ओतृ or पोतृ, m. " Purifier " , N. of one of the 16 officiating priests at a sacrifice (the assistant of the Brahman ; = यज्ञस्य शोधयिट्रि Sa1y. ) RV. Br. S3rS. Hariv. ; name of विष्णु; पोत्री f. N. of दुर्गा (Demetrius Galanos's Lexiko: sanskritikes, anglikes, hellenikes) The imagery of 'pouring' from a pot finds brilliant expression on many artifacts of Ancient Near East. Ta. pey (-v-, -t-) to rain, fall (as dew or hail); pour down or into (tr.), put, place, serve up (as food in a dish), throw out, discharge (as urine), shed (as tears), distribute; peyal showering, rain, raindrop, cloud; peyalai rain; puyal, pucal cloud, raining, water; gale, storm, tempest; poci (-v-, -nt-) to ooze, percolate, flow. Ma. peyyuka to pour, rain; peyttu raining; peyyikka to cause to rain. Ko. oy- (oc-) (rain) rains. Ka. poy to pour, cast; n. pouring; puy to pour, cast; pōcal pouring water. Koḍ. poyy- (poyyuv-, pojj-) (rain) rains, (wind) blows. Kor. (O.) pī- to pour. Te. pōyu to pour, cast in metal; (K. also) (sweat, pus) forms; pō̃ta pouring, casting in metal. Kol. (SR.) paiyeng to pour. Nk. (Ch.) pī- id. Go. poy- (Ma.) (water) pours, flows, (Ko.) to be spilled, flow (Voc. 2396); (Koya Su.) poy- (water) to be spilled; (ASu.) poccī- to pour out (water). Kuwi (F.) boiyali (bōt-) to overflow (a vessel); (Su. Isr.) bō- (-t-) to be spilled. Kur.poē̃nā (before vowel pońń-, pō̃yy-; past possā) to fall (of rain); puỹdnā to pour some water on rice when ready for a meal. Malt. poye (pos-) to rain; puthyeto pour.(DEDR 4407)
--  P دامن or دامان dāman or dāmān, s.m. (2nd) The skirt of a garment, the sheet of a sail. (Pashto)   dāmāna दामान वस्त्रप्रान्तभागः m. a skirt, a hem, i.q. dāman, q.v. --chalun --छलुन् । असत्याक्षेपः m.inf. to make a false accusation. -palav -पलव् । छिन्नो वसनप्रान्तः m. the torn edge or skirt of a garment. --raṭun --रटुन् । दीनतया याचनम् m.inf. to seize by the skirt; met. to implore, beseech (Śiv. 1732). Cf. dāman raṭun. dāmānas mīṭhⁱ dinⁱ दामानस् मीठि॒ दिनि॒ m. pl. inf. to give kisses to the skirt, to kiss the hem of (a person's) garment, to show great humility (Śiv. 1150).dāmạnⁱ दाम॑नि॒ । शिरोभूषणविशेषः f. a woman's veil or mantle; a certain ornament worn on the fore- head.dāmandār दामन्दार् । अधःप्रान्ते चित्रोपेतः adj. c.g. skirted, having an embroidered skirt or border (of a garment). dāmāndörī दामान्दा॑री । प्रार्थना f. the act of seizing the skirt, making an entreaty; esp. asking in marriage, proposals for marriage made by the relations of the bridegroom to those of the bride or vice versa.(Kashmiri)

Rebus: damun 1 दमुन् । वायुनाग्निसंदीपनम् conj. 1 (pres. part. damān दमान्, or, Śiv. 1854, daman 3 दमन्; 1 p.p. dom^u द॑मु॒), to blow up a fire (with bellows or the mouth); as vb. impers. in past tenses (past domun द॑मुन्), to roar (of wind or a blast of air on fire) (Gr.Gr. xxxviii); to roar (as a wild beast) (Śiv. 1854). dom^u-mot^u द॑मु॒-म॑तु॒ । वायुना संदीपितः perf. part. (f. düm^ü-müʦ^ü द॑मू॒-म॑च़ू॒), blown up (with bellows or by the mouth, of fire).damun 2 दमुन् m. (sg. dat. damanas दमनस्), a pair of bellows (K.Pr. 46). For daman 1 see dam 1, for 2 see s.v., for 3 see damun 1, for 4 see bel. daman-basta दमन्-बस्त । धमनचर्म f. the leather bag, alternately inflated with and emptied of air, used as the body of a bellows (K.Pr. 46). -nôr^u -नोरु॒ । वायुनलिका m. the metal nozzle or pipe of a pair of bellows. (Kashmiri)

"A finger-ring (DK 8498) made of steatite,measuring1.45 inches in diameter outside and 0.69 inches inside, and 0.63 inches in width, has ‘a trefoil pattern carved in relief, the interiors of the lobes having first been drilled’ and ‘the sunken portions…probably once filled in with a coloured paste’. (Fig.6) This exceptional find comes from block 10, house I, room 11 in the G section of the DK areaof Mohenjo-daro (at a level of 22 ft., representing the ‘Intermediate III’ period). Because the trefoil appears to have been a sacred motif, and because a ring of this material would not have stood hard everyday wear’, Mackay assumed that it ‘was worn by a priest or in the performance of some ritual’. (Mackay 1938: I,531; II, pl. 139:14.)” (Asko Parpola, 1985, pp.23-24)

Seal. Mohenjo-daro. Hieroglyph: rāngo ‘water buffalo bull’ (Ku.N.)(CDIAL 10559) Rebus: rango ‘pewter’. ranga, rang pewter is an alloy of tin, lead, and antimony (anjana) (Santali)

Hieroglyphs: dul 'two'; ayo 'fish'; kANDa 'arrow': dula 'cast' ayo 'iron, metal' (Gujarati. Rigveda); kANDa 'metalware, pots and pans, tools' (Marathi) Hieroglyph: Rings on neck: koDiyum (Gujarati) koṭiyum = a wooden circle put round the neck of an animal; koṭ = neck (Gujarati)Rebus: koD 'artisan's workshop'(Kuwi) koD = place where artisans work (Gujarati) koṭe 'forge' (Mu.) koṭe meṛed = forged iron, in contrast to dul meṛed, cast iron (Mundari) pattar 'trough' rebus: pattar 'goldsmith guild' ranga 'buffalo' rebus: ranga 'pewter, alloy'

Buffalo. Mohenjo-daro.

Buffalo. Daimabad bronze. Prince of Wales Museum, Mumbai.
ran:gā ‘buffalo’; ran:ga ‘pewter or alloy of tin (ran:ku), lead (nāga) and antimony (añjana)’(Santali)

kaṭái ʻ buffalo calf ʼ(Gaw.) kāṭo ʻ young buffalo bull ʼ (Kumaoni) (CDIAL 2645).

kāṛā ‘buffalo’ bull (Tamil) khaḍā ‘nodule (ore), stone’ (Marathi). Alternative: கண்டி kaṇṭi buffalo. Rebus: kāḍ ‘stone ore’gaḍa ‘large stone mould’. Glyph: kuṇḍī ‘crooked buffalo horns’ (Lahnda.) Rebus: kuṇḍī = chief of village (Prakrit).The artisan is kundakara— m. ‘turner’ (Skt.); H. kũderā m. ‘one who works a lathe, one who scrapes’ (CDIAL 3297).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)
Trough in front of wild-buffalo, B007.

m0492At m0492Bt Pict-14: Two bisons standing face to face.
m0492Ct 2835 Pict-99: Person throwing a spear at a bison and placing one foot on the head of the bison; a hooded serpent at left.
Plano convex molded tablet showing an individual spearing a water buffalo with one foot pressing the head down and one arm holding the tip of a horn. A gharial is depicted above the sacrifice scene and a figure seated in yogic position, wearing a horned headdress, looks on. The horned headdress has a branch with three prongs or leaves emerging from the center.

Cylinder seal and modern impression: bull-man combatting lion; nude hero combatting water buffalo; inscription

Period: Akkadian
Date: ca. 2250–2150 B.C.
Geography: Mesopotamia
Culture: Akkadian
Medium: Albite
Dimensions: H. 15/16 in. ( 3.4 cm ); Diam. 7/8 in. ( 2.3 cm)
Classification: Stone-Cylinder Seals-Inscribed
Credit Line: Gift of Nanette B. Kelekian, in memory of Charles Dikran and Beatrice Kelekian, 1999
Accession Number: 1999.325.4 Metmuseum

Signs of a house. Drawing after Huntington.http://huntingtonarchive.osu.edu/resources/downloads/webPresentations/harappanSeals.pdf
Gaur. H176A

Kotdiji burial vessel. Human face, stars, buffalo horn. Drawing after Huntington. http://huntingtonarchive.osu.edu/resources/downloads/webPresentations/harappanSeals.pdf

Cylinder Seal of Ibni-Sharrum Agade period, reign of Sharkali-Sharri (c. 2217-2193 BCE)Mesopotamia Serpentine H. 3.9 cm; Diam. 2.6 cm Formerly in the De Clercq collection; gift of H. de Boisgelin, 1967 AO 22303 "A scene testifying to relations with distant lands Buffaloes are emblematic animals in glyptic art in the Agade period. They first appear in the reign of Sargon, indicating sustained relations between the Akkadian Empire and the distant country of Meluhha, that is, the present Indus Valley, where these animals come from. These exotic creatures were probably kept in zoos and do not seem to have been acclimatized in Iraq at the end of the 3rd millennium BC. Indeed, it was not until the Sassanid Empire that they reappeared. The engraver has carefully accentuated the animals' powerful muscles and spectacular horns, which are shown as if seen from above, as they appear on the seals of the Indus."

http://www.louvre.fr/en/oeuvre-notices/cylinder-seal-ibni-sharrum

Found on christies.com

AN AKKADIAN BLACK STONE CYLINDER SEAL CIRCA 2300-2200 B.C. With contest scene, the nude hero Lahmu, with long beard and three large curls either side of head, wearing triple-stranded belt, holding a sword in his raised hand, and holding a bull inverted by its tail in the other, resting his foot on its neck, and a human-headed bull holding a sword in one hand and a lion inverted by its tail in his other hand, stylised plant between the pairs 1 3/8 in. (3.5 cm.) high http://www.pinterest.com/pin/403353710347940947/

(Ward, p. 9, p.20)

khaṇṭi ‘buffalo bull’ (Tamil) kaṭā, kaṭamā ‘bison’ (Tamil)(DEDR 1114) (glyph). Rebus: khaṇḍ ‘tools, pots and pans, metal-ware’; kaḍiyo [Hem. Des. kaḍa-i-o = (Skt.Sthapati, a mason) a bricklayer, mason (G.)] <lo->(B) {V} ``(pot, etc.) to ^overflow''. See <lo-> `to be left over'. @B24310. #20851. Re<lo->(B) {V} ``(pot, etc.) to ^overflow''. See <lo-> `to be left over'. (Munda ) Rebus: loh ‘copper’ (Hindi) Glyph of flowing water in the second register: காண்டம் kāṇṭam , n. < kāṇḍa. 1. Water; sacred water; நீர்; kāṇṭam ‘ewer, pot’ கமண்டலம்.  (Tamil) Thus the combined rebus reading: Ku. lokhaṛ ʻiron tools ʼ; H. lokhaṇḍ  m. ʻ iron tools, pots and pans ʼ; G. lokhãḍ n. ʻtools, iron, ironwareʼ; M. lokhãḍ n. ʻ iron ʼ(CDIAL 11171). The kneeling person’s hairstyle has six curls. bhaṭa ‘six’; rebus: bhaṭa ‘furnace’. मेढा mēḍhā A twist or tangle arising in thread or cord, a curl or snarl. (Marathi) Rebus: meḍ ‘iron’ (Ho.) Thus, the orthography denotes meḍ bhaṭa ‘iron furnace’.

Cylinder seal impression from the Akkadian period with a combat scene between a bearded hero and a bull-man and various beasts; in the Oriental Institute, University of Chicago. (Additional hieroglyphs elaborate the metonymy: SIx locks on hairstyle of the anthropomorph hero, A pair of markhor flanking the narrative), a forked stake on the register showing the bull-man wrestle with lion.) मेढा  [ mēḍhā ] m A stake, esp. as forked. 2 A dense arrangement of stakes, a palisade, a paling. 3 A twist or tangle arising in thread or cord, a curl or snarl.(Marathi) Rebus: meḍ 'iron, copper' (Munda. Slavic) मेढकी [ mēḍhakī ] f मेढकें n (Dim. of मेढ) A small stake or post, esp. as bifurcated.(Marathi) मेंढरूं [ mēṇḍharūṃ ] n (मेंढा) A sheep Pr. मेलें में0 आगीला भिईल काय?(Marathi) मेंढा [ mēṇḍhā ] m (मेष S through
H) A male sheep, a ram or tup. 2 A crook or curved end (of a stick, horn &c.) and attrib. such a stick, horn, bullock.
मेढ [ mēḍha ] f A forked stake. Used as a post. Hence a short post generally whether forked or not. Pr. हातीं लागली चेड आणि धर मांडवाची मेढ.
मेढ [ mēḍha ]The polar star. (Marathi) Rebus: mẽṛhẽt, meḍ ‘iron’ (Munda.Ho.) मेंढसर [mēṇḍhasara] m A bracelet of gold thread. (Marathi)

Hieroglyph: mr̤ēka 'goat' Rebus: Meluhha 'copperworker' (mleccha 'copper' (Samskritam); milakkhu rajanam 'copper colored' (Pali)

http://bharatkalyan97.blogspot.in/2014/10/indus-script-kharada-brief-memoranda-of.html
http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/media/35736/Cylinder-seal-impression-from-the-Akkadian-period-with-a-combat

Cylinder seal: Ht. 3.6 cm. 2,220 - 2,159 BCE, Mesopotamia (Photo from pg. 216 of J. Aruz and R. Wallenfels (eds.) 2003  Art of the First Cities).
This Akkadian example of a seal impression shows a hero wrestling with a water buffalo (left) and a bull-man struggling with a lion (right). The figures are separated by a tree on a mountain. The hero faces the viewer and dominates the scene. Akkadian seals tend to be arranged into clusters of figures that display physical tension in scenes of active combat.

