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An allograph is a smaller fragment of writing, that is a letter or a group of letters, which represents a particular sound. A number of rebus representations of the expressions such as dul'to cast in a mould'; dul mẽṛhẽt, dul meṛeḍ, 'cast iron' are a number of Meluhha hieroglyphs of Indus Script.
3. Forked stake, crook
4. Ram
5. Endless knot motif
Hieroglyph: S. mī˜ḍhī f., °ḍho m. ʻ braid in a woman's hair ʼ,L. mē̃ḍhī f.; G. mĩḍlɔ, miḍ° m. ʻbraid of hair on a girl's forehead ʼ (CDIAL 10312). meḍ (Ho.); mẽṛhet 'iron' (Munda.Ho.Santali).मृदु mṛdu 'iron' (Samskrtam)
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Santali glosses Rebus: मृदु mṛdu, mẽṛhẽt, meḍ 'metal' (Samskrtam. Santali.Mu.Ho).Rebus: medha 'yajña, nidhi'.
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Hieroglyph: Endless knot
मेढा [ mēḍhā ] A twist or tangle arising in thread or cord, a curl or snarl.(Marathi)(CDIAL 10312).L. meṛh f. ʻrope tying oxen to each other and to post on threshing floorʼ(CDIAL 10317) Rebus: meḍ'iron'. mẽṛhet ‘iron’ (Mu.Ho.)
Thus, together, a strand and a curl, the hieroglyph-multiplex of endless-knot signifies iron mineral. mRdu dhAtu (iron mineral).
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An allograph is a smaller fragment of writing, that is a letter or a group of letters, which represents a particular sound. A number of rebus representations of the expressions such as dul'to cast in a mould'; dul mẽṛhẽt, dul meṛeḍ, 'cast iron' are a number of Meluhha hieroglyphs of Indus Script.
1. Plait of hair
2. Polar star3. Forked stake, crook
4. Ram
5. Endless knot motif
All these hieroglyphs are rebus signifiers of Meluhha word meḍ 'iron'. That five pairs of homonyms relate to one wealth category, iron, is significant and constitutes conclusive evidence for 1. Meluhha of Indian sprachbund is the parole, lingua franca of Sarasvati-Sindhu civilization; and 2.the principal life-activities of people of the civilization related to wealth-creation byśreṇi guilds for the nation, janapada..
Hieroglyph: S. mī˜ḍhī f., °ḍho m. ʻ braid in a woman's hair ʼ,L. mē̃ḍhī f.; G. mĩḍlɔ, miḍ° m. ʻbraid of hair on a girl's forehead ʼ (CDIAL 10312). meḍ (Ho.); mẽṛhet 'iron' (Munda.Ho.Santali).मृदु mṛdu 'iron' (Samskrtam)
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Santali glosses Rebus: मृदु mṛdu, mẽṛhẽt, meḍ 'metal' (Samskrtam. Santali.Mu.Ho).Rebus: medha 'yajña, nidhi'.
Deśīnāmamālā Glossary, p. 71
Allographs: 1. Or. meṭṭā ʻ hillock ʼ. 2. Or. meṇḍā ʻ lump, clot ʼ.(CDIAL 10308)M. meḍ(h), meḍhī f., meḍhā m. ʻ post, forked stake ʼ.(CDIAL 10317) S. mī˜ḍhī f., °ḍho m. ʻ braid in a woman's hair ʼ, L. mē̃ḍhī f.; G. mĩḍlɔ, miḍ° m. ʻ braid of hair on a girl's forehead ʼ; M. meḍhā m. ʻ curl, snarl, twist or tangle in cord or thread ʼ.मेढा [ mēḍhā ] meṇḍa A twist or tangle arising in thread or cord, a curl or snarl. (Marathi) (CDIAL 10312). meḍhi, miḍhī, meṇḍhī = a plait in a woman’s hair; a plaited or twisted strand of hair (P.)(CDIAL 10312)].
