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Dance-step, lamp, wristlets, bangles Indus Script hieroglyphs signify cast metal implements

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An exquisite, cute bronze statue of Mohenjo-daro referred to as 'dancing girl' conveys many hieroglyph based Meluhha messages unambiguously in orthographic, artistic expressions. In addition to the dance-step hieroglyph, two additional hieroglyphs are signified on the statue: 1. wristlets and bangles on arms; 2. wicks of a lamp held on her left hand 3. strand of necklace with pendants


Hieroglyph: dhāu 'strand of (necklace)' Rebus: dhāv 'red ore, element, mineral'

Wristlets, bangles: karã̄ n. pl. ʻwristlets, bangles ʼ rebus: khār खार् 'blacksmith'.

Lampwicks: Two wicks: dula 'pair' rebus: dul 'cast metal' bāti ʻwick, lamp, candleʼ rebus:vaṭloi 'brass' baTa ‘iron’ bhaTa ‘furnace’. It may also signify a crucible:  koThAri 'crucible' Rebus: koThAri 'treasurer, warehouse' . Intimations of crucible steel !!! Alternative: mūṣā f. ʻrat' rebus: mūṣā f. ʻ crucible ʼ MārkP.
Dance step: meD 'dance' (Remo); meTTu 'dance-step' (Telugu, Kannada); rebus: meD 'iron'; bat.a 'pot'; bat.hi 'furnace'. Rebus: mẽṛhẽt, meḍ 'iron' (Mu.Ho.)  कर्णक kárṇaka, kannā 'legs spread', 'rim of jar', 'pericarp of lotus' karaṇī 'scribe, supercargo', kañi-āra 'helmsman'. baTa 'rimless pot' rebus: bhaTa 'furnace'.
Inline image 1Zoomed in on the object held on the left hand of 'dancing girl' in National Museum, New Delhi  http://www.nationalmuseumindia.gov.in/prodCollections.asp?pid=44&id=1&lk=dp1

Indus Script hieroglyph-multiplexes on the statue are linguistic-lexis determinatives of the Meluhha -- vāk -- speech [mentioned as mleccha vācas distinguished from (chandas) literary form ārya vācas mentioned in Manu Samhita 10.45]. 

The lexis is a set of messages of blacksmith's metal implements out of smithy-forge and constitute a display, a celebration of metallurgical competence of the artisans. The statue is a bronze casting usingcire perdue (lost-wax) casting technology.Display of a dance-step in an exquisite bronze statue 10.5 cm. high 
Place of Origin: Mohenjodaro Materials: Bronze Dimensions: 10.5 x 5 x 2.5 cm.  Acc. No. 5721/195 National Museum. New Delhi ca. 2500 BCE

I am grateful to Prof. TP Verma for pointing out something which has so far been unnoticed by all archaeologists and art critics. The reference is to an object held in the left hand and resting on her left knee of this dancing girl statue. In Prof. Verma's view, this is NOT a begging bowl of a dancer but a representation of Parvati as Annapurna, noting that the most striking feature of Harappan figures is that Mother  goddesses are shown naked. Thus nudity is the sign of divinity. 
Mohenjo-daro. Bronze Statue. Lady holding a deepam. Bronze statue of a woman holding a small bowl, Mohenjodaro; copper alloy made using cire perdue method (DK 12728; Mackay 1938: 274, Pl. LXXIII, 9-11)The dancing girl statue is shown wearing wristlets and bangles on her arms.