High relief metope, from Temple C. Selinus, Sicily, limestone, c. 58" h,
c. 550-540 B.C.E (National Museum, Palermo): http://www.sandrashaw.com/AH1L14.htm

Ancient Near East water-buffalo hieroglyph deciphered as Indus Script rāṅgā zinc alloy in metalwork repertoire

Zinc alloys include: spelter, solder, pewter, tin, copper-foil, latten, French bronze. The Meluhha Prakritam gloss rāṅgā signified these zinc alloys with varying proportions of mineral constituents deploying rã̄go 'water-buffalo' hieroglyph.

On many hierolyph multiplexes, water-buffalo (rã̄go) is associated with kANDa 'overflowing water'. The rebus renderings are: rāṅgā khaNDA 'zinc alloy implements'. The semantics of khaNDa 'implements' is attested in Santali: me~r.he~t khaNDa 'iron implements'.

Santali glosses

A lexicon suggests the semantics of Panini's compound अयस्--काण्ड [p= 85,1] m. n. " a quantity of iron " or " excellent iron " , (g. कस्का*दि q.v.)( Pa1n2. 8-3 , 48)(Monier-Williams).

From the example of a compound gloss in Santali, I suggest that the suffix -kANDa in Samskritam should have referred to 'implements'. Indus Script hieroglyphs as hypertext components to signify kANDa 'implements' are: kANTa, 'overflowing water' kANDa, 'arrow' gaNDa, 'four short circumscript strokes'.

Hieroglyph multiplexes of the hypertext of the cylinder seal from a Near Eastern Source can be identified: aquatic bird, rhinoceros, buffalo, buffalo horn, crucible, markhor, antelope, hoofed stool, fish, tree, tree branch, twig, roundish stone, tiger, rice plant.

Hieroglyph components on the head-gear of the person on cylinder seal impression are: twig, crucible, buffalo horns: kuThI 'badari ziziphus jojoba' twig Rebus: kuThi 'smelter'; koThAri 'crucible' Rebus: koThAri 'treasurer'; tattAru 'buffalo horn' Rebus: ṭhã̄ṭhāro 'brassworker'.

This hieroglyph multiplex ligatures head of an antelope to a snake: nAga 'snake' Rebus: nAga 'lead' ranku 'antelope' Rebus: ranku 'tin'. tuttināgamu is a Prakritam gloss meaning 'pewter, zinc'. A comparable alloy may be indicated by the hieroglyph-multiplex of antelope-snake: rankunAga, perhaps a type of zinc or lead alloy.

Two fish hieroglyphs flank the hoofed legs of the stool or platform signify: warehouse of cast metal alloy metal implements:

Hieroglyph: kaṇḍō a stool Rebus: kanda 'implements'

Hieroglyph: maṇḍā 'raised platform, stool' Rebus: maṇḍā 'warehouse'.

dula 'pair' Rebus: dul 'cast metal'

ayo 'fish' Rebus: aya 'iron' (Gujarati) ayas 'metal' (Rigveda)

barad, barat 'ox' Rebus: भरत (p. 603) [ bharata ] n A factitious metal compounded of copper, pewter, tin &c.(Marathi).

This mkultiplx is flanked by 1. kolom 'rice plant' Rebus: kolimi 'smithy, forge'; 2. kuTi 'tree' Rebus: kuThi 'smeter'. Thus the message is that the warehouse of cast metal alloy metal implements is complemented by a smelter and a smithy/forge -- part of the metalwork repertoire.

The hieroglyph-multiplex of a woman thwarting two rearing tigers is also signified on other seals and tablets to signify:

Hieroglyph: kola 'woman' Rebus: kol 'working in iron'

dula 'pair' Rebus: dul 'cast metal' PLUS kola 'tiger' Rebus: kolle 'blacksmith'; kolhe 'smeter'; kole.l 'smithy, forge'. The kolmo 'rice-plant' Rebus kolimi 'smithy, forge' is a semantic determinant of the cipher: smithy with smelter.

The bottom register of the cylinder seal impression lists the products: smithy/forge forged iron, alloy castings (laterite PLUS spelter), hard alloy implements.

goTa 'roundish stone' Rebus: gota 'laterite'

dula 'pair' Rebus: dul 'cast metal' PLUS rã̄go 'buffalo' Rebus: rāṅgā 'zinc alloy, spelter, pewter'. Thus, cast spelter PLUS laterite.

markhor PLUS tail

miṇḍāl 'markhor' (Tōrwālī) meḍho a ram, a sheep (Gujarati)(CDIAL 10120) Rebus: mẽṛhẽt, meḍ 'iron' (Munda.Ho.) koṭe meṛed = forged iron, in contrast to dul meṛed, cast iron (Mundari) PLUS Kur. xolā tail. Malt. qoli id. (DEDR 2135) Rebus: kol 'working in iron' Ta. kol working in iron, blacksmith; kollaṉ blacksmith. Ma. kollan blacksmith, artificer. Ko. kole·l smithy, temple in Kota village.

Rhinoceros PLUS aquatic bird

Hieroglyhph: kāṇṭā 'rhinoceros. gaṇḍá m. ʻ rhinoceros ʼ Rebus: kāṇḍa 'tools, pots and pans and metal-ware' (Gujarati)

karaṛa 'large aquatic bird' (Sindhi) Rebus: karaḍā 'hardalloy of metals' (Marathi)

Impression of an Indus-style cylinder seal of unknown Near Eastern origin in the Musee du Louvre, Paris. One of the two anthropomorphic figures carved on this seal wears the horns of water buffalo while sitting on a throne with hoofed legs, surrounded by snakes, fishes and water buffaloes. Copyrighted photo by M. Chuzeville for the Departement des antiquites orientales, Musee du Louvre.

Impression. Unknown Near Eastern origin. 'One of the two anthropomorphic figures carved on this seal wears the horns of water buffalo while sitting on a throne with hoofed legs, surrounded by snakes, fishes and water buffaloes. Photo by M Chuzeville for Departement des antiquities orientales, Musee du Louvre.' (Parpola, 1998, 2001) http://www.harappa.com/script/parpola0.html (Note 11)

Two water-buffalos flanks a hieroglyph: something round, like a seed. Hieroglyph: rã̄go 'buffalo' Rebus: rāṅgā 'zinc alloy, spelter, pewter'. What does the hieroglyph 'something round' signify? I suggest that it signifies goTa 'laterite (ferrous ore)'.

All these hieroglyhphs/hieroglyph-multiplexes are read as metalwork catalogue items in Prakritam which had tadbhava, tatsama identified in Samskritam in Indian sprachbund (speech union).

A vivid Meluhha hieroglyph 'overflowing pot' has rebus-metonymy reading: metal tools, pots and pans

m1656 Mohenjodro Pectoral.

Hieroglyph: sãghāṛɔ 'lathe'.(Gujarati).Rebus: Vajra Sanghāta 'binding together' (Varahamihira) *saṁgaḍha ʻ collection of forts ʼ. [*gaḍha -- ]L. sãgaṛh m. ʻ line of entrenchments, stone walls for defence ʼ.(CDIAL 12845).

Hieroglyph: खोंड (p. 216) [khōṇḍa] m A young bull, a bullcalf; खोंडा [ khōṇḍā ] m A कांबळा of which one end is formed into a cowl or hood. खोंडरूं [ khōṇḍarūṃ ] n A contemptuous form of खोंडा in the sense of कांबळा-cowl (Marathi. Molesworth); kōḍe dūḍa bull calf (Telugu); kōṛe 'young bullock' (Konda)Rebus: kõdā ‘to turn in a lathe’ (Bengali)
kāṇḍam காண்டம்² kāṇṭam, n. < kāṇḍa. 1. Water; sacred water; நீர். துருத்திவா யதுக்கிய குங்குமக் காண் டமும் (கல்லா. 49, 16). Rebus: khāṇḍā ‘metal tools, pots and pans’ (Marathi) (B) {V} ``(pot, etc.) to ^overflow''. See `to be left over'. @B24310. #20851. Re(B) {V} ``(pot, etc.) to ^overflow''. See `to be left over'. (Munda ) Rebus: loh ‘copper’ (Hindi) The hieroglyph clearly refers to the metal tools, pots and pans of copper.

Some examples of 'overflowing pot' metaphors on Ancient Near East artifacts, cylinder seals:

Akkadian Cylinder Seal of Adda (c. 2250 B.C.) with, left to right, Ninurta, Ishtar, Shamash, and Ea. From Dury, Art of the Ancient Near and Middle East, Abrams, NY

Enki walks out of the water to the land attended by his messenger, Isimud who is readily identifiable by his two faces looking in opposite directions (duality).

Bull men contesting with lions. Cylinder seal and impression. Akkadian period. ca. 2334-2154 BCE. Marble. 28X26 mm. Seal No. 167 Morgan Library and Museum. A variant narrative adds hieroglyphs of an aquatic bird in flight. Hieroglyph: aquatic bird: 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: seekāraṇḍava -- ]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). Allograph: karaṭa m. ʻ Carthamus tinctorius ʼ lex.Pk. karaḍa -- m. ʻ safflower ʼ, °ḍā -- f. ʻ a tree like the karañja ʼ; M. karḍī, °ḍaī f. ʻ safflower, Carthamus tinctorius and its seed ʼ.(CDIAL 2788). Rebus: karaḍā 'hardalloy of metals' (Marathi)

http://host.themorgan.org/collections/collections.asp?id=628

ca. 2254-2220 BC (mature); ceramic; cat. 79; two groups in combat. A naked, bearded hero wrestles with a water buffalo, and a bull-man wrestles with a lion. In the centre: inscription (unread). Appears to be recut.

Girdled nude hero attacking water buffalo; bullman attacking lion; inscription. Kafaje,

Akkadian (ca. 2300 - 2200 BC)

Frankfort, Henri: Stratified Cylinder Seals from the Diyala Region. Oriental Institute Publications 72. Chicago: University of Chicago Press, no. 396.

Akkadian Cylinder Seal (c. 2200 B.C. showing Gilgamesh slaying the bull of heaven, with Enkidu? Also from Dury; both in British Museum)

Gilgamesh and Enkidu struggle of the celestial bull and the lion (cylinder seal-print Approx. 2,400 BC, Walters Art Gallery, Baltimore)

http://www.metmuseum.org/toah/works-of-art/1999.325.4 (Bos gaurus shown with greater clarity) http://art.thewalters.org/viewwoa.aspx?id=33263 In the two scenes on this cylinder seal, a heroic figure with heavy beard and long curls holds off two roaring lions, and another hero struggles with a water buffalo. The inscription in the panel identifies the owner of this seal as "Ur-Inanna, the farmer."

The three animals: buffalo, rhinoceros, elephant occur together with a leaping tiger on a seal. cf. Decoding of animal glyphs and other glyphs on the seal as related to lapidaries/metalsmith/metalwork artisan guild/mint Indus script cipher: Hieroglyphs of Indian linguistic area (2010)

Mleccha rebus decoding:

ibha 'elephant' (Skt.) Rebus: ib 'iron'; ibbho 'merchant' (cf.Hemacandra, Desinamamala, vaṇika); badhia 'rhino'; Rebus: baḍhoe ‘a carpenter, worker in wood’; badhoria ‘expert in working in wood’(Santali); kol 'tiger'; kolla 'smith'; sal 'bos gaurus'; rebus: sal 'workshop'.]kamaḍha ‘penance’ (Pkt.); Rebus: kammaṭa = mint, gold furnace (Te.) tāttāru 'buffalo horns' (Munda); Rebus: ṭhaṭhero 'brassworker'(Ku.)cūḍā, cūlā, cūliyā tiger’s mane (Pkt.)(CDIAL 4883)sodo bodo, sodro bodro adj. adv. rough, hairy, shoggy, hirsute, uneven; Rebus: sodo [Persian. sodā, dealing] trade; traffic; merchandise; marketing; a bargain; the purchase or sale of goods; buying and selling; mercantile dealings (G.lex.) sodagor = a merchant, trader; sodāgor (P.B.) (Santali) A jackal (Marathi) Rebus: Ta. kol working in iron, blacksmith; kollaṉ blacksmith. Ma. kollan blacksmith, artificer. Ko. kole·l smithy, temple in Kota village; kolhali to forge (DEDR 2133)(Kuwi).

kūrda m. ʻ jump ʼ, gūrda -- m. ʻ jump ʼ Kāṭh. [√kūrd] S. kuḍ̠u m. ʻ leap ʼ, N. kud, Or. kuda, °dā, kudā -- kudi ʻ jumping about ʼ.kūˊrdati ʻ leaps, jumps ʼ MBh. [gūˊrdati, khūˊrdatē Dhātup.: prob. ← Drav. (Tam. kuti, Kan. gudi ʻ to spring ʼ) T. Burrow BSOAS xii 375]S. kuḍ̠aṇu ʻ to leap ʼ; L. kuḍ̠aṇ ʻ to leap, frisk, play ʼ; P. kuddṇā ʻ to leap ʼ, Ku. kudṇo, N. kudnu, B. kũdā, kõdā; Or. kudibā ʻ to jump, dance ʼ; Mth. kūdab ʻ to jump ʼ, Aw. lakh. kūdab, H. kūdnā, OMarw. kūdaï, G. (CDIAL 3411, 3412) Rebus: kunda ‘turner’ kundār turner (A.) Vikalpa: ஏறு ēṟu Pouncing upon, as an eagle; பருந்தின் கவர்ச்சி. பரிந்தி னேறுகுறித் தொரீஇ (புறநா. 43, 5). Rebus: eruvai ‘copper’ (Ta.); ere dark red (Ka.)(DEDR 446). कोल्हा [ kōlhā ] कोल्हें [ kōlhēṃ ]

Pouncing tiger glyph is read rebus: kũdā kol 'turner smith'.

The four animal glyphs surrounding the seated person thus connote: merchant (ibbho), carpenter (baḍhoe), turner-smith (kũdā kol), workshop (sal)

Addendum with glyphs and inscriptions consistent with the themes depicting repertoire of artisan-smiths of the civilization: A lexeme which may explain the 'mountain' or 'haystack' glyphs; Rebus: Rebus: mẽṛhẽt, meḍ ‘iron’ (Mu.Ho.): kunda 'hayrick'; rebus: kundār turner (A.)