A. semantics 'iron': meḍ ‘iron’ (Ho)meṛed (Mundari);mẽṛed iron; enga meṛed soft iron; sanḍi meṛed hard iron; ispāt meṛed steel; dul meṛed cast iron; i meṛed rusty iron, also the iron of which weights are cast; bica meṛed iron extracted from stone ore; bali meṛed iron extracted from sand ore; meṛed-bica = iron stone ore, in contrast to bali-bica, iron sand ore (Mnda)
1. Plait of hair
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Exterior plate f, with torc-wearing head
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Votive figure from Altyn-Depe (the Golden Hill), Turkmenistan. Altyn-Depe is an ancient settlement of the Bronze Age (3,000 - 2,000 B.C.E.) on the territory of ancient Abiver. It's known locally as the "Turkmen Stonehenge". União Soviética.
Two hair strands signify: dula 'pair' rebus: dul 'metal casting' PLUS Hieroglyph strand (of hair): dhāˊtu *strand of rope ʼ (cf. tridhāˊtu -- ʻ threefold ʼ RV.,ayugdhātu -- ʻ having an uneven number of strands ʼ KātyŚr.). [√dhā ]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)
Rebus: dhāvḍī 'iron smelting': Shgh. ċīw, ċōw, ċū ʻ single hair ʼ ; Ash. dro ʻ woman's hair ʼ, Kt. drū, Wg.drū, drū̃; Pr. ḍui ʻ a hair ʼ; Kho. dro(h) ʻ hair ʼ, (Lor.) ʻ hair (of animal), body hair (human) ʼ: → Orm. dra , drī IIFL i 392 (semant. cf. Psht. pal ʻ fringe of hair over forehead ʼ < *pata -- (CDIAL 6623) drava द्रव [p= 500,3] flowing , fluid , dropping , dripping , trickling or overflowing with (comp.) Ka1t2h. Mn.MBh. Ka1v. fused , liquefied , melted W. m. distilling , trickling , fluidity Bha1sha1p. dhāˊtu n. ʻ substance ʼ RV., m. ʻ element ʼ MBh., ʻ metal, mineral, ore (esp. of a red colour) ʼ 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)(CDIAL 6773)
2. Polar star
मेढ (p. 662) [ mēḍha ] 'polar' star' Rebus: mẽṛhẽt, meḍ 'iron' (Ho.Munda)मेढ (p. 662) [ mēḍha ] The polar star मेढेमत (p. 665) [ mēḍhēmata ] n (मेढ Polar star, मत Dogma or sect.)(Marathi)
A persuasion or an order or a set of tenets and notions amongst the Shúdra-people. Founded upon certain astrological calculations proceeding upon the North star. Hence मेढेजोशी or डौरीजोशी .(Marathi). Rebus: mẽṛhẽt, meḍ 'iron' (Mu.Ho.)
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Seal impression, Ur (Upenn; U.16747); dia. 2.6, ht. 0.9 cm.; Gadd, PBA 18 (1932), pp. 11-12, pl. II, no. 12; Porada 1971: pl.9, fig.5; Parpola, 1994, p. 183; water carrier with a skin (or pot?) hung on each end of the yoke across his shoulders and another one below the crook of his left arm; the vessel on the right end of his yoke is over a receptacle for the water; a star on either side of the head (denoting supernatural?). The whole object is enclosed by 'parenthesis' marks. The parenthesis is perhaps a way of splitting of the ellipse (Hunter, G.R., JRAS, 1932, 476). An unmistakable example of an 'hieroglyphic' seal. kuṭi ‘water-carrier’ (Telugu); Rebus: kuṭhi ‘smelter furnace’ (Santali) kuṛī f. ‘fireplace’ (H.); krvṛI f. ‘granary (WPah.); kuṛī, kuṛo house, building’(Ku.)(CDIAL 3232) kuṭi ‘hut made of boughs’ (Skt.) guḍi temple (Telugu) मेढ (p. 662) [ mēḍha ] 'polar' star' Rebus: mẽṛhẽt, meḍ 'iron' (Ho.Munda)
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Seal impression, Ur (Upenn; U.16747); dia. 2.6, ht. 0.9 cm.; Gadd, PBA 18 (1932), pp. 11-12, pl. II, no. 12; Porada 1971: pl.9, fig.5; Parpola, 1994, p. 183; water carrier with a skin (or pot?) hung on each end of the yoke across his shoulders and another one below the crook of his left arm; the vessel on the right end of his yoke is over a receptacle for the water; a star on either side of the head (denoting supernatural?). The whole object is enclosed by 'parenthesis' marks. The parenthesis is perhaps a way of splitting of the ellipse (Hunter, G.R., JRAS, 1932, 476). An unmistakable example of an 'hieroglyphic' seal. kuṭi ‘water-carrier’ (Telugu); Rebus: kuṭhi ‘smelter furnace’ (Santali) kuṛī f. ‘fireplace’ (H.); krvṛI f. ‘granary (WPah.); kuṛī, kuṛo house, building’(Ku.)(CDIAL 3232) kuṭi ‘hut made of boughs’ (Skt.) guḍi temple (Telugu) मेढ (p. 662) [ mēḍha ] 'polar' star' Rebus: mẽṛhẽt, meḍ 'iron' (Ho.Munda)
Cylinder seal. Water flowing from the shoulder. Stars.