Hieroglyph: karã̄ n. pl. ʻwristlets, bangles ʼ(Gujarati)(CDIAL 2779) Rebus:  khār खार् 'blacksmith(Kashmiri) 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 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 ।लोहकारापणः m. a blacksmith's shop, a forge, smithy (K.Pr. 3). -waṭh -वठ् । आघाताधारशिला m. (sg. dat. -waṭas -वटि), the large stone used by a blacksmith as an anvil. (Kashmiri)

Hieroglyph: várti1 (and vartí -- ) f. ʻ wick ʼ MBh., ʻ small compress ʼ Suśr., ʻ lamp ʼ lex., °ikā -- f. ʻ wick ʼ KālP. [√vr̥t1]Pa. vaṭṭi -- , °ikā -- f. ʻ wick ʼ, Pk. vaṭṭĭ̄ -- , °ṭiā -- , vatti -- f.; Sh. batīˊ ʻ unlit native lamp, candle, wick of European lamp ʼ (← H.?); S. vaṭi f. ʻ wick ʼ; L. vaṭṭf. ʻ roll of grass, wick ʼ, awāṇ. vaṭ ʻ wick ʼ, P. vaṭṭī, ba°, battī f.; N. bāti ʻ lamp ʼ (bati ← H.), A. bāti; B. bāti ʻ wick, lamp, candle ʼ; Or. bati ʻ lamp ʼ (← H.), Bi. Mth. Bhoj. bātī; OAw. bātĭ̄ ʻ wick ʼ, H. bātī, battī f. (→ N. Or. and prob. Sh.); G. vāṭ f. ʻ lamp ʼ, vātī f. ʻ perfumed match or taper ʼ; M. vāt f. ʻ wick ʼ, Ko.vāti; Si. väṭ -- a ʻ lamp ʼ, väṭi -- ya ʻ wick ʼ; Md. vo'ʻ lamp ʼ; -- with -- o as from an orig. masculine: Ku. bāto m. ʻ wick, lamp ʼ; N. bāto ʻ rope of twisted cane (to tie down thatch) ʼ.Addenda: várti -- 1: S.kcch. batī, bhatī f. ʻ lamp, torch ʼ ← H.; WPah.kṭg. batti, kc. baṭe f. ʻ wick, lamp, light ʼ, J. bāṭī f.(CDIAL 11359) Rebus 1:  vartalōha n. ʻ a kind of brass (i.e. *cup metal?) ʼ lex. [*varta -- 2 associated with lōhá -- by pop. etym.?] Pa. vaṭṭalōha -- n. ʻ a partic. kind of metal ʼ; L.awāṇ. valṭōā ʻ metal pitcher ʼ, P. valṭoh, ba° f., vaṭlohā, ba° m.; N. baṭlohi ʻ round metal vessel ʼ; A. baṭlahi ʻ water vessel ʼ; B. bāṭlahi, bāṭulāi ʻ round brass cooking vessel ʼ; Bi. baṭlohī ʻ small metal vessel ʼ; H. baṭlohī, °loī f. ʻ brass drinking and cooking vessel ʼ, G.vaṭloi f. Addenda: vartalōha -- : WPah.kṭg. bəlṭóɔ m. ʻ large brass vessel ʼ. (CDIAL 11357) Rebus 2: baTa ‘iron’ bhaTa ‘furnace’. 9656 bhráṣṭra n. ʻ frying pan, gridiron ʼ MaitrS. [√bhrajj]Pk. bhaṭṭha -- m.n. ʻ gridiron ʼ; K. büṭhü f. ʻ level surface by kitchen fireplace on which vessels are put when taken off fire ʼ; S. baṭhu m. ʻ large pot in which grain is parched, large cooking fire ʼ, baṭhī f. ʻ distilling furnace ʼ; L. bhaṭṭh m. ʻ grain -- parcher's oven ʼ, bhaṭṭhī f. ʻ kiln, distillery ʼ, awāṇ. bhaṭh; P. bhaṭṭhm., °ṭhī f. ʻ furnace ʼ, bhaṭṭhā m. ʻ kiln ʼ; N. bhāṭi ʻ oven or vessel in which clothes are steamed for washing ʼ; A. bhaṭā ʻ brick -- or lime -- kiln ʼ; B. bhāṭi ʻ kiln ʼ; Or. bhāṭi ʻ brick -- kiln, distilling pot ʼ; Mth. bhaṭhī, bhaṭṭī ʻ brick -- kiln, furnace, still ʼ; Aw.lakh. bhāṭhā ʻ kiln ʼ; H. bhaṭṭhā m. ʻ kiln ʼ, bhaṭ f. ʻ kiln, oven, fireplace ʼ; M. bhaṭṭā m. ʻ pot of fire ʼ, bhaṭṭī f. ʻ forge ʼ. -- X bhástrā -- q.v.bhrāṣṭra -- ; *bhraṣṭrapūra -- , *bhraṣṭrāgāra -- .Addenda: bhráṣṭra -- : S.kcch. bhaṭṭhī keṇī ʻ distil (spirits) ʼ.(CDIAL 9656)