This unique mold-made faience tablet or standard (H2000-4483/2342-01) was found in the eroded levels west of the tablet workshop in Trench 54. On one side is a short inscription under a rectangular box filled with 24 dots. The reverse has a narrative scene with two bulls fighting under a thorny tree.

m0308 Mohenjodaro seal. Person grappling with two flanking tigers standing and rearing on their hindlegs. Comparable to the Mesopotamian cylinder seal (BM 89538), this Indus seal depicts a person with six hair-knots. kaṇṇahāra -- m. ʻhelmsman, sailor’. ( काणkāṇa ‘one-eyed’, āra ‘six’, ‘rings of hair’ symbolic forms). kannār 'coppersmiths'; kan 'copper'. arye 'lion' Rebus: āra 'brass'.

One-Eyed Hero with Lions Flanked by Enclosures Iran (?) (ca. 3100 B.C.E) 50 x 40 mm Seal No. 4"Seal 4 presents as its central figure a cyclopic hero holding lions. The rest of the scene includes animals, pots, and other types of containers, as well as a human figure and two lion-headed eagles, all apparently meant to be within an enclosure indicated by two stockade-like frames. A related theme is found in a fragment of a vase from Khafajah.... The nude bearded hero seen in 4 remained a stock figure of the Mesopotamian repertory, aapearing for the most part in contst scenes. The cyclopic version of this figure in 4 is paralleled in only one other instance, an Early Dynastic seal impression from Fara (ancient Shuruppak). A plaque from Khafajah of some thousand years later shows a cyclopic demon whose head has the form of a sun. Because of the wide gap in time, however, there is no assurance that the hero in 4 is to be associated in any manner with this figure."--Porada, CANES, p. 3Center: nude one-eyed hero holding two reversed lions, two more lions forming pyramid above him -- Left: section of inclosure containing sheep, latter between two pots, with lion-headed eagle perched on head of sheep; basket, pouch(?), fish, and bird in upper field -- Right: sheep-headed demon grasping pole of second section of inclosure; within latter, human figure(?) with upturned curls holding in outstretched hands indefinable curved object marked by vertical incisions; lion-headed eagle above horns of sheep-demon; crib(?) in upper field.

Cylinder unperforated; in both top and bottom shallow central cavity and outer circle of small depressions."Seal 4 presents as its central figure a cyclopic hero holding lions. The rest of the scene includes animals, pots, and other types of containers, as well as a human figure and two lion-headed eagles, all apparently meant to be within an inclosure indicated by two stockade-like frames. A related theme is found in a fragment of a vase from Khafajah.... The nude bearded hero seen in 4 remained a stock figure of the Mesopotamian repertory, aapearing for the most part in contst scenes. The cyclopic version of this figure in 4 is paralleled in only one other instance, an Early Dynastic seal impression from Fara (ancient Shuruppak). A plaque from Khafajah of some thousand years later shows a cyclopic demon whose head has the form of a sun. Because of the wide gap in time, however, there is no assurance that the hero in 4 is to be associated in any manner with this figure."--Porada, CANES, p. 3http://www.themorgan.org/collections/collections.asp?id=789

Some hieroglyphs which recur on Ancient Near seals and their Meluhha rebus readings are:

bull-man, bull ḍangar 'bull' read rebus ḍhangar 'blacksmith'; ṭagara 'ram' Rebus: damgar 'merchant' (Akkadian) ṭhakkura, ‘idol’, ṭhākur ʻ blacksmith ʼ, ṭhākur m. ʻmaster’.ḍhangar ‘blacksmith’.
tiger kol 'tiger' Rebus: kol 'working in iron'
lion arye 'lion'āra 'brass'
aquatic bird karaḍa ‘aquatic bird, duck’ Rebus: karaḍa 'hard alloy'
eagle eraka 'eagle' Rebus: erako 'moltencast copper
buffalo கண்டி kaṇṭi , n. 1. Buffalo bull Rebus: Pk. gaḍa -- n. ʻlarge stoneʼ? (CDIAL 3969)
six hair-curls āra 'six curls' Rebus: āra 'brass'
face mũh ‘face’ Rebus: mũh ‘ingot’.
stag karuman 'stag' karmara 'artisan'
antelope melh 'goat' Rebus: milakkhu 'copper'
calf khoṇḍ 'young bull-calf' Rebus khuṇḍ '(metal) turner'.
scorpion bica ‘scorpion’ (Assamese) Rebus: bica ‘stone ore’
stalk daṭhi, daṭi 'stalks of certain plants' Rebus: dhatu ‘mineral.kāṇḍa काण्डः m. the stalk or stem of a reed. Rebus: kāṇḍa ‘tools, pots and pans and metal-ware’.
twig kūdī ‘twig’ Rebus: kuṭhi ‘smelter’
fish ayo 'fish' Rebus: ayo, ayas 'metal'.
overflowing pot lo ‘pot to overflow’ kāṇḍa ‘water’. Rebus: लोखंड lokhaṇḍ Iron tools, vessels, or articles in general.
spear మేడెము [ mēḍemu ] or మేడియము mēḍemu. [Tel.] n. A spear or dagger. Rebus: meḍ ‘iron’.
ring, bracelet kaḍum a bracelet, a ring (G.) Rebus: kaḍiyo [Hem. Des. kaḍaio = Skt. sthapati a mason] a bricklayer; a mason;
star मेढ [ mēḍha ] The polar star (Marathi). [cf.The eight-pointed star Rebus: meḍ 'iron' (Mundari. Remo.)
safflower karaḍa -- m. ʻsafflowerʼ Rebus: करडा [karaḍā] Hard from alloy--iron, silver &c. (Marathi)
twig kūdī ‘twig’ Rebus: kuṭhi ‘smelter’
frond (of palm), palm tamar, ‘palm tree, date palm’ Rebus: tam(b)ra, ‘copper’ (Prakrit)
tree kuṭhāru 'tree' Rebus: kuṭhāru ‘armourer or weapons maker’(metal-worker)
ram, ibex, markhor 1.ram मेंढा [ mēṇḍhā ] m (मेष S through H) A male sheep, a ram or tup.(Marathi) meḍ 'iron' (Mundari. Remo.)
goat melh 'goat' Rebus: milakkhu 'copper'
knot (twist) meḍ, ‘knot, Rebus: 'iron’
reed, scarf dhaṭu m. (also dhaṭhu) m. ‘scarf’ (WPah.) (CDIAL 6707) Rebus: dhatu ‘minerals’ (Santali); dhātu ‘mineral’ (Pali) kāṇḍa काण्डः m. stem of a reed. Rebus: kāṇḍa ‘tools, pots and pans and metal-ware’
mountain डोंगर [ ḍōṅgara ] m A hill. डोंगरकणगर or डोंगरकंगर [ ḍōṅgarakaṇagara or ḍōṅgarakaṅgara ] m (डोंगर & कणगर form of redup.) Hill and mountain; hills comprehensively or indefinitely. डोंगरकोळी [ ḍōṅgarakōḷī ] m A caste of hill people or an individual of it. (Marathi) ḍāngā = hill, dry upland (B.); ḍã̄g mountain-ridge (H.)(CDIAL 5476). Rebus: dhangar ‘blacksmith’ (Maithili) dhokra 'cire perdue metallurgist'
wing eraka 'wing' eṟaka, ṟekka, rekka, neṟaka, neṟi ‘wing’ (Telugu)(DEDR 2591). Rebus: erako 'moltencast copper'.
snake nāga 'snake' nāga 'lead'
frame of building sã̄gāḍā m. ʻ frame of a building ʼ (M.)(CDIAL 12859) Rebus: sangāṭh संगाठ् । सामग्री m. (sg. dat. sangāṭas संगाटस्), a collection (of implements, tools, materials, for any object), apparatus, furniture, a collection of the things wanted on a journey, luggage (Kashmiri) jangaḍ 'entrustment note' (Gujarati)
monkey kuṭhāru = a monkey (Sanskrit) Rebus: kuṭhāru ‘armourer or weapons maker’(metal-worker), also an inscriber or writer.
kick kolsa 'to kick' Rebus: kol working in iron, blacksmith
foot . khuṭo ʻ leg, foot ʼ Rebus: khũṭ ‘community, guild’ (Santali)
copulation (mating) kamḍa, khamḍa 'copulation' (Santali) Rebus: kampaṭṭa ‘mint, coiner’
adultery ṛanku, ranku = fornication, adultery (Telugu) ranku 'tin'

William Hayes Ward Seal No. 26.

Source: https://archive.org/details/sealcylindersofw00warduoft

http://www.scribd.com/doc/221054125/The-cylinder-seals-of-western-Asia-Carnegie-Institute-of-Washington-Publication-No-100-Ward-William-Hayes-1910

Rakhigarhi seals

Hieroglyph: one-horned young bull

kõdā खोंड [ khōṇḍa ] m A young bull, a bullcalf. (Marathi) Rebus 1: kọ̆nḍu or konḍu । कुण्डम् m. a hole dug in the ground for receiving consecrated fire (Kashmiri) Rebus 2: A. kundār, B. kũdār, °ri, Or. kundāru; H. kũderā m. ʻ one who works a lathe, one who scrapes ʼ, °rī f., kũdernā ʻ to scrape, plane, round on a lathe ʼ.(CDIAL 3297).

Hieroglyph: 'rim-of-jar': Phonetic forms: kan-ka (Santali) karṇika (Sanskrit) Rebus: karṇī, supercargo for a boat shipment. karṇīka ‘account (scribe)’.

Hieroglyph: sprout ligatured to rimless pot: baṭa = rimless pot (Kannada) Rebus: baṭa = a kind of iron; bhaṭa 'furnace; dul 'pair' Rebus: dula 'cast (metal) kolmo 'sprout' Rebus: kolami 'smithy/forge' Thus the composite hieroglyph: furnace, metalcaster smithy-forge

Hieroglyph:मेंढा [ mēṇḍhā ] A crook or curved end (of a stick) Rebus: meḍ 'iron'.

(After Fig. 68. Steatite seal and terracotta seal impression from Structure No. 1)

m305

A person with a plaited pigtail, bangles/armlets on both hands from wrist to shoulder, seated in penance, with three faces, two stars on either side of the curved buffalo-horn and twig.

ad.ari small branches (Kannada); ad.aru twig (Tulu)(DEDR 67); ad.aruni = to crack (Malayalam) adar = splinter (Santali) 8657 pradará— m. ‘cleft in earth’ VS., ‘rout (of an army)’ MBh. [√dr̥̄] Pa. padara— n. ‘cleft, fissure, board, plank’ (patara- with t as Si. spelling for d as frequently in Si. inscr.: otherwise Trenckner Notes 6216, Geiger PLS 39); Pk. payara— m. ‘splitting, breaking’; K. paira, pör, °ra m. ‘fear, agitation’

rebus: adaru =native metal (Kannada)

Molded tablets from Trench 11 sometimes have impressions on one, two, three or four sides. This group of molded tablets shows the complete set of motifs. One side is comprised entirely of script and has six characters, the first of which (on the very top) appears to be some sort of animal. A second side shows a human figure grappling with a short horned bull. A small plant with at least six branches is discernible behind the individual. The third panel portrays a figure seated on a charpoy or throne in a yogic position, with arms resting on the knees. Both arms are covered with bangles, and traces of a horned headdress and long hair are visible on some of the impressions. A second individual, also with long hair and wearing bangles, is seated on a short stool to the proper left of the individual on the "throne." The fourth panel shows a deity standing with both feet on the ground and wearing a horned headdress. A branch with three pipal leaves projects from the center of the headdress. Bangles on seen on both arms.

Seal of Bin-Kali-Sharri
Cylinder Seal Showing a Contest Scene

"This green jasper cylinder seal depicts a contest scene. At the centre of the scene, there is a pair of crossed bulls; each one is being attacked by a standing bearded hero. The heroes have a double bun hairstyle. They wear a wrap-over kilt and shoes with turned up tips. Another bull stands below the cuneiform inscription, naming the owner of the seal as the servant of Bin-kali-sharri, the son of Naram-Sin of Akkad. Akkadian Period, circa 2250 BCE. Precise provenance of excavation is unknown. (The British Museum, London)."
https://www.ancient.eu/image/8129/cylinder-seal-showing-a-contest-scene/

Statuette of a seated male figure (HR 163). Alabaster. Height 42 cm. From Mohenjo-daro HR Area, in three pieces (cf. Mackay, E., 1931, Chapters X-XI, XV-XXI, XXIV, & XXV/2-X : I, 359 f.). After Marshall, J., 1931, Ed., Mohenjo-daro and the Indus Civilization, London: III, pl. 100.4-6. Arthur Probsthan and the Archaeological Survey of India

Statuette of a seated male figure (L 95). Alabaster. Height 29 cm. From Mohenjo-daro L Area, in three pieces (cf. Mackay, E., 1931, Chapters X-XI, XV-XXI, XXIV, & XXV/2-X : I, 358 f.). After Marshall, J., 1931, Ed., Mohenjo-daro and the Indus Civilization, London: III, pl. 100.1-3. Arthur Probsthan and the Archaeological Survey of India

Fight between lion and bull-man on two proto-Elamite cylinder seals from Susa. About 3100-2900 BCE. After Amiet, P., 1961 Le glyptique mesopotamienne archaique. Paris. Fig.4:

Harappan necklace-beads decorated with trefoils.Not to scale.

a-c (after Wheeler, R.E.M., 1968, The Indus Civilization, Cambridge History of India, Supplementary volume, 3^rd ed., Cambridge: 100, fig. 16, 1-3, based on Vats, M.S., 1940, Excavations at Harappa, I-II. Delhi: II, pl. 133.2.a,c,b) and d (drawn by Virpi Hameen-Anttila after Vats 1940: II, pl. 133.2.e) from Harappa.

3-g (after Mackay, EJH, 1943, Chanhu-daro excavations (1935-36). American Oriental Series, 20. New Haven.: pl. LXXXIII.49-51) from Chanhujo-daro

h-k (drawn by Virpi Hameen-Anttila after Mackay, EJH, 1938, Further Excavations at Mohenjo-daro, I-II. Delhi: II, pl. 136.57, 67, 71)

l-m (after ibid. pl. 137.94,97)

n-p (after ibid. pl. 138.1-3) from Mohenjo-daro, DK Area, G section, upperlevels

1 (after ibid.139.74). Courtesy: Cambridge Univ. Press (a-c) and ASI (e to q)

Fig. 6 A Harappan finger-ring decorated wit trefoils (DK 8498). Made of steatite. From Mohenjo-daro: DK Area, G section, block 10, house I, room 11, lower levels (-22 ft.) After Mackay 1938: II, pl. 139.14. Courtesy ASI.

Fig. 7 One side of a Harappan dice with trefoil pattern. From Mohenjo-daro. After Mode, M., 1944, Indische Fruhkulturen und ihre Beziehungen zum Westen. Basel.: 119, Abb. 320 (based on Majumda, N.G., 1934, Explorations in Sind. Memoirs of the ASI, 48, New Delhi. , pl. 17.41).

Fig. 8 Two sherds of Harappan polychrome pottgery with trefoil pattern (cf. Mackay 1938: II, pl. 68.10,15)

Fig.9 A carefully polished Harappan pedestal made of dark red stone and decorated with trefoil patterns.(DK 4480). From Mohenjo-daro, DK Area, G section, block 9, ouse VII, room 18 at a level of 04.8 ft. Now in the National Museum, Karachi. A: photo by Asko Parpola, 1971 and b: after Mackay 1938: II, pl. 107.35, Courtesy: ASI; cf.Mackay 1938: I, 412

Fig. 10 Statuette representing a ‘bull of heaven’. From Uruk, Jemdet Nasr period (about 3200-2900 BCE). Made of shell mass with trefoil inlays of lapis lazuli. Length 5.8 cm. Now in Vorderasiatisches Museum Berlin. After Schmokel, 1955: Tafel 8 oben (originally from UVB 7, Tafel 23f.). Courtesy: Deutsches Archeologisches Institut, Abtilung Baghdad.

Fig. 11 Statuette of a ‘bull of heaven’with quatrefoils on its body and a star on its forehead.Made of limestone, legs of silver. Height 8.3 cm. From Uruk, Jemdet Nasr period (ca. 3200-2900 BCE).Now in the Iraq Museum, Baghdad.Courtesy: Deutsches Archaeologisches Institut, Abteilung Baghdad; after Hrouda, B., 1971, Vorderasien I (Mesopotamien, Babylonien, Iran und Anatolien, Handbuch der Archaeologie Munchen. : Tafel 12a.

Fig. 12 Statuette of a human-headed bull with trefoil carvings on its body. From Tello. Neo-Sumerian period, about 22^nd century BCE.Made of steatite. Height 10 cm. Now in Musee du Louvre, Paris.After Parrot, A., 1960, Sumer. Paris.: 225 no. 276a.

Fig. 13 ‘The divine cow’ with trefoil decorations on its body in the bed found in Tutankhamun’s grave, Egypt, 13^th cent. BCE. Made of wood coated with gesso and guilded. Length 1.79m. Width 1.38 m. After Treasures of Tutankhamun, 1971 British Museum. London, no. 11 (third

page).Courtesy: Cairo Museum.

17 Inscribed miniature tablets made of steatite. Harappa.Lower levels.Having the shape of an animal with eye consisting of a dot-in-a circle. a-c: fish, d-f: hare.Drawn by Virpi Hameen-Anttila after Vats 1940:II, pl. 97.560; 95.428; 84. Ab, ad; 95.421, 425.

18 Painted motifs on Late Harappan from Cemetery H in Harappa (f&g are paintings on the underside of flat covers from stratum II), h: from Rupar. After Vats 1940:II, pl.62.1-3, 5, 13; 64.3-4 (redrawn by Virpi Hameen Anttila; courtesy: ASI; and (h) Gordon, DH, 1960, The prehistoric background of Indian culture, 2 ed., Bombay: 86, fig. 10.3.

Fig. 19 A map of the area of the Vedic Soma Yajna. The position of the Dhisnya hearths:six fireplaces are in a row in the sadas or sitting hall, and a seventh and eighth in the two sheds on the northern and southern border of the Mahāvedi. After Caland, W. & Henry, V., 1906, L’agnistoma: description complete de la forme normale du sacrifice de soma dans culte vedique, I-II. Paris: I, pl. IV.

Fig. 21 Harappan inspired trefoil and bull decorations.in the fragments of alabaster mosaic discovered from the palace of Dashly-3.North Afghanistan. About 2000 BCE.After Sarianidi 1977: fig. 19 COurtsy: USSR copyright agency

Fig. 29 After TAG Raim 1814-1916, repr.1985, II.1: pl. VI.

Fig. 35 a-d: Fragment of an animal (perhaps bull) decorated with trefoils (which still have red pigment inside them). Made of steatite. Excavated (as object no. SD 1767 in 1925-26 at Mohenjo-daro, south of Stupa complex. Now in Mohenjo-daro Museum, Pakistan. Courtesy: Forschungsprojekt Mohenjo-daro, Lehrstuhl fur Baugeschichte und Denkmalpflege, Technische Hochschule Aachen, FRG. Cf. p. 156

Venerated Trefoil. Mohenjo-daro and Bactrian priests wear तार्प्य Sky Garment of Varuṇa Indus Script signifiers of dhā̆vaḍ potr̥, 'smelter, purifier priest' https://tinyurl.com/ycpghhse

Dholavira. Stone statue.

Source: Marshall, 1931: Pl. CXVIII. Harappan male ornament styles. After Fig.6.7 in Kenoyer, JM, 1991, Ornament styles of the Indus valley tradition: evidence from recent excavations at Harappa, Pakistan in: Paleorient, vol. 17/2 -1991, p.93

https://www.persee.fr/docAsPDF/paleo_0153-9345_1991_num_17_2_4553.pdf

Mirror: http://a.harappa.com/sites/g/files/g65461/f/Kenoyer1992_Ornament%20Styles%20of%20the%20Indus%20Valley%20Tradition%20Ev.pdf

What is the decipherment of the trefoil hypertext on the garment of Mohenjodaro statuary of a seated person? Over 8000 documents (inscriptions) of Indus Script have been deciphered as wealth-accounting ledgers, metalwork catalogues. Does this context provide a reading and explanation of the trefoil hypertext? I submit that the decipherment of Indus inscriptions explain these trefoil hypertexts also, which are composed of one dotted circle, two dotted circles, three dotted The circles.. The frequently occurring fish-looking signs of the Indus Script signify aya 'fish' rebus: ayas 'alloy metal'. Thus, fish hypertexts signify alloy metalwork related terms. Similarly, do the dotted circles fusing into a trefoil signify some type of metalwork? The answer is yes using the logo-semantic cipher of the Indus Script: dotted circle signifies dhāu 'strand' rebus: 'ore' PLUS vaṭṭa 'circle' rebus: dhā̆vaḍ 'smelter' .

The ear of the statue has a kidney-like shape and is very pronounced. I suggest that the word which signifies the ear is karṇa which is read rebus as karṇaka 'helmsman'. Another rebus reading is कारणिक mfn. (g. काश्य्-ादि) " investigating , ascertaining the cause " , a judge Pan5cat.; a teacher MBh. ii , 167. His status as a teacher is consistent with his meditative posture. The eyes of the priest are concentrated on the tip of the nose signifying an attitude of yoga or meditation. The person is seated in penance.kamaḍha 'penance' rebus: kammaṭa 'mint, coiner, coinage'. Two holes were driled on either side of the neck just below the neck, suggesting to John Marshall that they may have been used to secure an ornamental necklace of precious metal. Such an ornament could have been a torc, as seen on the neck of Kernunnos on Gundestrup Cauldron or hung on the stag's horns of the frieze on Pilier des Nautres of Paris (The Boatmen's Pillar).

Excavation No. DK 1909; National Museum, Karachi Acc. No. 50.852); 17.7 cm. White Steatite; shaven upper lip;one of the eyes was inlaid with narrow strips of shell; decoration on his robe is carved in relief with one, two or three dotted circles (called trefoil), interiors of which are filled with a red pigment (Mackay, p.356); hair is secured by a fillet tied around the head with two long ends hanging down behind (thin sheet-gold fillets have been found in Mohenjo-daro)

Or, as During Caspers has suggested the holes could have held some type of head-dress (something like the buffalo horns on the seated person of m304 seal surrounded by animal pictographss) secured with metal hooks inserted in the holes. The priest could be a seated figure like other seated men figurines found in Mohenjo-daro. The cloak of the priest compares with the cloaks worn on seated men figurines.

The hair of the priest is parted in the middle. Hair is secured by a fillet.whose long ends hang from behind the head. Gold fillet have been found including one with the hieroglyph of 'standard device'.

“The figure is draped in an elaborate shawl with corded or rolled-over edge, worn over the left shoulder and under the right arm. This shawl is decorated all over with a design of trefoils in relief interspersed occasionally with small circles, the interiors of which are filled in with a red pigment…there is a shallow pitting in the middle of each foil and roundel suggesting the point of a drill… ”(Mackay, 1931, I, pp. 356-357).

There are also beads with the trefoil pattern.

Ardeleanu-Jansen's reconstruction of the Priest-king

(After Ardeleanu-Jansen, A., 'The sculptural art of the Harappan culture' in M Jansen et al, ed., Forgotten cities on the Indus: early cvilization in Pakistan from the 8th to the 2nd millennium BCE, Mainz: Verlag Philipp von Zabern, 1991.)Trefoil designs on the shawl garment of the 'priest' Mohenjo-daro statue. The left shoulder is covered with a cloak decorated with trefoil, double circle and single circle designs that were originally filled with red pigment. Drill holes in the center of each circle indicate they were made with a specialized drill and then touched up with a chisel. Material: white, low fired steatiteDimensions: 17.5 cm height, 11 cm width Mohenjo-daro, DK 1909 National Museum, Karachi, 50.852 Marshall 1931: 356-7, pl. XCVIII

The trefoil hieroglyph on the priest's shawl, on the body of a bull calf and on the base pedestal of a s'ivalinga is comparable to the hieroglyph which appears on painted lid or dish -- in the context of venerating the dead. This points to reverence for ancestors.

Trefoil design on the uttarIyam of the priest, AcArya, PotR. This denotes: three strands of rope: dāmā 'rope' rebus: dhāma ʻreligious conduct'.

Clearly, the wearing a fillet on the shoulder and wearing a dress with trefoil hieroglyphs made the figure of some significance to the community.

https://www.bridgemanimages.com/en-GB/asset/162921/harappan/bracelet-from-mohenjo-daro-indus-valley-pakistan-c-3000-bc-polished-stone? National Museum, Delhi. One of the beads has trefoil designs.

"Inlaid bead. No. 53 (L445). (See also Pl. CLII,17) Steatite. An exceptionally fine bead. The interiors of the trefoils were probably filled in with either paste or colour. The former is the more probable, for in the base of each foil there is a small pitting that may been used for keying a coloured paste. The depth of the cutting is 0.05 inch. Level, 3 feet below surface. late Period. Found in Chamber 27, Block 4, L Area. The most interesting of these beads are those with the trefoil pattern, which also occurs on the robe worn by the statue pictured in Pl. XCVIII. The trefoils on both the beads and statue are irregular in shape and in this respect differ from the pattern as we ordinarily know it. (For another example of this ornamentation, see the bull illustrated in Jastrow, Civilization of Babylonia and Assyria, pl. liii, and the Sumerian bull from Warka shown in Evans, Palace of Minos, vol. ii, pt. 1, p.261, fig. 156. Sir Arthus Evans has justly compared the trefoil markings on this latter bull with the quatrefoil markings of Minoan 'rytons', and also with the star-crosses on Hathor's cow. Ibid., vol. i, p.513. Again, the same trefoil motif is perhaps represented on a painted sherd from Tchechme-Ali in the environs of Teheran. Mem. Del. en Perse, t.XX, p. 118, fig. 6)."(John Marshall, opcit., p.517)

See: https://tinyurl.com/gmqdaeu Trefoil Indus Script hieroglyph signifies dhā̆vaḍ 'smelter' dhāu 'ore'. त्रिधातुः(magnetite, hematite, laterite) is an epithet of Gaṇeśa

See: https://tinyurl.com/yaowsmt6 A 'Priest King' at Shahr-i Sokhta? -- Massimo Vidale. Some images of Potr̥, 'priests' as dhāvaḍa 'smelters' IndusScript hypertexts Vidale's full paper may be seen at https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2352226717301083#fn0035

The paper discusses the published fragment of a statuette made of a buff-grey limestone, recently found on the surface of Shahr-i Sokhta (Sistan, Iran) and currently on exhibit in a showcase of the archaeological Museum of Zahedan (Sistan-Baluchistan, Iran). Most probably, it belongs to a sculptural type well known in some sites of Middle and South Asia dating to the late 3rd-early 2nd millennium BCE - a male character sitting on the right heel, with the left hand on the raised left knee, and a robe leaving bare the left shoulder. Preliminary comments on the cultural, historical and chronological implications of this important find are included.

https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S23522267173

Image result for L445 bead trefoil mohenjodaro

Mohenjo-daro Seated person (Head missing)

See:

Mohenjo-daro Priest statue is R̥gveda Potr̥ 'purifier priest', Indus Script dhāvaḍ 'smelter'

http://tinyurl.com/llvrtwu Three types of dotted circles are shown, ending up with the recurrent trefoil or three dotted circles fused together. So, the words used for the hieroglyphs are semantically related to 'dot' PLUS 'circle'.

The dotted circle hypertext also is shown on the fillet worn on the forehead and on the right shoulder of the priest. The neatly shaven and trimmed beard of the priest shows that some metal razor may have been used to trim the beards of Sarasvati's artisans.

Single strand (one dotted-circle)

Two strands (pair of dotted-circles)

Three strands (three dotted-circles as a trefoil)

Dot

dāya 'one in throw of dice' signifies dhāi 'strand' mlecchita vikalpa dhāi 'red mineral ore'.