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Santali glosses. Lexis.
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Santali glosses. Lexis.meḍha 'polar star' (Marathi). meḍ 'iron' (Ho.Mu.) lo 'pot to overflow' kāṇḍa 'water'. Rebus: lokhaṇḍ Thus, meḍ or me~r.he~t khaNDa 'iron metal implements'. (See the Santali gloss with semantics: iron implements).
He also has scarf as a pigtail, is horned with two stars shown within the horn-curves.
kuThi 'twig' Rebus: kuThi 'smelter' karA 'arm with bangles' Rebus: khAr 'blacksmith' dhatu 'scarf' Rebus: dhatu 'mineral'; taTThAr 'buffalo horn' Rebus: taTTAr 'brass worker' meDhA 'polar star' Rebus: meD 'iron' (Mu.Ho.) gaNda 'four' Rebus: khaNDa 'metal imlements' aya 'fish' Rebus: aya 'iron' ayas 'metal' (Rigveda) See: http://tinyurl.com/ozyobnc
kamaḍha 'penance' (Pkt.) Rebus: kampaṭṭam ‘mint’ (Ta.) Kur. kaṇḍō a stool. Malt. kanḍo stool, seat. (DEDR 1179) Rebus: kaṇḍ = a furnace, altar (Santali)
ḍato = claws of crab (Santali); dhātu = mineral (Skt.), dhatu id. (Santali)
kūdī, kūṭī bunch of twigs (Skt.lex.) kūdī (also written as kūṭī in manuscripts) occurs in the Atharvaveda (AV 5.19.12) and Kauśika Sūtra (Bloomsfield's ed.n, xliv. cf. Bloomsfield, American Journal of Philology, 11, 355; 12,416; Roth, Festgruss an Bohtlingk, 98) denotes it as a twig. This is identified as that of Badarī, the jujube tied to the body of the dead to efface their traces. (See Vedic Index, I, p. 177). Rebus: kuṭhi 'smelting furnace‘ (Santali) koṭe ‘forged (metal) (Santali)
mēḍha The polar star. (Marathi) Rebus: meḍ ‘iron’ (Ho.)
ḍabe, ḍabea ‘large horns, with a sweeping upward curve, applied to buffaloes’ (Santali) Rebus: ḍab, ḍhimba, ḍhompo ‘lump (ingot?)’, clot, make a lump or clot, coagulate, fuse, melt together (Santali)
Thus, the entire glyphic composition of the seated, horned person is decoded rebus: meḍ dhatu kampaṭṭa ḍab kuṭhi kaṇḍ iron, mineral, mint (copper casting, forging workshop)furnace.
The text of the inscription shows two types of 'fish' glyphs: one fish + fish with scaled circumscribed by four short-strokes: aya 'fish' (Mu.); rebus: aya 'metal' (Samskritam)
gaṇḍa set of four (Santali) kaṇḍa ‘fire-altar’ cf. ayaskāṇḍa a quantity of iron, excellent iron (Pāṇ.gaṇ) The reading is consistent with the entire glyphic composition related to the mineral, mint forge.