Thus karã̄ 'hands with wristlets and bangles' PLUS baṭi  'lamp' Rebus: khāra-bhāṭi 'blacksmith's smelter'.

Forge scene stele.  Forging of a keris or kris (the iconic Javanese dagger) and other weapons. The blade of the keris represents the khaNDa. Fire is a purifier, so the blade being forged is also symbolic of the purification process central theme of the consecration of gangga sudhi specified in the inscription on the 1.82 m. tall, 5 ft. dia.  lingga hieroglyph, the deity of Candi Sukuh. 

mūṣa m., °ṣā -- f. ʻ rat, mouse ʼ Pañcat., mūṣaka -- m. Yājñ., muṣ° lex. 2. mūˊṣika -- m. ʻ rat, mouse ʼ Gaut. [mūˊṣ -- ]
1. Pa. mūsī -- f. ʻ mouse ʼ; Pk. mūsaya -- m. ʻ rat ʼ; Gy. gr. mušómusó ʻ mouse ʼ, wel. musō m., germ. ker -- mūso (ker -- < ghara -- ), hung. musi f., as. muš; Ḍ. mūša ʻ rat ʼ; Ash. mušämuṣəmusä, Kt. mū̃sə, Pr. mṳ̄sūˊ; Kamd. muzúk ʻ vulva ʼ, (Davidson) "muzzā"ʻ eggs ʼ (semant. cf. muṣká -- ʻ testicle, vulva ʼ IEW 753); Dm. muṣá ʻ mouse ʼ, Paš.dar. mūč, ar. 3č (< *mūṣačī -- , but mūš ← Pers. IIFL iii 3, 126), Shum. múṣo, Woṭ. muš, Gaw. muṣa, Kal. mizók (← Kaf., e.g. Kamd.); Bshk. mūṣ ʻ rat, mouse ʼ; Tor.mūš ʻ mouse ʼ (= mūṣ? Morgenstierne IL v 358), Sv. múṣo, Phal. mū̃ṣo; Sh.koh. mū̃ẓṷ m., gur. mūẓṷ m. ʻ rat ʼ, jij. muẓu, koh. mŭẓoi f., gur. mŭẓai f. ʻ mouse ʼ; P. mūsā m. ʻ rat ʼ (← H.), WPah.bhal. muś m., khaś. jaun. mūśā; Ku. N. muso ʻ rat, mouse ʼ (N. also ʻ wart ʼ); OB. musā ʻ rat ʼ, Or. mūsā; Mth. mūsmūsāmusa ʻ mouse ʼ, Bhoj. mus; H. mūs,mūsāmūsrā m., °rī f. ʻ rat, mouse ʼ.
2. Pa. mūsika -- m., °kā -- f. ʻ mouse ʼ; NiDoc. muṣka ʻ rat, mouse ʼ Burrow KharDoc 112; Pk. mūsiya -- m. ʻ rat ʼ, Sh. (Lor.) mūẓi; Or. mūsi ʻ small mouse ʼ; Si. mīyā, st.  -- ʻ rat ʼ.Addenda: mūṣa -- [Cf. mūˊṣaḥ nom.pl. RV.]
Gy.germ. mišo m. ʻ mouse ʼ; WPah.kṭg. (kc.) múśśɔ, J. muśā m.,  múśśəṇ f. (obl. -- i); Garh. mūsu ʻ mouse ʼ, mussu ʻ rat ʼ.(CDIAL 10258) Rebus: mūṣā f. ʻ crucible ʼ MārkP. A. muhi ʻ crucible ʼ, B. muchi, Or. musā, H. G. M. mūs f., Si. musā. (CDIAL 10262)
There are two unique hieroglyphs on Ganesha seated statue of Dholkal, Bastar, Chattisgarh: Theyajnopavitam worn by Ganesha is a chain of three stranded metal chain (iron or steel) wires. Ganesha carries on his left hand a pine cone.