Circle

vr̥ttá ʻ turned ʼ RV., ʻ rounded ʼ ŚBr. 2. ʻ completed ʼ MaitrUp., ʻ passed, elapsed (of time) ʼ KauṣUp. 3. n. ʻ conduct, matter ʼ ŚBr., ʻ livelihood ʼ Hariv. [√vr̥t1]1. Pa. vaṭṭa -- ʻ round ʼ, n. ʻ circle ʼ; Pk. vaṭṭa -- , vatta -- , vitta -- , vutta -- ʻ round ʼ(CDIAL 12069)

Source:

Translation: 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) (Marathi)(CIAL 6773)

Hieroglyph: dhāˊtu n. *strand of rope ʼ (cf. tridhāˊtu -- ʻ threefold ʼ RV., ayugdhātu -- ʻ having an uneven number of strands ʼ - 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)

Thus, together, dot + circle read: dhāvaḍ ‘iron smelter’.

One badge used had a bangle with trefoil hieroglyph.

It was suggested that this may relate to the functions of a dhā̆vaḍ 'smelter' tri-dhAtu,'‘three

minerals'.

Terracotta bangle fragments decorated with red trefoils outlined in white

on a green ground from the late Period 3C deposits in Trench 43. This image

shows both sides of the two fragments

(H98-3516/8667-01 & H98-3517/8679-01)

Detail of terracotta bangle with red and white trefoil on a green background (H98-3516/8667-01 from Trench 43). Trefoil motifs are carved on the robe of the so-called "priest-king" statuette from Mohenjo-daro and are also known from contemporary sites in western Pakistan, Afghanistan, and southern Central Asia. Source: https://www.harappa.com/blog/jewelry-mohenjo-daro

Trefoils painted on steatite beads, Harappa (After Vats, Pl. CXXXIII, Fig.2)

Trefoil Decorated bead. Pl. CXLVI, 53 (Marshall, opcit.)

Hieroglyph-multiplex of dotted circles as 'beads': kandi 'bead' Rebus: kanda 'fire-altar' khaNDa 'metal implements'. Alternative: dotted circles as dice: dhāv, dāya 'one in dice' + vaṭṭa 'circle' rebus धावडdhāvaḍa 'red ferrite ore smelter'

Trefoil Hieroglyph-multiplex as three dotted circles: kolom 'three' Rebus: kole.l kanda 'temple fire-altar'. Alternative: kole.l धावड dhāvaḍa 'temple PLUS red ferrite ore smelter'.

(After Fig. 18.10 Parpola, 2015, p. 232) (a) Neo-Sumerian steatite bowl from Ur (U.239), bearing symbols of the sun, the moon (crucible), stars and trefoils (b) Fragmentary steatite statuette from Mohenjo-daro. After Ardeleanu-Jansen 1989-205, fig. 19 and 196, fig. 1 Steatite statue fragment; Mohenjodaro (Sd 767); trefoil-decorated bull; traces of red pigment remain inside the trefoils. Parpola, 1994, p. 213.

koṭhārī ʻcrucibleʼ (Old Punjabi) rebus: kuṭhāru 'armourer' PLUS sun: arka 'sun' rebus: arka 'gold' eraka'moltencast copper'; [ mēḍha ] 'polar' star' rebus: mēḍhā, 'yajña, dhanam'

Image result for pedestal sivalinga mohenjodaro

1. A finely polished pedestal. Dark red stone. Trefoils. (DK 4480, After Mackay 1938: I, 412; II, pl. 107:35; Parpola, 1994, p. 218.) National Museum, Karachi. Stone base for Sivalinga.Tre-foil inlay decorated base (for linga icon?); smoothed, polished pedestal of dark red stone. The pedestal measures 14.7 cm in diameter and 6.6 cm in height. Its base is flat and semi-polished; the two holes in it (ca. 1 cm deep and 7.5 cm apart) show that the pedestal was once pegged down to something. The round depression in the middle of the top, 6 cm in diameter and 0.5 cm deep, was in its turn to receive some other object, fixed to it by means of two dowel-holes 3 cm apart and 1.5 cm deep. This stand was found in room 18, house VII, block 9 in the DK Area (G Section) of Mohenjo-daro, at a level of 4.8 ft. (Cf. Mackay 1938: I,412; II, pl.104:26 and 107:35; During Caspers 1976). (Asko Parpola, 1986, p. 24). "The trefoil pattern does not seem to occur in Mesopotamia again before the time of Gudea and the Third Dynasty of Ur (ca. 2100-2000), when trefoil inlays again decorate a couple of small reclining bulls with a bearded human head, made of steatite and 'bituminousstone', and found at Lagadh (Tello) in Sumer (fig.12). Four recumbent bulls with trefoil patterns on their bodies originally surrounded by a steatite bowl from the same period, found in the E-Nun-Mah treasury at Ur; the symbols of the sun-god Utu, of the moon-god Nanna, and of Inanna, the goddess of the morning and evening star, carved above the backs of these bulls, suggest an astral meaning for the trefoils. The horn-crowned and bearded human head of the Neo-Sumerian bulls with trefoils clls for a comparison with the laterbull colossi with bearded human head and horned crown who protect the gates of the Assyrian palaces. These daimons are usually mentioned as a pair, one male and one female. A text (UET 6,103) concerning Rim-Sin's (ca. 1800 BCE) entering the city or Ur mentions 'Favourable Udug and the Lamma of Greeting, the gate-keepers of the main gate', who act as messengers between the king Rim-Sin and the ods of the city temple, Nanna and Ningal; in another text (UET 6,105) 'Udug and Lamma of the house' officiate between Rim-Sin and the same gods, and reference is made to 'bisons on the right and left..., the the gods guarding the gate', (Fpxvpg et a. 1983:449). 'Temple worshippers needed the assistance of a Lamma; it is from this assistance during the approach to the deity that the concept of a pair of personal guardians and subsewuently a single guardian or genie seems to have developed. If one's Lamma leaves hi, he is unguarded and automaticallly vulnerable to misfortune. The Lamma attached to the individual was the female of the guardian pair, perhaps because the male member, Udug/Śēdu, was thought to be less gentle or more 'demonic'. Already in the texts of the Fara period, a Lamma is known as an indidualized deity."(Ibid. 448). "Gudea, about to embark on a trip from Girsu to the city of Nanse, asks of Gatumdu: 'may your good Udug walk in front of me, may your good Lamma go behind me' (Cyl. A III 20 f.; cf. also B II 8 ff.)(ibid.449).'(Asko Parpola, pp.27-
28)

2. Two decorated bases and a lingam, Mohenjodaro. Trefoil inlay decorated base (for linga icon?); smoothed, polished pedestal of dark red stone; National Museum of Pakistan, Karachi; After Mackay 1938: I, 411; II, pl. 107:35; Parpola, 1994, p. 218. "In an earthenware jar, No. 12414, recovered from Mound F, Trench IV, Square I"

"CJ Gadd (quoted by Mackay 1931: I, 356 f. n.2) thought that the Sumerian bulls with trefoils are 'representations of the 'Bull of Heaven' (a Babylonian name for one of the constellations) and therefore the trefoils represent stars'. The 'Bull of Heaven' (GU4-AN-NA = ālu) figures in the epic of Gilgamesh, where the goddess Istar demands that her father Anu (the Sky) send the demoniac bull to destroy the city of Uruk; after the bull has spread death and calamity far and wide, it is finally killed by Gilgames and his bull-man friend Enkidu...Trefoils and quatrefoils clearly have an astral significance in the cows of Hathor, the Mother Goddess, as 'Lady of Heaven' in the famous couch found in Tutankhamun's tomb in Egypt (ca. 1350 BCE)(Fig.13)."(Asko Parpola, 1986, p.28).

त्रैधात° वीय n. (scil. क्/अर्मन्) id. TS. ii , 4 , 11; त्रैधात° वीया f. id. Nyāyam. ix (Sāyaṇa) MaitrS II, 4,3 त्रैधातुक n. the 3 worlds (सद्धर्म-पुण्डरीक. iv.) त्रैध mfn. (fr. त्र्/इ-धा or त्रेध्/आ) triple Pa1n2. 5-3 , 45 Va1rtt. Sāyaṇa; ind. v , 3 , 45 = त्रेध्आ Ka1tyS3r. S3a1n3khS3r. La1t2y. Kaus3. MBh. त्रैधातवी f. (scil. इष्ट्/इ) N. of a closing ceremony (fr. त्रि-ध्/आतु) S3Br. v , xiii Ka1tyS3r. S3a1n3khS3r. --धातु mfn. consisting of 3 parts , triple , threefold (used like Lat. triplex to denote excessive) RV. S3Br. v , 5 , 5 , 6; m. (scil. पुरोड्/आश) N. of an oblation TS. ii , 3 , 6. 1 ( -त्व्/अ n. abstr.); m. गणे*श; n. the triple world RV.; n. the aggregate of the 3 minerals or of the 3 humours; name of a man (ताण्ड्य-ब्राह्मण xiii , 3 , 12 Sāyaṇa)(Monier-Williams)

Passages mentioning the word tārpya): KS 12, 3-4 165,2 ff., 166,4 ff.; MS 2,4,5: 43,6-11; MŚS 5,2,5,10; TS 2,4,11,5-6; BaudhŚs 13,42: 149,14 f.; ĀpŚS 19,27,21 = HŚS 22,6,27; KŚS 1 5,7,28-34 (Asko Parpola, 1986, p.44)(1) traidhātav(ī)yā iṣṭi "rite having three layers or elements (cf. Caland 1908: no. 178 and Heesterman 1957: 168 f. and 171 f.; this rite is performed at the end of several royal rituals, such as the royal- consecration and the horse sacrifice): KS 12,3-4

Tārpya garment is mentioned in adoration of Varuṇa in: AV [1800431] On thee doth Savitar the God bestow this vesture for thy wear. Clothe thee herein, and find meet robe in Yama s realm to cover thee.

Rājasūya is varuṇa-sava. "It is Varuṇa whom they annoint" (Śānkh. 15,13,4)

nirṇij निर्णिज् 3 U. 1 To wash, clean, purify : अम्बुनिर्णिक्तम् Y.1.191; Ms.5.127. -2 To dress oneself.nirṇij निर्णिज् a. Ved. 1 Clearing, washing. -2 Wellnourished. -m. 1 A form, shape. -2 A bright or shining garment. -3 Purification, washing. (Apte)f. a shining dress or ornament , any bright garment &c RV.; ( √निज्) P. -णेनेक्ति (Subj. -णेनिजति ; A1. णेनिक्ते Br. ; dat. inf. -ण्/इजे RV. ) , (P.) to wash off , cleanse Br. ChUp. ; (A1.) id. TS. ; to wash or dress or adorn one's self RV. &c &c (Monier-Williams)

RV I.25.13 Varuna, wearing golden mail, hath clad him in a shining robe.

His spies are seated found about.

According to Bergaigne (1883: III,1J0 = 1978: III, 135), Varuṇa's
golden garment in 1,25,13 would represent not so much the rays of the sun as the waters rendered golden by the sun or rendered ruddy on accounf of lightning".

RV VII.64.1YE Twain who rule, in heaven and earth, the region, clothed be your clouds in robes of oil and

fatness.
May the imperial Varuna, and Mitra, and highborn- Aryaman accept our presents.

RV V.62. 4 Let your wellharnessed- horses bear you hither: hitherward let them come with reins drawn

tightly.

A covering cloud of sacred oil attends you, and your streams flow to us from days aforetime.

RV V.85.1-3 1. SING forth a hymn sublime and solemn, grateful to glorious. Varuna, imperial Ruler,

Who hath struck out, like one who slays the victim, earth as a skin to spread in front of Surya.
2 In the treetops- the air he hath extended, put milk in kine and vigorous speed in horses,
Set intellect in hearts, fire in the waters, Surya in heaven and Soma on the mountain.
3 Varuna lets the big cask, opening downward, flow through the heaven and earth and airs'
midregion-.
Therewith the universes' Sovran waters earth as the shower of rain bedews the barley.
See:

Skambha (Sivalinga) temple in Dholavira consistent withdeciphered Indus Script Sign Board. Evidence for Sivaworship. http://tinyurl.com/qetwb4l

Hieroglyph: kolmo 'three' Rebus: kolimi 'smithy'; kolle

'blacksmith'; kole.l 'smithy, temple' (Kota) Trefoil Hieroglyph-multiplex as three dotted circles: kolom 'three' Rebus: kole.l kanda 'temple fire-altar'. Alternative: kole.l धावड dhāvaḍa 'temple PLUS red ferrite ore smelter'.

Trefoils painted on steatite beads, Harappa (After Vats, Pl. CXXXIII, Fig.2)

If one end of a tape or belt is turned over three times and then pasted to the other, a trefoil knot results. (Shaw, George Russell (MCMXXXIII). Knots: Useful & Ornamental, p.11.)

Trefoil motifs are carved on the robe of the so-called "priest-king" statuette from Mohenjo-daro and are also known from contemporary sites in western Pakistan, Afghanistan, and southern Central Asia.dhā̆vaḍ 'smelter' tri-dhAtu,'‘three minerals". त्रिधातु mfn. consisting of 3 parts , triple , threefold (used like Lat. triplex to denote excessive)RV. S3Br. v , 5 , 5 , 6; n. the aggregate of the 3 minerals.tri त्रिधा ind. in 3 parts, ways or places; triply, ˚त्वम् tripartition; Ch. Up. -धातुः an epithet of Gaṇeśa. dhāˊtu n. ʻ substance ʼ RV., m. ʻ element ʼMBh., ʻ metal, mineral, ore (esp. of a red colour) ʼ Mn., ʻ ashes of the dead ʼ

lex., ʻ *strand of rope ʼ (cf. tridhāˊtu -- ʻ threefold ʼ RV., ayugdhātu -- ʻ having an uneven number of strands ʼ KātyŚr.). [√dhā]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); -- Si. dā ʻ relic ʼ; -- 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)

त्रिधातुः is an epithet of Gaṇeśa. This may indicate three forms of ferrite ores: magnetite, haematite, laterite which were identified in Indus Script as poLa 'magnetite', bichi 'haematite' and goTa 'laterite'.

Rebus readings of Indus Script hieroglyphs may explain the त्रिधातुः epithet of Gaṇeśa: karibha 'elephant's trunk' rebus: karba 'iron' ibha 'elephant' rebus: ib 'iron'.