3. Forked stake, crook
मेढ (p. 662) [ mēḍha ] the polar star (Phonetic determinant); meḍ(h), meḍhī f., meḍhā m. ʻpost, forked stakeʼ Rebus 1: meD'iron' (Ho.); med 'copper' Rebus 2: medha 'yajña'
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Crook on the hands of the chariot-driver: मेंढा [ mēṇḍhā ] A crook or curved end (of a stick) Rebus: meḍ 'iron'
4. Ram
*mēṇḍharūpa ʻ like a ram ʼ. [mēṇḍha -- 2, rūpá -- ]Bi. mẽṛhwā ʻ a bullock with curved horns like a ram's ʼ; M. mẽḍhrū̃ n. ʻ sheep ʼ.(CDIAL 10311)mēṣá m. ʻ ram ʼ, °ṣīˊ -- f. ʻ ewe ʼ RV. 2. mēha -- 2, miha- m. lex. [mēha -- 2 infl. by mḗhati ʻ emits semen ʼ as poss. mēḍhra -- 2 ʻ ram ʼ (~ mēṇḍha -- 2) by mḗḍhra -- 1 ʻ penis ʼ?]1. Pk. mēsa -- m. ʻ sheep ʼ, Ash. mišalá; Kt. məṣe/l ʻ ram ʼ; Pr. məṣé ʻ ram, oorial ʼ; Kal. meṣ, meṣalák ʻ ram ʼ, H. mes m.; -- X bhēḍra -- q.v.
2. K. myã̄ -- pūtu m. ʻ the young of sheep or goats ʼ; WPah.bhal. me\i f. ʻ wild goat ʼ; H. meh m. ʻ ram ʼ. (CDIAL 10334)*mēṣakuṭī -- ʻ hut for sheep ʼ [mēṣá -- , kuṭī -- ] or †*mēṣamaṭha -- ʻ fold for sheep ʼ. [mēṣá -- , maṭha -- 1]WPah.kṭg. mhōˋṛ m. ʻ shed for sheep at high altitudes ʼ or poss. rather < maṭha -- (CDIAL 10334a) meṣam (Skt.) miṇḍāl ‘markhor’ (Tōrwālī) meḍho a ram, a sheep (G.)(CDIAL 10120) miṇḍ ‘ram’ (Pktl.); mẽḍha (G.) cf. mēṣa = goat (Skt.lex.) மேடம்¹ mēṭam, n. < mēṣa. 1. Sheep, ram; ஆடு. (பிங்.) 2. Aries of the zodiac; ராசிமண்டலத்தின் முதற்பகுதி. (பிங்.) 3. The first solar month. See சித்திரை¹, 2. மேடமாமதி (கம்பரா. திருவவதா. 110) ēḍika. [Tel. of Tam ఆడు.] n. A ram (Telugu) मेंढा [ mēṇḍhā ] m (मेष S through H) A male sheep, a ram or tup. (Marathi) meṇḍa The Ved. (Sk.) word for ram is meṣa] 1. a ram D i.9; J iv.250, 353 (˚visāṇa -- dhanu, a bow consisting of a ram's horn). -- ˚patha Npl. "ram's road" Nd1 155=415. -- ˚yuddha ram fight D i.6. -- मेष [p= 833, Monier-Williams]m. ( √2. मिष्) a ram , sheep (in the older language applied also to a fleece or anything woollen) RV. &c. मेढ्रः [मिह्-ष्ट्रन्], मेढ्रकः mēḍhrakḥ, मेण्ढः mēṇḍhḥ मेण्ढकः mēṇḍhakḥ A ram (Apte.lexicon)bhēḍa1 m. ʻ sheep ʼ, bhaiḍaka -- ʻ of sheep ʼ lex. [bhēḍra- X ēḍa -- ?] Ash. biar ʻ she -- goat ʼ, Pr. byär, Bshk. bür; Tor. birāṭh ʻ he -- goat ʼ, Phal. bhīṛo: all with AO viii 300 doubtful. (CDIAL 9604). bhēḍra -- , bhēṇḍa -- m. ʻ ram ʼ lex. Ḍ. bēḍa f. ʻ sheep ʼ, K.ḍoḍ. bhĕḍă pl., L. bheḍ̠ f., awāṇ. bheḍ, bhiḍ, P. bheḍ, °ḍī f., °ḍā m.; WPah.bhal. (LSI) ḍhleḍḍ, (S. Varma) bheṛ, pl. °ṛã f. ʻ sheep and goats ʼ, bhad. bheḍḍ, cur. bhraḍḍ, bhēḍḍū, cam. bhēṛ, khaś. bhiḍṛu n. ʻ lamb ʼ; Ku. N. bheṛo ʻ ram ʼ, bheṛi ʻ ewe ʼ; A. bherā, bhẽrā ʻ sheep ʼ; B. bheṛ ʻ ram ʼ, °ṛā ʻ sheep ʼ, °ṛi ʻ ewe ʼ, Or. bheṛā, °ṛi, bhẽṛi; Bi. bhẽṛ ʻ sheep ʼ, °ṛā ʻ ram ʼ; Mth. bhẽṛo, °ṛī; Bhoj. bheṛā ʻ ram ʼ; Aw.lakh. bhẽṛī ʻ sheep ʼ; H. bheṛ, °ṛī f., °ṛā m., G. bheṛi f.; -- X mēṣá -- : Kho. beṣ ʻ young ewe ʼ BelvalkarVol 88. bhēḍra -- : WPah.kṭg. (kc.) bhèṛ m. ʻ sheep ʼ, bhèṛi f., J. bheḍ m. (CDIAL 9606) Note: It may not be mere coincidence that a temple of the ram-god was found in Mendes (ca. 4th millennium BCE). The word, Mendes is read as: mend + ayo (ram + fish) rebus: iron (metal) merchant. Worshipping ancestors, the Mendes might have signified the memory of the metalwork and trade in metalwork of ancestors. See more on Mendes: http://www.personal.psu.edu/users/d/b/dbr3/mendes.htmlExcavations at Tel er-Rub'a (Ancient Mendes)
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/MendesOn the ram deity of Mendes: 'The chief deities of Mendes were the ram deity Banebdjedet (lit. Ba of the Lord of Djedet), who was the Ba of Osiris, and his consort, the fish goddess Hatmehit. With their child Har-pa-khered ("Horus the Child"), they formed the triad of Mendes. The ram deity of Mendes was described by Herodotus in his History[1] as being represented with the head and fleece of a goat: “...whereas anyone with a sanctuary of Mendes or who comes from the province of Mendes, will have nothing to do with (sacrificing) goats, but uses sheep as his sacrificial animals... They say that Heracles’ overriding desire was to see Zeus, but Zeus was refusing to let him do so. Eventually, as a result of Heracles’ pleading, Zeus came up with a plan. He skinned a ram and cut off his head, then he held the head in front of himself, wore the fleece, and showed himself to Heracles like that. That is why the Egyptian statues of Zeus have a ram’s head, is why rams are sacred to the Thebans, and they do not use them as sacrificial animals. However there is just one day of the year—the day of the festival of Zeus--when they chop up a single ram, skin it, dress the statue of Zeus in the way mentioned, and then bring the statue of Heracles up close to the statue of Zeus. Then everyone around the sanctuary mourns the death of the ram and finally they bury it in a sacred tomb.” Presumably following Herodotus' description, the occultist Eliphas Levi in his Dogme et Rituel de la Haute Magie (1855) called his goat-headed conception of Baphomet the "Baphomet of Mendes"'
The 'ram' is distinct orthographically with curved horns and can be distinguished from a 'goat or antelope' of the type carried by the Meluhha merchant on the Shu-Ilishu cylinder seal with Akkadian inscription.
In Mahadevan corpus, three types of representations of goat (ram) are categorised as 'field symbols': Goat-antelope, ox-antelope, ligatured animal (with features of ram) -- each appearing, respectively, on 37, 26 and 41 inscribed objects.
Another view is to orthographically distinguish two types of 'sheep': sheep with short horns (which is equated with mlekh 'goat' (Brahui); sheep with curved and long horns (thrown backward) -- which is equated with meḍh 'ram'.
Harappa seal (h350B)
Harappa seal (h330)
m0488C Tablet.
m1186A Seal.
