m. (also dhaṭhu) m. ‘scarf’ (Wpah.) (CDIAL 6707) Rebus: dhatu ‘minerals’ (Santali)
Seated person seated on a stool, with a tiara of a set of curved horns (sometimes with double crown as in al-Sindi 1994: no. 19; Kjærum 1983: no. 185 shown below). A pigtail hangs over the seated person's shoulders. Other hieroglyphs are: drinking through tubes from jar, bull -- sometimes paired, antelope (kid) -- sometimes paired, standard (portable brazier).
al-Sindi 1994: no. 17
al-Sindi 1994: no. 18
al-Sindi 1994: no. 19
Kjærum 1983: no. 185
Kjærum 1983: no. 186
al-Sindi 1994: no. 23
al-Sindi 1994: no. 24
al-Sindi 1994: no. 57
Kjærum 1983: no. 212
Kjærum 1983: no. 81
Kjærum 1983: no. 274
Kjærum 1983: no. 193Dilmun seals with bullmen (human torso, bull’s legs and tail, human face with bull’s ears and horns)
Peyronel 2000: no. 4.14 Bull-man holding a crescent standard
Kjærum 1983: no. 208
Kjærum 1983: no. 121
Kjærum 1983: no. 122
al-Sindi 1994: no. 254
Kjærum 1983: no. 274[Peyronel, Luca, 2008, Some thoughts on iconographic relations between the Arabian Gulf and Syria-Mesopotamia during the Middle Bronze Age, in: Olijdam, E. & RH Spoor, eds., Intercultural relations between south and southwest Asia, studies in commemoration of ECL During Caspers (1934-1996), BAR International Series 1826 (2008): 236-252 “The relationship between bull-men and superimposed bulls or bull and gazelle (Kjaerum 1983: nos. 247-249) again suggests the complex pattern of ideological meanings which hides behind the animal repertoire in Dilmun stamp seals. Two crossed bull-men with raised hands stand across a net podium on a unique seal from Failaka (Kjaerum 1983: no. 261)…Another meaningful seal is engraved with a schematic shrine or door with symbols inside (hatched podium, sun-ring, hatched lentoid, net podium), flanked by a bull-man and a garbed man grasping the door-frame (Kjaerum 1983: no. 51). Rectangular structures appear on 9 seals (Kjaerum 1983: nos. 51-54, 126; al-Sindi 1994; nos. 202-203, 205, 263): they have symbols or human figures within and they can be considered schematic gates or chapels/shrines, without doubt linked with pecular ritual functions as revealed also by astral symbols, mythological figures (serpent monsters or bull-men) and worshippers on their sides.” (p.242)
Dilmun seals with a pair of bull-men and other hieroglyphs (in addition to kids): rectangle with divisions, sun, crucible, bun ingot with infixed 3 numeral strokes, a rectangle with four infixed numeral strokes, temple gate (signifying temple).
Kjærum 1983: no. 93
Kjærum 1983: no. 70
Kjærum 1983: no. 248
Kjærum 1983: no. 249
Kjærum 1983: no. 261
Kjærum 1983: no. 51Dilmun seals with a pair of bull-men and other hieroglyphs (crucible, sun, vase, pair of harrows, aquatic bird; pair of forked stakes)
al-Sindi 1994: no. 115
al-Sindi 1994: no. 116
al-Sindi 1994: no. 117
Kjærum 1983: no. 115
Kjærum 1983: no. 116
Kjærum 1983: no. 141 (Same as 115?)“Bull-men are attested in Mesopotamian glyptic from the Early Dynastic II onwards. The iconographic elaboration probably happened at the end of the 4th or at the beginning of the 3rdmillennium BCE in the Iranian milieu, where stamp and cylinder seals show hybrid creatures with mixed human and animal features since he prehistoric periods...”(opcit., pp.244-245) It has been noted in Indus Script Cipher that sangaDa ‘joined animals or animal parts’ is rebus sangara ‘proclamations’. The ‘hybrid creatures’ are thus metalwork proclamations detailing, for example, the metals as alloying components.
"Bull-men were represented during the Early Dynastic period only in contest scenes together with rampant animas, the naked hero and the human-headed bull. A lengthy discussion on these figures has involved Near Eastern scholars, some proposing to identify Enkidu and Gilgamesh with the bull-man and the hero with long hair with curls, other preferring to recognize in these figures different aspects of the god Dumuzi. More recently a simplistic correlation between Early Dynastic supernatural beings and those known from mythological tales was submitted to a strong criticism (Lambert 1987), despite the unequivocal connection with the religious sphere. It is now widely accepted that the ‘nude hero’ must be considered a protective and beneficent deity, in later periods associated with Enki (Akkadian period) or Marduk (from the 2nd millennium BCE), known by the name Lahmu…The corpus of seal impressions from Kultepe karum II (ca. 1920-1850 BCE) verifies the occurrence in the Anatolian, Syro-Cappadocian, Old Syrian, and Old Assyrian styles." (opcit. 244-245).
I would not venture critiquing these meanings and art expression evaluations based on faith. I would not also submit to the 'master of animals' metaphor. I would, instead, deploy an Occam's razor, suggest a simple, direct submission of Indus Script cipher based on Meluhha-rebus-metonymy yielding plain texts of metalwork catalogues involving multiple alloying metals and metalcastings to read the hieroglyph-multiplexes as cypher-texts, symbolic hyper-texts (as Dennys Frenez and Massimo Vidale would call them). See:
Dilmun portable braziers with crucibles (offering tables with bull's hooves) and other hieroglyphs: aquatic bird, rice-plant, snake,
Kjærum 1983: no. 163
Kjærum 1983: no. 165
Kjærum 1983: no. 166
Kjærum 1983: no. 167
Kjærum 1983: no. 168“Dilmunite seal designs with offering tables might testify not only to the iconographic knowledge but also to a circulation of that type of ceremonial furnishing between Western Syria and Arabian Gulf, i.e. as real imports. From an artistic point of view, Dilmun again shows the trend to assimilate themes and figurative motifs pertaining to the ‘Amorite’ Western and Northern Syrian milieu dating from the very beginning of the 2ndmillennium till the end of the 17th century BCE...The wide web of intercultural contacts during the second half of the 3rd millennium BCE is well attested, for example, by the distribution of chlorite carved vessels and by imports or objects with Harappan influence in Mesopotamia (i.e. square or circular stamp seals, etched carnelian beads, weights, clay figurines, dice, kidney-shaped inlays. If it is very likely that the people from Meluhha had settled in the alluvium, but it is much more difficult to establish the presence of Mesopotamians in the Indus Valley on the basis of presumed Near Eastern ‘cultural’ traits in a handful of objects from Harappan cities.”(opcit., p.246, 249, fn 9). It is possible that the assimilation of hieroglyphs onto Dilmun seals occurred because of Meluhhan presence and adoption of Meluhhan Indus Script cipher, with rebus-metonymy renderings of cyphertexts as hieroglyph-complexes.
S. Kalyanaraman
Sarasvati Research Center
October 14, 2015