It has been suggested at

http://bharatkalyan97.blogspot.in/2015/11/trefoil-of-indus-script-corpora-and.html?view=sidebar that the trefoil decorating the shawl of the 'priest-king' of Mohenjo-daro is a cross-sectional signifier of three strands of rope.

Thus, a dotted circle is signified by the word: dhāī 'wisp of fibre' (Sindhi).

Single strand (one dotted-circle)

Two strands (pair of dotted-circles)

Three strands (three dotted-circles as a trefoil)

These orthographic variants provide semantic elucidations for a single: dhātu, dhāū, dhāv 'red stone mineral' or two minerals: dul PLUS dhātu, dhāū, dhāv 'cast minerals' or tri- dhātu, -dhāū, -dhāv 'three minerals' to create metal alloys'. The artisans producing alloys are dhā̆vaḍ m. ʻa caste of iron -- smeltersʼ, dhāvḍī ʻcomposed of or relating to ironʼ)(CDIAL 6773).

dām 'rope, string' rebus: dhāu 'ore' rebus: मेढा [mēḍhā] A twist or tangle arising in thread or cord, a curl or snarl (Marathi). Rebus: meḍ 'iron, copper' (Munda. Slavic) mẽṛhẽt, meḍ 'iron' (Munda).

Semantics of single strand of rope and three strands of rope are: 1. Sindhi dhāī f. ʻ wisp of fibres added from time to time to a rope that is being twisted ʼ, Lahnda dhāī˜ id.; 2. tridhāˊtu -- ʻ threefold ʼ (RigVeda)

Ta. vaṭam cable, large rope, cord, bowstring, strands of a garland, chains of a necklace; vaṭi rope; vaṭṭi (-pp-, -tt-) to tie. Ma. vaṭam rope, a rope of cowhide (in plough), dancing rope, thick rope for dragging timber. Ka. vaṭa, vaṭara, vaṭi string, rope, tie. Te. vaṭi rope, cord. Go. (Mu.) vaṭiya strong rope made of paddy straw (Voc. 3150). Cf. 3184 Ta. tār̤vaṭam. / Cf. Skt. vaṭa- string, rope, tie; vaṭāraka-, vaṭākara-, varāṭaka- cord, string; Turner, CDIAL, no. 11212. (DEDR 5220) vaṭa2 ʻ string ʼ lex. [Prob. ← Drav. Tam. vaṭam, Kan. vaṭi, vaṭara, &c. DED 4268]N. bariyo ʻ cord, rope ʼ; Bi. barah ʻ rope working irrigation lever ʼ, barhā ʻ thick well -- rope ʼ, Mth. barahā ʻ rope ʼ.(CDIAL 11212)

I suggest that the expression dhā̆vaḍ 'smelter' signified by trefoil or three strands is a semantic duplication of the parole words: dhāī 'wisp of fibre' PLUS vaṭa, vaṭara, vaṭi string, rope, tie. Thus, it is possible that the trefoil as a hieroglyph-multiplex was signified in parole by the expression dhā̆vaḍ 'three strands' rebus: dhā̆vaḍ 'smelter'.

The shawl decorated with dhā̆vaḍ 'trefoil' is a hieroglyph: pōta 'cloth' rebus:

पोता पोतृ, 'purifier' in a yajna. போற்றி pōṟṟi, போத்தி pōtti Brahman temple- priest in Malabar; மலையாளத்திலுள்ள கோயிலருச் சகன். Marathi has a cognate in

पोतदार [pōtadāra] m ( P) An officer under the native governments. His business was to assay all money paid into the treasury. He was also the village-silversmith. The shawl decorated with dhā̆vaḍ 'trefoil' is a hieroglyph: pōta 'cloth' rebus:

पोतदार [pōtadāra] m ( P) An officer under the native governments. His business was to assay all money paid into the treasury. He was also the village-silversmith. पोतृ पु० पुनाति पु--तृन् । ऋत्विग्मेदे अच्छावाकशब्दे ८५ पृ० दृश्यम् । होत्रादिशब्देन द्वन्द्वे ऋत आत् । पोताहोतारौ ।

https://sa.wikisource.org/wiki/वाचस्पत्यम्

पोता, [ऋ] पुं, (पुनातीति । पू + “नप्तृनेष्टृ-त्वष्टृहोतृपोतृभ्रातृजामातृमातृपितृदुहितृ ।”उणा० २ । ९६ । इति तृन्प्रत्ययेन निपात्यते ।) विष्णुः । इति संक्षिप्तसारोणादिवृत्तिः ॥ऋत्विक् । इति भूरिप्रयोगः ॥ (यथा, ऋग्वेदे ।४ । ९ । ३ ।“स सद्म परि णीयते होता मन्द्रो दिविष्टिषु ।उत पोता नि षीदति ॥”)

https://sa.wikisource.org/wiki/शब्दकल्पद्रुमः पोतृ [p= 650,1] प्/ओतृ or पोतृ, m. " Purifier " , N. of one of the 16 officiating priests at a sacrifice (the assistant of the Brahman ; = यज्ञस्य शोधयिट्रि Sa1y. )

RV. Br. S3rS. Hariv. N. of विष्णु L. पौत्र, पोत्री f. N. of दुर्गा Gal. (cf. पौत्री). pōtṛ

पोतृ m. One of the sixteen officiating priests at a sacrifice (assistant of the priest called ब्रह्मन्). पोत्रम् [पू-त्र] The office of the Potṛi. ब्रह्मन् m. one of the 4 principal priests or ऋत्विज्as (the other three being the होतृ , अध्वर्यु and उद्गातृ ; the ब्रह्मन् was the most learned of them and was required to know the 3 वेदs , to supervise the sacrifice and to set right mistakes ; at a later period his functions were based especially on the अथर्व-वेद) RV. &c होतृ m. (fr. √1. हु) an offerer of an oblation or burnt-offering (with fire) , sacrificer , priest , (esp.) a priest who at a sacrifice invokes the gods or recites the ऋग्-वेद , a ऋग्-वेद priest (one of the 4 kinds of officiating priest »ऋत्विज् , p.224; properly the होतृ priest has 3 assistants , sometimes called पुरुषs , viz. the मैत्रा-वरुण , अच्छा-वाक, and ग्रावस्तुत् ; to these are sometimes added three others , the ब्राह्मणाच्छंसिन् , अग्नीध्र or अग्नीध् , and पोतृ , though these last are properly assigned to the Brahman priest ; sometimes the नेष्टृ is substituted for the ग्राव-स्तुत्) RV.&c नेष्टृ m. (prob. fr. √ नी aor. stem नेष् ; but cf. Pa1n2. 3-2 , 135 Va1rtt. 2 &c ) one of the chief officiating priests at aसोम sacrifice , he who leads forward the wife of the sacrificer and prepares the सुरा (त्वष्टृ so called RV. i , 15 , 3) RV. Br. S3rS. &c अध्वर्यु m. one who institutes an अध्वर any officiating priest a priest of a particular class (as distinguished from the होतृ , the उद्गातृ , and the ब्रह्मन् classes. The अध्वर्युpriests " had to measure the ground , to build the altar , to prepare the sacrificial vessels , to fetch wood and water , to light the fire , to bring the animal and immolate it " ; whilst engaged in these duties , they had to repeat the hymns of the यजुर्-वेद , hence that वेद itself is also called अध्वर्यु)pl. (अध्वर्यवस्) the adherents of the यजुर्-वेद; उद्-गातृ m. one of the four chief-priests (viz. the one who chants the hymns of the सामवेद) , a chanterRV. ii , 43 , 2 TS. AitBr. S3Br. Ka1tyS3r. Sus3r. Mn. &c

अच्छा-वाकm. " the inviter " , title of a particular priest or ऋत्विज् , one of the sixteen required to perform the great sacrifices with the सोम juice. ग्रावन् m. a stone for pressing out the सोम (originally 2 were used RV. ii , 39 , 1 ; later on 4 [ S3a1n3khBr.xxix , 1] or 5 [Sch. on S3Br. &c ]) RV. AV. VS. S3Br.= ग्राव-स्त्/उत् Hariv. 11363

pōtrá1 ʻ *cleaning instrument ʼ (ʻ the Potr̥'s soma vessel ʼ RV.). [√pū]Bi. pot ʻ jeweller's polishing stone ʼ? -- Rather < *pōttī -- .(CDIAL 8404) *pōttī ʻ glass bead ʼ.Pk. pottī -- f. ʻ glass ʼ; S. pūti f. ʻ glass bead ʼ, P. pot f.; N. pote ʻ long straight bar of jewelry ʼ; B. pot ʻ glass bead ʼ, puti, pũti ʻ small bead ʼ; Or. puti ʻ necklace of small glass beads ʼ; H. pot m. ʻ glass bead ʼ, G. M. pot f.; -- Bi. pot ʻ jeweller's polishing stone ʼ rather than < pōtrá --(CDIAL 8403) pōtana पोतन a. 1 Sacred, holy. -2 Purifying.

Hence the importance of the office of Potr̥, 'Rigvedic priest of a yajna' signified as 'purifier', an assayer of dhāˊtu 'minerals.

I suggest that this fillet (dotted circle with a connecting strand or tape is the hieroglyph which signifies धातु (Rigveda) dhāu (Prakrtam) 'a strand' rebus: element, mineral ore. This hieroglyph signifies the पोतृ,'purifier' priest of dhā̆vaḍ 'iron-smelters' of dhāū, dhāv 'red stone minerals'.

http://bharatkalyan97.blogspot.in/2015/11/priest-of-dhavad-iron-smelters-with.html Orthography of the 'dotted circle' is representation of a single strand: dhāu rebus: dhāū 'red stone minerals.

It is this signifier which occurs in the orthography of the dotted circle hieroglyph-multiplex on early punch-marked coins of Magadha -- a proclamation of the dhāū 'element, mineral ores' used in the Magadha mint. On one Silver Satamana punch-marked coin of Gandhara septa-radiate or, seven strands emerge from the dotted circle signifying the use in the mint of सप्त--धातु 'seven mineral ores'.

These powerful narratives are also validated -- archaeologically attested -- by the discovery of Mohenjo-daro priest wearing (on his forehead and on the right shoulder) fillets of a dotted circle tied to a string and with a uttarīyam decorated with one, two, three dotted circles. The fillet is an Indus Script hypertext which reads: dhã̄i 'strand' PLUS vaṭa 'string' rebus: dhāvaḍ 'smelter'. The same dotted circles enseemble is also shown as a sacred hieroglyph on the bases of Śivalingas found in Mohenjo-dar. The dotted circles are painted with red pigment, the same way as Mosonszentjanos dice are painted with red iron oxide pigment.

It is possible to decipher the hieroglyphs using the rebus-metonymy layered cipher of Indus writing system.

The Meluhha semantics of objects signified by these three hieroglyphs are related to metalwork guild.

Trefoil hieroglyph or three 'beads, orifice'

kolom 'three' (Munda) Rebus: kolami 'smithy, forge'. The triplicate

composing the trefoil is a semantic determinant of the signified object: smithy, forge.

*pōttī ʻ glass bead ʼ.Pk. pottī -- f. ʻ glass ʼ; S. pūti f. ʻ glass bead ʼ, P. pot f.; N. pote ʻ long straight bar of jewelry ʼ; B. pot ʻ glass bead ʼ, puti, pũti ʻ small bead ʼ; Or. puti ʻ necklace of small glass beads ʼ; H. pot m. ʻ glass bead ʼ, G. M. pot f.; -- Bi. pot ʻ jeweller's polishing stone ʼ rather than < pōtrá -- 1.(CDIAL 8403) பொத்தல் pottal , n. < id. [K. poṭṭare, M. pottu, Tu. potre.] 1. Hole, orifice.

Rebus: Soma priest, jeweller's polishing stone

पोतृ pōtṛ " Purifier " , Name of one of the 16 officiating priests at a sacrifice (the assistant of the Brahman (Rigveda) pōtrá1 ʻ *cleaning instrument ʼ (ʻ the Potr̥'s soma vessel ʼ RV.). [√pū] Bi. pot ʻ jeweller's polishing stone ʼ? -- Rather < *pōttī -- .(CDIAL 8404) pōtṛ पोतृ m. 1 One of the sixteen officiating priests at a sacrifice (assistant of the priest called ब्रह्मन्). -2 An epithet of Viṣṇu.

A dotted circle (three of which constitute a trefoil) is also associated with the standard device frequently shown in front of a one-horned young bull:

Gold fillet showing sacred device--- sangaḍa.

Gold fillet depicting the standard device, Mohenjo-daro, 2600 BCE. [Source: Page 32 in: Deo Prakash Sharma, 2000, Harappan seals, sealings and copper tablets, Delhi, National Museum]. At a Marshall, MIC, Pl. CLI are specimens of fillets consisting of thin bands of beaten gold with holes for cords at their ends.
Image result for dotted circle bharatkalyan97

Image result for dotted circle bharatkalyan97

Gold fillet, Mohenjo-daro, with Indus script hypertext of dotted circles, lathe, brazier signify पोतृ purifier priest of kole.l 'smithy, temple'.

dāntā 'ivory' rebus dhāˊtu 'ore of red colour' (Rigveda)

Image result for gold pectoral mohenjodaro

See the dotted circle hieroglyph on the bottom of the sacred device, sangaḍa.

Kot Diji type seals with concentric circles from (a,b) Taraqai Qila (Trq-2 &3, after CISI 2: 414), (c,d) Harappa(H-638 after CISI 2: 304, H-1535 after CISI 3.1:211), and (e) Mohenjo-daro (M-1259, aftr CISI 2: 158). (From Fig. 7 Parpola, 2013).

Distribution of geometrical seals in Greater Indus Valley during the early and *Mature Harappan periods (c. 3000 - 2000 BCE). After Uesugi 2011, Development of the Inter-regional interaction system in the Indus valley and beyond: a hypothetical view towards the formation of the urban society' in: Cultural relagions betwen the Indus and the Iranian plateau during the 3rd millennium BCE, ed. Toshiki Osada & Michael Witzel. Harvard Oriental Series, Opera Minora 7. Pp. 359-380. Cambridge, MA: Dept of Sanskrit and Indian Studies, Harvard University: fig.7.