A document titled 'Glyptic art and glyptic writing in contact areas of Indus script hieroglyphs' (with a few embedded documents) provides some instances of 'ram' orthography (with curved/long horns) distinguished from 'goat' orthography (with short horns). This document includes a reference to 'Indus script gulf type seals': Steffen Terp Laursen (2010) detailing the westward transmission of Indus valley sealing technology: origin and development of 'Gulf type' seal and other administrative technologies in early Dilmun, ca. 2100-2000 BCE (Published in Arabian Archaeology and Epigraphy 2010: vol. 21: 96-134). See decoding of Gulf type Indus script inscriptions at: http://www.docstoc.com/docs/89750961/Decoding-Gulf-Type-Seals
It is likely that the Meluhhan traders who interacted with 'Gulf' interaction area and created the 'Gulf type' seals carried with them the rebus reading of the 'goat' or 'ram' glyphs and provided such a reading on the seals. mlekh 'goat' connoted, read rebus 'copper'; meḍh 'ram', connoted, read rebus 'merchant'. A clear identifying calling card of the commodity described by the inscription (identified by the glyph: goat) and the professional status of the trader (identified by the glyph: ram).
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.
5. Endless knot motif
मेधा a symbolical N. of the letter ध् Up.= धन Naigh. ii , 10. any valued object , (esp.) wealth, riches , (movable) property , money , treasure , gift RV. &c.
Consistent with Naighantuka, the word medhA also means 'कविधानम्' according to s'abdakalpadruma: I assume that medhA = dhAnam means (in the context of the hieroglyph on Dhruva II inscription): धानम् dhānam नी nī धानम् नी [धा भावे-ल्युट्] 1 A receptacle, seat; as in मसीधानी, राजधानी, यमधानी; रविं दधाने$प्यरविन्दधाने Śi.4.12. -2 Nourishing, nourishment. -नी 1 The site of a habitation.
मेधा, स्त्री, (मेधते सङ्गच्छते अस्यामिति । मेध् + “षिद्भिदादिभ्योऽङ् ।” ३ । ३ । १०४ । इत्यङ् । टाप् ।) धारणावती बुद्धिः । इत्यमरः । १ । ५ । २ ॥ धारणाशक्तियुक्ता धीर्मेधा मेधते सङ्गच्छतेऽस्यां सर्व्वंबहुश्रुतं विषयीकरोति इति वा मेधा मेधृ-ञ सङ्गे मेधायां सेमक्तात् सरोरित्यः आपबहु- श्रुतविषयीकरणंधारणा यदुक्तं धारणा बुद्धे- र्गुणविशेषः इति ॥ इति भरतः ॥ * ॥ (यथा, मुण्डकोपनिषदि । ३ । २ । ३ ।“नायमात्मा प्रवचनेन लभ्यो न मेधया न बहुना श्रुतेन । यमेवैष वृणुते तेन लभ्य- स्तस्यैष आत्मा विवृणुतेतनूं स्वाम् ॥”) मेधाकरं औषधं यथा, -- “शङ्खपुष्पी वचा सोमा ब्राह्मी ब्रह्मसुवर्च्चला । अभया च गुडूचीच अटरूषकवाकुची । एतैरक्षसमैर्भागैर्घृतं प्रस्थं विपाचयेत् ॥ कण्टकार्य्या रस प्रस्थं बृहत्या च समन्वितम्। एतद्ब्राह्मीघृतं नाम स्मृतिमेधाकरं परम् ॥”ति गारुडे १९८ अध्यायः ॥ * ॥ मेधाकरगणो यथा ।सतताध्ययनम् । तत्त्व- ज्ञानकथा । श्रेष्ठतन्त्रशास्त्रावलोकनम् । सद्द्वि- जाचार्य्यसेवा च । इति पुराणम् ॥(दक्षप्रजा- पतिकन्याविशेषः । यथा, -- “कीर्त्तिलक्ष्मी र्धृतिर्मेघा पुष्टिः श्रद्धा क्रिया मतिः ॥” इति वह्निपुराणेगणभेदनामाध्याये ॥ धनम् । इति निघण्टुः । २ । १० ॥ “मिधृ मेधृ सङ्गमे च । चकारात् हिंसामेधयोश्च ।मिधिः सङ्गत्यर्थः । इति माधवः । घज् । सङ्गच्छतेऽनेन सर्व्वं तद्बता हिंस्यते वा तद्वान् चौरादिभिः घ्नन्तिचैवार्थकारणात् इति महाभारतम् ॥ यद्वा, मतौ धीयते अर्जयितव्यं रक्षितव्यं दातव्य- मिति धनवता बुद्धौधनं धार्य्यते । तत्र मति- शब्द उपपदे धातोः घञर्थे कविधानम् इति कः । पृषोदरादित्वात् मतिशब्दस्यमेभावः ।” इति तद्भाष्ये देवराजयज्वा ॥)
The dAna referred in the grant signed by Dhruva II also includesdhana 'property, gift' signified by mēḍhā 'twist' rebus: medhA, and hence, the use of the Indus Script hieroglyph.