Both hieroglyphs, together with the trunk of elephant in iconographs are related to metalwork catalogues of Indus Script corpora. Veneration of Ganesha dates back to Rigvedic times (See RV 2.23 sukta gaṇānāṃ tvā gaṇapatiṃ havāmahe kaviṃ kavīnām upamaśravastamam -- with translation appended). In the tradition of Bharatam Janam, gana are related to kharva, dwarfs as part of Kubera's nidhi; rebus: karba 'iron'.



kandə 'pine cone' Rebus, signified metalwork: khaṇḍa. A portion of the front hall, in a temple;  kaṇḍ 'fire-altar' (Santali) kāṇḍa 'tools, pots and pans and metal-ware' (Marathi) 

Hieroglyh: chain of strands: dhāu 'strand of rope' Rebus: dhāv 'red ore' śã̄gaḍ ʻchainʼ rebus: sanghāta 'vajra, metallic adamantine glue'. dhAtu 'strands of rope' Rebus: dhAtu 'mineral, metal, ore'

लोखंड (p. 723) [ lōkhaṇḍa ] n (लोह S) Iron लोखंडकाम (p. 723) [ lōkhaṇḍakāma ] n Iron work; that portion (of a building, machine &c.) which consists of iron. 2 The business of an ironsmith.
लोखंडी (p. 723) [ lōkhaṇḍī ] a (लोखंड) Composed of iron; relating to iron लोहोलोखंड (p. 723) [ lōhōlōkhaṇḍa ] n (लोह & लोखंड) Iron tools, vessels, or articles in general.
dhāī˜ (Lahnda) signifies a single strand of rope or thread.

I have suggested that a dotted circle hieroglyph is a cross-section of a strand of rope: S. dhāī f. ʻ wisp of fibres added from time to time to a rope that is being twisted ʼ, L. dhāī˜ f. Rebus: dhāˊtu n. ʻsubstance ʼ RV., m. ʻ element ʼ MBh., ʻ metal, mineral, ore (esp. of a red colour)ʼ; dhāūdhāv m.f. ʻ a partic. soft red stone ʼ(Marathi) धवड (p. 436) [ dhavaḍa ] m (Or धावड) A class or an individual of it. They are smelters of iron (Marathi).  Hence, the depiction of a single dotted circle, two dotted circles and three dotted circles (called trefoil) on the robe of the Purifier priest of Mohenjo-daro.


Two examples of Indus Script seals with a three-stranded rope:
m1406 



Hieroglyphs: thread of three stands + drummer + tumblers


dhollu ‘drummer’ (Western Pahari) dolutsu 'tumble' Rebus: dul ‘cast metal’

karaḍa 'double-drum' Rebus: karaḍa 'hard alloy'.

dhAtu 'strands of rope' Rebus: dhAtu 'mineral, metal, ore'


Kalibangan seal. k020 Hieroglyphs: thread of three strands + water-carrier + one-horned young bull. kuTi 'water-carrier' rebus: kuThi 'smelter' PLUS dhāī˜  'strand' rebus: dhAtu 'minerals'

S.Kalyanaraman
Sarasvati Research Center
May 24, 2016

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