Dotted circles and three lines on the obverse of many Failaka/Dilmun seals are read rebus as hieroglyphs:

Hieroglyph: ḍāv m. ʻdice-throwʼ rebus: dhāu 'ore'; dã̄u ʻtyingʼ, ḍāv m. ʻdice-throwʼ read rebus: dhāu 'ore' in the context of glosses: dhā̆vaḍ m. ʻa caste of iron -smelters', dhāvḍī ʻcomposed of or relating to ironʼ. Thus, three dotted circles signify: tri-dhāu, tri-dhātu 'three ores' (copper, tin, iron).

A (गोटा) gōṭā Spherical or spheroidal, pebble-form. (Marathi) Rebus: khoṭā ʻalloyedʼ (metal) (Marathi) खोट [khōṭa] f A mass of metal (unwrought or of old metal melted down); an ingot or wedge (Marathi). P. khoṭ m. ʻalloyʼ (CDIAL 3931) goTa 'laterite ferrite ore'

m0352 cdef

"The embroidered circles and trefoils as lnages of fireplaces The vedie bãrpya garment, then, as decorated with images of dhisjmyas resembling the circular patterns on the Harappan priest-king’s garment." (Parpola, opcit., p.55)
धिष्ण्य m. (f(आ). only RV. iv , 3 , 6 ; n. MBh. i , 7944) a sort of subordinate or side-altar (generally a heap of earth covered with sand on which the fire is placed , and of which 8 are enumerated , viz. besides the आग्नीध्रीय [in the आग्नीध्र] those in the सदस् [see s.v.] belonging to the होतृ , the मैत्रा-वरुण or प्र-शस्तृ , the ब्राह्मणाच्छंसिन् , the पोतृ , नेष्टृ and अच्छा-वाक ; and the मार्जालीय) Br. S3rS. &c (cf. कॢप्त-) &c

The + glyph of Sibri evidence is comparable to the large-sized 'dot', dotted circles and + glyph shown on this Mohenjo-daro seal m0352 with dotted circles repeated on 5 sides A to F. Mohenjo-daro Seal m0352 shows dotted circles in the four corners of a fire-altar and at the centre of the altar together with four raised 'bun' ingot-type rounded features. Rebus readings of m0352 hieroglyphs:
dhātu 'layer, strand'; dhāv 'strand, string' Rebus: dhāu, dhātu 'ore'

1. Round dot like a blob -- . Glyph: raised large-sized dot -- (gōṭī ‘round pebble);goTa 'laterite (ferrite ore)
2. Dotted circle khaṇḍa ‘A piece, bit, fragment, portion’; kandi ‘bead’;
3. A + shaped structure where the glyphs 1 and 2 are infixed. The + shaped structure is kaṇḍ ‘a fire-altar’ (which is associated with glyphs 1 and 2)..
Rebus readings are: 1. khoṭ m. ʻalloyʼgoTa 'laterite (ferrite ore); 2. khaṇḍā ‘tools, pots and pans and metal-ware’; 3. kaṇḍ ‘furnace, fire-altar, consecrated fire’.

Four ‘round spot’; glyphs around the ‘dotted circle’ in the center of the composition: gōṭī ‘round pebble; Rebus 1: goTa 'laterite (ferrite ore); Rebus 2:L. khoṭf ʻalloy, impurityʼ, °ṭā ʻalloyedʼ, awāṇ. khoṭā ʻforgedʼ; P. khoṭ m. ʻbase, alloyʼ M.khoṭā ʻalloyedʼ (CDIAL 3931) Rebus 3: kōṭhī ] f (कोष्ट S) A granary, garner, storehouse, warehouse, treasury, factory, bank. khoṭā ʻalloyedʼ metal is produced from kaṇḍ ‘furnace, fire-altar’ yielding khaṇḍā ‘tools, pots and pans and metal-ware’. This word khaṇḍā is denoted by the dotted circles.

Stepped cross seals with Indus Script hieroglyphs

Hieroglyph: eruvai ‘kite’ Rebus: eruvai = copper (Ta.lex.) eraka, er-aka = any metal infusion (Ka.Tu.); erako molten cast (Tu.lex.) Rebus: eraka = copper (Ka.) eruvai = copper (Ta.); ere – a dark-red colour (Ka.)(DEDR 817). eraka, era, er-a = syn. erka, copper, weapons (Ka.) The central dot in the cross (which signifies a fire-altar) is: goTa ’round’ Rebus: khoT ‘ingot’. gaNDA ‘four’ rebus: kanda.’fire-altar’.khamba ‘wing’ rebus: kammaTa ‘mint’. (s)phaṭa-, sphaṭā- a serpent's expanded hood, Pkt. phaḍā id. rebus: phaḍā, paṭṭaḍa 'metals manufactory'.

Artifacts from Jiroft.

Ivory combs. Turkmenistan.

Ivory objects. Sarasvati Civilization

Tablets.Ivory objects. Mohenjo-daro.

Ivory rod, ivory plaques with dotted circles. Mohenjo-daro (Musee National De Arts Asiatiques, Guimet, 1988-1989, , Les cites oubliees de l’Indus Archeologie du Pakistan.] dhātu 'layer, strand'; dhāv 'strand, string' Rebus: dhāu, dhātu 'ore'. dATu 'cross' rebus: dhatu 'mineral'. Thus, the message signified by dotted circles and X hieroglyph refers to dhā̆vaḍ priest of 'iron-smelters'. The aquatic duck shown atop an ivory rod is: karaṇḍa 'duck' (Sanskrit) karaṛa 'a very large aquatic bird' (Sindhi) Rebus: करडा [karaḍā] Hard from alloy--iron, silver &c. (Marathi) Thus, the metalworker (smelter) works with hard alloys (using carburization process). Three dotted circles: kolom 'three' rebus: kolimi 'smithy, forge'. Thus working with minerals and hard alloys for smithy, forge.
நெற்றிப்பட்டம் neṟṟi-p-paṭṭam, n. < id. +. Thin plate of metal worn on the forehead, as an ornament or badge of distinction; நுதலி லணியும் பட்டம். (W.)
பட்டம்² paṭṭam, n. < paṭṭa. 1. Plate of gold worn on the forehead, as an ornament or badge of distinction; சிறப்புக்கு அறிகுறியாக நெற்றி யிலணியும் பொற்றகடு. பட்டமுங் குழையு மின்ன (சீவக. 472). 2. An ornament worn on the forehead by women; மாதர் நுதலணி. பட்டங் கட்டிப்பொற்றோடு பெய்து (திவ். பெரியாழ். 3, 7, 6). 3. Title, appellation of dignity, title of office; பட்டப்பெயர். பட்டமும் பசும்பொற் பூணும் பரந்து (சீவக. 112). 4. Regency; reign; ஆட்சி. 5. Fasteners, metal clasp; சட்டங்களை இணைக்க உதவும் தகடு. ஆணிகளும் பட்டங்களுமாகிய பரிய இரும்பாலேகட்டி (நெடுநல். 80, உரை). High position; உயர் பதவி. (பிங்.)
Ta. paṭṭaṭai, paṭṭaṟai anvil, smithy, forge. Ka. paṭṭaḍe, paṭṭaḍi anvil, workshop. Te. paṭṭika, paṭṭeḍa anvil; paṭṭaḍa workshop(DEDR 3865)
meḍhi 'tied rope' rebus: meḍ 'iron' med 'copper' (Slavic)
फडपूस (p. 313) phaḍapūsa f (फड & पुसणें) Public or open inquiry. फडफरमाश or स (p. 313) phaḍapharamāśa or sa f ( H & P) Fruit, vegetables &c. furnished on occasions to Rajas and public officers, on the authority of their order upon the villages; any petty article or trifling work exacted from the Ryots by Government or a public officer.
फडनिविशी or सी (p. 313) phaḍaniviśī or sī & फडनिवीस Commonly फड- निशी & फडनीस. फडनीस (p. 313) phaḍanīsa m ( H) A public officer,--the keeper of the registers &c. By him were issued all grants, commissions, and orders; and to him were rendered all accounts from the other departments. He answers to Deputy auditor and accountant. Formerly the head Kárkún of a district-cutcherry who had charge of the accounts &c. was called फडनीस.
फडकरी (p. 313) phaḍakarī m A man belonging to a company or band (of players, showmen &c.) 2 A superintendent or master of a फड or public place. See under फड. 3 A retail-dealer (esp. in grain).

फडझडती (p. 313) phaḍajhaḍatī f sometimes फडझाडणी f A clearing off of public business (of any business comprehended under the word फड q. v.): also clearing examination of any फड or place of public business.

फड (p. 313) phaḍa m ( H) A place of public business or public resort; as a court of justice, an exchange, a mart, a counting-house, a custom-house, an auction-room: also, in an ill-sense, as खेळण्या- चा फड A gambling-house, नाचण्याचा फड A nach house, गाण्याचा or ख्यालीखुशालीचा फड A singing shop or merriment shop. The word expresses freely Gymnasium or arena, circus, club-room, debating-room, house or room or stand for idlers, newsmongers, gossips, scamps &c. 2 The spot to which field-produce is brought, that the crop may be ascertained and the tax fixed; the depot at which the Government-revenue in kind is delivered; a place in general where goods in quantity are exposed for inspection or sale. 3 Any office or place of extensive business or work, as a factory, manufactory, arsenal, dock-yard, printing-office &c. 4 A plantation or field (as of ऊस, वांग्या, मिरच्या, खरबुजे &c.): also a standing crop of such produce. 5 fig. Full and vigorous operation or proceeding, the going on with high animation and bustle (of business in general). v चाल, पड, घाल, मांड. 6 A company, a troop, a band or set (as of actors, showmen, dancers &c.) 7 The stand of a great gun. फड पडणें g. of s. To be in full and active operation. 2 To come under brisk discussion. फड मारणें- राखणें-संभाळणें To save appearances, फड मारणें or संपादणें To cut a dash; to make a display (upon an occasion). फडाच्या मापानें With full tale; in flowing measure. फडास येणें To come before the public; to come under general discussion.

phaḍa फड ‘manufactory, company, guild, public office’, keeper of all accounts, registers.
फडपूस (p. 313) phaḍapūsa f (फड & पुसणें) Public or open inquiry. फडफरमाश or स (p. 313) phaḍapharamāśa or sa f ( H & P) Fruit, vegetables &c. furnished on occasions to Rajas and public officers, on the authority of their order upon the villages; any petty article or trifling work exacted from the Ryots by Government or a public officer.
फडनिविशी or सी (p. 313) phaḍaniviśī or sī & फडनिवीस Commonly फड- निशी & फडनीस. फडनीस (p. 313) phaḍanīsa m ( H) A public officer,--the keeper of the registers &c. By him were issued all grants, commissions, and orders; and to him were rendered all accounts from the other departments. He answers to Deputy auditor and accountant. Formerly the head Kárkún of a district-cutcherry who had charge of the accounts &c. was called फडनीस.
फडकरी (p. 313) phaḍakarī m A man belonging to a company or band (of players, showmen &c.) 2 A superintendent or master of a फड or public place. See under फड. 3 A retail-dealer (esp. in grain).

फडझडती (p. 313) phaḍajhaḍatī f sometimes फडझाडणी f A clearing off of public business (of any business comprehended under the word फड q. v.): also clearing examination of any फड or place of public business.

फड (p. 313) phaḍa m ( H) A place of public business or public resort; as a court of justice, an exchange, a mart, a counting-house, a custom-house, an auction-room: also, in an ill-sense, as खेळण्या- चा फड A gambling-house, नाचण्याचा फड A nach house, गाण्याचा or
ख्यालीखुशालीचा फड A singing shop or merriment shop. The word expresses freely Gymnasium or arena, circus, club-room, debating-room, house or room or stand for idlers, newsmongers, gossips, scamps &c. 2 The spot to which field-produce is brought, that the crop may be ascertained and the tax fixed; the depot at which the Government-revenue in kind is delivered; a place in general where goods in quantity are exposed for inspection or sale. 3 Any office or place of extensive business or work, as a factory, manufactory, arsenal, dock-yard, printing-office &c. 4 A plantation or field (as of ऊस, वांग्या, मिरच्या, खरबुजे &c.): also a standing crop of such produce. 5 fig. Full and vigorous operation or proceeding, the going on with high animation and bustle (of business in general). v चाल, पड, घाल, मांड. 6 A company, a troop, a band or set (as of actors, showmen, dancers &c.) 7 The stand of a great gun. फड पडणें g. of s. To be in full and active operation. 2 To come under brisk discussion. फड मारणें- राखणें-संभाळणें To save appearances, फड मारणें or संपादणें To cut a dash; to make a display (upon an occasion). फडाच्या मापानें With full tale; in flowing measure. फडास येणें To come before the public; to come under general discussion.

Circular seal, of steatite, from Bahrein, found at Lothal.

A Stamp seal and its impression from the Harappan site of Lothal north of Bombay, of the type also found in the contemporary cultures of southern Iraq and the Persian Gulf Area. http://www.penn.museum/sites/expedition/archaeology-in-india/

http://www.penn.museum/sites/expedition/shipping-and-maritime-trade-of-the-indus-people/

See:

Dotted circles, tulips and tin-bronze revolution of 4th millennium BCE documented in Harappa Script

http://tinyurl.com/z3x7zev

Mesopotamian lama deity, a bull with a human head, kind, protective spirits associated with the great sun god Shamash. In one inscription, an Assyrian king called upon lama deities to "turn back an evil person, guard the steps, and secure the path of the king who fashioned them." 2100-2000 BCE Serpentine, a smooth green stone the color of life-giving water in a desert area. The hollowed-out shapes on the body originally were inlaid with pearly shell or lapis lazuli.

At the time of Gudea and the Third Dynasty of Ur (ca.2100-2000)' when trefoil inlays decorate a couple of small reclining bulls with a bearded human head, made of steatite

and bituminous stones' and found at Lagash(Tello) in Sumer.