The earlier rebus rendering of the hieroglyph mēḍhā 'twist' is a commodity:
m1356 Copper plate
The endless knot is deciphered as: med 'iron' med 'copper' (Slavic languages).
The svastika is deciphered as: sattva, jasta 'zinc, sphalerite'.med 'iron' med 'copper' (Slavic) and hence, its occurrence together with svastika hieroglyph which signifies: jasta, sattva, 'zinc' in the context of trade by seafaring merchants of Meluhha.
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The hieroglyph may be a variant of a twisted rope.
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The hieroglyph may be a variant of a twisted rope.dhāu 'rope' rebus: dhāu 'metal' PLUS मेढा [ mēḍhā ] 'a curl or snarl; twist in thread' rebus: mẽṛhẽt, meḍ ‘iron’. Thus, metallic ore.
Endless knot: Yajna, Iron Mineral smelter cluster
C-49 a,b,c
+ hieroglyph in the middle with covering lines around/dots in corners poLa 'zebu' rebus: poLa 'magnetite'; dhAv 'strand' rebus: dhAv 'smelter'; kulA 'hooded snake' rebus: kolle 'blacksmith' kol 'working in iron' kolhe 'smelter'; kolmo 'three' koD 'horn' rebus: kolimi 'smithy' koD 'workshop'. tri-dhAtu 'three strands, threefold' rebus: tri-dhAv 'three mineral ores'.mḗdha m. ʻ sacrificial oblation ʼ RV. Pa. mēdha -- m. ʻ sacrifice ʼ; Si. mehe, mē sb. ʻ eating ʼ ES 69.(CDIAL 10327). Thus, mḗdha is a yajna. 1 ] fit for sacrifice, pure; neg. a˚ impure Sdhp 363. medha [Vedic medha, in aśva, go˚, puruṣa˚ etc.] sacrifice only in assa˚ horse -- sacrifice (Pali)
गृहम् gṛhamमेध a. 1 one who performs the domestic rites or sacrifices; गृह- मेधास आ गत मरुतो माप भूतन Rv.7.59.1.-2 connected with the duties of a householder. (-धः) 1 a householder. -2 a domestic sacrifice; मेधः 1 A sacrifice, as in नरमेध, अश्वमेध, एकविंशति- मेधान्ते Mb.14.29.18. (com. मेधो युद्धयज्ञः । 'यज्ञो वै मेधः'इति श्रुतेः ।). -2 A sacrificial animal or victim. -3 An offering, oblation. मेधा [मेध्-अञ्] (changed to मेधस् in Bah. comp. when preceded by सु, दुस् and the negative particle अ A sacrifice. -5 Strength, power (Ved.). मेध्य a. [मेध्-ण्यत्, मेधाय हितं यत् वा] 1 Fit for a sacrifice; अजाश्वयोर्मुखं मेध्यम् Y.1.194; Ms.5.54. -2 Relating to a sacrifice, sacrificial; मेध्येनाश्वेनेजे; R.13. 3; उषा वा अश्वस्य मेध्यस्य शिरः Bṛi. Up.1.1.1. -3 Pure, sacred, holy; भुवं कोष्णेन कुण्डोघ्नी मध्येनावमृथादपि R.1.84; 3.31;14.81 Mejjha (adj. -- nt.) [*medhya; fr. medha] 1. (adj.) [to medhaमेढा [ mēḍhā ]'twist, curl'
rebus: meD 'iron, copper,metal‘ medha ‘yajna
rebus: meD 'iron, copper,metal‘ medha ‘yajna
Fatehpur Sikri (1569-1584 CE cf. RS Bisht
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Dhruva II Inscription Gujarat Rashtrakuta 884 CE [H. Sarkar & BM Pande, 1999, Symbols and Graphic Representations in Indian Inscriptions, Delhi: Aryan,]
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Dhruva II Inscription Gujarat Rashtrakuta 884 CE [H. Sarkar & BM Pande, 1999, Symbols and Graphic Representations in Indian Inscriptions, Delhi: Aryan,] 
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A3a and A3b
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A3a and A3bHieroglyph: Endless knot
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dhAtu 'strand of rope' Rebus: dhAtu 'mineral, metal, ore'धातु [p= 513,3] m. layer , stratum Ka1tyS3r. Kaus3. constituent part , ingredient (esp. [ and in RV. only] ifc. , where often = " fold " e.g. त्रि-ध्/आतु , threefold &c ; cf.त्रिविष्टि- , सप्त- , सु-) RV. TS. S3Br. &c (Monier-Williams) dhāˊtu *strand of rope ʼ (cf. tridhāˊtu -- ʻ threefold ʼ RV., ayugdhātu -- ʻ having an uneven number of strands ʼ KātyŚr.).; 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) tántu m. ʻ thread, warp ʼ RV. [√tan ] Pa. tantu -- m. ʻ thread, cord ʼ, Pk. taṁtu -- m.; Kho. (Lor.) ton ʻ warp ʼ < *tand (whence tandeni ʻ thread between wings of spinning wheel ʼ); S. tandu f. ʻ gold or silver thread ʼ; L. tand (pl. °dũ) f. ʻ yarn, thread being spun, string of the tongue ʼ; P. tand m. ʻ thread ʼ, tanduā, °dūā m. ʻ string of the tongue, frenum of glans penis ʼ; A. tã̄t ʻ warp in the loom, cloth being woven ʼ; B. tã̄t ʻ cord ʼ; M. tã̄tū m. ʻ thread ʼ; Si. tatu, °ta ʻ string of a lute ʼ; -- with -- o, -- ā to retain orig. gender: S. tando m. ʻ cord, twine, strand of rope ʼ; N. tã̄do ʻ bowstring ʼ; H. tã̄tā m. ʻ series, line ʼ; G. tã̄tɔ m. ʻ thread ʼ; -- OG. tāṁtaṇaü m. ʻ thread ʼ < *tāṁtaḍaü, G.tã̄tṇɔ m.(CDIAL 5661)
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dhAtu 'strand of rope' Rebus: dhAtu 'mineral, metal, ore'धातु [p= 513,3] m. layer , stratum Ka1tyS3r. Kaus3. constituent part , ingredient (esp. [ and in RV. only] ifc. , where often = " fold " e.g. त्रि-ध्/आतु , threefold &c ; cf.त्रिविष्टि- , सप्त- , सु-) RV. TS. S3Br. &c (Monier-Williams) dhāˊtu *strand of rope ʼ (cf. tridhāˊtu -- ʻ threefold ʼ RV., ayugdhātu -- ʻ having an uneven number of strands ʼ KātyŚr.).; 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) tántu m. ʻ thread, warp ʼ RV. [√मेढा [ mēḍhā ] A twist or tangle arising in thread or cord, a curl or snarl.(Marathi)(CDIAL 10312).L. meṛh f. ʻrope tying oxen to each other and to post on threshing floorʼ(CDIAL 10317) Rebus: meḍ'iron'. mẽṛhet ‘iron’ (Mu.Ho.)
Thus, together, a strand and a curl, the hieroglyph-multiplex of endless-knot signifies iron mineral. mRdu dhAtu (iron mineral).
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m1457B Copper plate with 'twist' hieroglyph hāu 'rope' rebus: dhāu 'metal' PLUS मेढा [ mēḍhā ] 'a curl or snarl; twist in thread' rebus: mẽṛhẽt, meḍ ‘iron’.
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m1457B Copper plate with 'twist' hieroglyph hāu 'rope' rebus: dhāu 'metal' PLUS मेढा [ mēḍhā ] 'a curl or snarl; twist in thread' rebus: mẽṛhẽt, meḍ ‘iron’.S. Kalyanaraman
Sarasvati Research Center
May 9, 2017