"Images of human-headed bulls are found throughout Mesopotamian history. Several statuettes dating from the late third millennium BC show a bearded creature wearing the divine horned headdress, lying down with its head turned to the side. They have been found at various Sumerian sites, the majority from Telloh. “C.J.Gadd (quoted by Mackay 1931: I, 356 fn. 2) thought that the Sumerian bu1ls with trefoils are representations of the BuÌl-of Heaven(a Babylonian name for one of the constellations) and therefore the trefoils represent stars. The Bull of Heaven (GU4-AN-NA = ãlu) figures in the epic of Gilgamesh.(Parpola, opcit, p.28)

Crete. Cow-head rhython with trefoil decor.

1 G. Contenau, Manual d'archeologie orientale, II, Paris, 1931, p. 698-9.
2 ibid. and A. Evans, the Palace of Mines, II, 1928, p. 261
3 The Babylonian Legends of the Creation (Brit. Mus. 1931), p. 59; Antiquaries Journal, III, 1923, p.331
4 Evans, op cit. I, 1921, pp. 513-14
5 ibid. IV, 1935, p. 315

miṇḍāl markhor (Tor.wali) meḍho a ram, a sheep (G.)(CDIAL 10120)
Rebus: meḍ (Ho.); mẽṛhet ‘iron’ (Mu.Ho.)mẽṛh t iron; ispat m. = steel; dul m. = cast iron (Munda)

Late Harappan Period dish or lid with perforation at edge for hanging or attaching to large jar. It shows a Blackbuck antelope with trefoil design made of combined circle-and-dot motifs, possibly representing stars. It is associated with burial pottery of the Cemetery H period, dating after 1900 BC. Credit Harappa.com

"Late Harappan Period dish or lid with perforation at edge for hanging or attaching to large jar. It shows a Blackbuck antelope with trefoil design made of combined circle-and-dot motifs, possibly representing stars. It is associated with burial pottery of the Cemetery H period,dating after 1900 BC.The Late Harappan Period at Harappa is represented by the Cemetery H culture (190-1300 BC) which is named after the discovery of a large cemetery filled with painted burial urns and some extended inhumations. The earlier burials in this cemetery were laid out much like Harappan coffin burials, but in the later burials, adults were cremated and the bones placed in large urns (164). The change in burial customs represents a major shift in religion and can also be correlated to important changes in economic and political organization. Cemetery H pottery and related ceramics have been found throughout northern Pakistan, even as far north as Swat, where they mix with distinctive local traditions. In the east, numerous sites in the Ganga-Yamuna Doab provide evidence for the gradual expansion of settlements into this heavily forested region. One impetus for this expansion may have been the increasing use of rice and other summer (kharif) crops that could be grown using monsoon stimulated rains. Until late in the Harappan Period (after 2200 BC) the agricultural foundation of the Harappan cities was largely winter (rabi) crops that included wheat and barley. Although the Cemetery H culture encompassed a relatively large area, the trade connections with thewestern highlands began to break down as did the trade with the coast. Lapis lazuli and turquoise beads are rarely found in the settlements, and marine shell for ornaments and ritual objects gradually disappeared. On the other hand the technology of faience manufacture becomes more refined, possibly in order to compensate for the lack of raw materials such as shell, faience and possibly even carnelian." (Kenoyer in harappa.com slide description) http://www.harappa.com/indus2/162.html

Hieroglyph markhor, ram: mēṇḍha2 m. ʻ ram ʼ, °aka -- , mēṇḍa -- 4, miṇḍha -- 2, °aka -- , mēṭha -- 2, mēṇḍhra -- , mēḍhra -- 2, °aka -- m. lex. 2. *mēṇṭha- (mēṭha -- m. lex.). 3. *mējjha -- . [r -- forms (which are not attested in NIA.) are due to further sanskritization of a loan -- word prob. of Austro -- as. origin (EWA ii 682 with lit.) and perh. related to the group s.v. bhēḍra -- ]1. Pa. meṇḍa -- m. ʻ ram ʼ, °aka -- ʻ made of a ram's horn (e.g. a bow) ʼ; Pk. meḍḍha -- , meṁḍha -- (°ḍhī -- f.), °ṁḍa -- , miṁḍha -- (°dhiā -- f.), °aga -- m. ʻ ram ʼ, Dm. Gaw. miṇ Kal.rumb. amŕn/aŕə ʻ sheep ʼ (a -- ?); Bshk. mināˊl ʻ ram ʼ; Tor. miṇḍ ʻ ram ʼ, miṇḍāˊl ʻ markhor ʼ; Chil. mindh*ll ʻ ram ʼ AO xviii 244 (dh!), Sv. yēṛo -- miṇ; Phal. miṇḍ, miṇ ʻ ram ʼ, miṇḍṓl m. ʻ yearling lamb, gimmer ʼ; P. mẽḍhā m.,°ḍhī f., ludh. mīḍḍhā, mī˜ḍhā m.; N. meṛho, meṛo ʻ ram for sacrifice ʼ; A. mersāg ʻ ram ʼ ( -- sāg < *chāgya -- ?), B. meṛā m., °ṛi f., Or. meṇḍhā, °ḍā m., °ḍhi f., H. meṛh, meṛhā, mẽḍhā m., G. mẽḍhɔ, M.mẽḍhā m., Si. mäḍayā.2. Pk. meṁṭhī -- f. ʻ sheep ʼ; H. meṭhā m. ʻ ram ʼ.3. H. mejhukā m. ʻ ram ʼ.A. also mer (phonet. mer) ʻ ram ʼ (CDIAL 10310). Rebus: mẽṛhẽt, meḍ 'iron' (Munda.Ho.)

Trefoil Hieroglyph-multiplex as three dotted circles: kolom 'three' Rebus: kole.l kanda 'temple fire-altar'. Alternative: kole.l धावड dhāvaḍa 'temple PLUS red ferrite ore smelter'.

Harry Burton photograph taken during the excavation of the tomb in 1922 in pharaoh's Antechamber, Treasury and Burial chamber.

King Tut's burial bed in the form of the Celestial Cow. The Cow represents the Goddess Hathor Mehet-Urt, whose horns are decorated with the solar disk.

Funeral couch of Tutankhamen (1336 BC - 1327 BCE) features cow with solar disc and inlay blue glass trefoils decorating the body. Said to represent Goddess Hathor.

"An inscription from The Book of the divine cow found in the Burial chamber alludes to its sacred function as a solar barque for bearing the pharaoh to the heavens...Hieroglyphs carved on the footboard promise the protection of Isis and the endurance of Osiris."http://www.kingtutexhibit.com/catalogs/tutankhamun_catalog.pdf


A suggestion: A dotted circle as dhAv 'strand' hieroglyph may be read rebus as: धाम 




[p= 514,3] m. pl. N. of a class of superhuman beings MBh.; abode (Samskrtam) This may explain the significance of three dotted circles (trefoil) on the couch of Tuutankhamun with damkom bull calves signified on the couch.




Evolution ḍha-, dha- in Brahmi script syllables are evocative of 'string' and 'circle, dotted circle' as may be seen from the following orthographic evidence of epigraphs dated from ca. 300 BCE:

Sumerian marble calf with inlaid trefoils of blue stone. From the late Uruk era, Jemdet Nasr cira 3300 - 2900 B.C.E 5.3 cm. long; Vorderasiatisches Museum, Berlin; Parpola, 1994, p. 213. Trefoil inlay decorated on a bull calf. Uruk (W.16017) ca. 3000 BCE.

Trefoils are cut into stone surface and inlaid with lapis lazuli and carnelian. These are found on several small amulets from Sumer, having the shape of reclining bulls; they are from Uruk dated to te Jemdet Nasr period, ca. 3100-2900 BCE.

kõdā 'young bull calf' Rebus: kõdā 'turner-joiner' (forge); kundaṇa 'fine gold'.

damkom = a bull calf (Santali) Rebus: damha = a fireplace; dumhe = to heap, to collect together (Santali)

Trefoil Hieroglyph-multiplex as three dotted circles: kolom 'three' Rebus: kole.l kanda 'temple fire-altar'. Alternative: kole.l धावड dhāvaḍa 'temple PLUS red ferrite ore smelter'.

पोतृ प्/ओतृ or पोतृ, m. " Purifier " , N. of one of the 16 officiating priests at a sacrifice (the assistant of the Brahman ; = यज्ञस्य शोधयिट्रि सायण) RV. ब्राह्मण, Śrautasūtra, हरिवंश; N. of विष्णु (Monier-Williams) He wears a bead on a fillet. *pōttī ʻ glass bead ʼ.Pk. pottī -- f. ʻ glass ʼ; S. pūti f. ʻ glass bead ʼ, P. pot f.; N. pote ʻ long straight bar of jewelry ʼ; B. pot ʻ glass bead ʼ, puti, pũti ʻ small bead ʼ; Or. puti ʻ necklace of small glass beads ʼ; H. pot m. ʻ glass bead ʼ, G. M. pot f.; -- Bi. pot ʻ jeweller's polishing stone ʼ rather than < pōtrá -- 1.(CDIAL 8403). The garment he wears is: Ta. potti garment of fibres, cloth. Ka. potti cloth. Te. potti bark, a baby's linen, a sort of linen cloth; pottika a small fine cloth; podugu a baby's linen. Kol. (SSTW) pot sari. Pa. bodgid a short loincloth. / Cf. Skt. potikā-, Pkt. potti-, pottiā-, etc.; Turner, CDIAL, no. 8400.(DEDR 4145) pōta2 m. ʻ cloth ʼ, pōtikā -- f. lex. 2. *pōtta -- 2 (sanskrit- ized as pōtra -- 2 n. ʻ cloth ʼ lex.). 3. *pōttha -- 2 ~ pavásta<-> n. ʻ covering (?) ʼ RV., ʻ rough hempen cloth ʼ AV. T. Chowdhury JBORS xvii 83. 4. pōntī -- f. ʻ cloth ʼ Divyāv. 5. *pōcca -- 2 < *pōtya -- ? (Cf. pōtyā = pōtānāṁ samūhaḥ Pāṇ.gaṇa. -- pṓta -- 1?). [Relationship with prōta -- n. ʻ woven cloth ʼ lex., plōta -- ʻ bandage, cloth ʼ Suśr. or with pavásta -- is obscure: EWA ii 347 with lit. Forms meaning ʻ cloth to smear with, smearing ʼ poss. conn. with or infl. by pusta -- 2 n. ʻ working in clay ʼ (prob. ← Drav., Tam. pūcu &c. DED 3569, EWA ii 319)]

1. Pk. pōa -- n. ʻ cloth ʼ; Paš.ar. pōwok ʻ cloth ʼ, pōg ʻ net, web ʼ (but lauṛ. dar. pāwāk ʻ cotton cloth ʼ, Gaw. pāk IIFL iii 3, 150).
2. Pk. potta -- , ˚taga -- , ˚tia -- n. ʻ cotton cloth ʼ, pottī -- , ˚tiā -- , ˚tullayā -- , puttī -- f. ʻ piece of cloth, man's dhotī, woman's sāṛī ʼ, pottia -- ʻ wearing clothes ʼ; S. potī f. ʻ shawl ʼ, potyo m. ʻ loincloth ʼ; L. pot, pl. ˚tã f. ʻ width of cloth ʼ; P. potṛā m. ʻ child's clout ʼ, potṇā ʻ to smear a wall with a rag ʼ; N. poto ʻ rag to lay on lime -- wash ʼ, potnu ʻ to smear ʼ; Or. potā ʻ gunny bag ʼ; OAw. potaï ʻ smears, plasters ʼ; H. potā m. ʻ whitewashing brush ʼ, potī f. ʻ red cotton ʼ, potiyā m. ʻ loincloth ʼ, potṛā m. ʻ baby clothes ʼ; G. potn. ʻ fine cloth, texture ʼ, potũ n. ʻ rag ʼ, potī f., ˚tiyũ n. ʻ loincloth ʼ, potṛī f. ʻ small do. ʼ; M. pot m. ʻ roll of coarse cloth ʼ, n. ʻ weftage or texture of cloth ʼ, potrẽ n. ʻ rag for smearing cowdung ʼ.3. Pa. potthaka -- n. ʻ cheap rough hemp cloth ʼ, potthakamma -- n. ʻ plastering ʼ; Pk. pottha -- , ˚aya -- n.m. ʻ cloth ʼ; S. potho m. ʻ lump of rag for smearing, smearing, cloth soaked in opium ʼ.4. Pa. ponti -- ʻ rags ʼ.5. Wg. pōč ʻ cotton cloth, muslin ʼ, Kt. puč; Pr. puč ʻ duster, cloth ʼ, pūˊčuk ʻ clothes ʼ; S. poco m. ʻ rag for plastering, plastering ʼ; P. poccā m. ʻ cloth or brush for smearing ʼ, pocṇā ʻ to smear with earth ʼ; Or. pucā̆ra, pucurā ʻ wisp of rag or jute for whitewashing with, smearing with such a rag ʼ.(CDIAL 8400)

वट [p= 914,3] m. (perhaps Prakrit for वृत , " surrounded , covered " ; cf. न्यग्-रोध) the Banyan or Indian fig. tree (Ficus Indica) MBh.Ka1v. &c RTL. 337 (also said to be n.); a pawn (in chess) L. (Monier-Williams) Ta. vaṭam cable, large rope, cord, bowstring, strands of a garland, chains of a necklace; vaṭi rope; vaṭṭi (-pp-, -tt-) to tie. Ma. vaṭam rope, a rope of cowhide (in plough), dancing rope, thick rope for dragging timber. Ka. vaṭa, vaṭara, vaṭi string, rope, tie. Te. vaṭi rope, cord. Go. (Mu.) vaṭiya strong rope made of paddy straw (Voc. 3150). Cf. 3184 Ta. tār̤vaṭam. / Cf. Skt. vaṭa- string, rope, tie; vaṭāraka-, vaṭākara-, varāṭaka- cord,string; Turner, CDIAL, no. 11212. (CDIAL 5220)vaṭa2 ʻ string ʼ lex. [Prob. ← Drav. Tam. vaṭam, Kan. vaṭi, vaṭara, &c. DED 4268] N. bariyo ʻ cord, rope ʼ; Bi. barah ʻ rope working irrigation lever ʼ, barhā ʻ thick well -- rope ʼ, Mth. barahā ʻ rope ʼ. (CDIAL 11212).

See: https://tinyurl.com/y85goask Wealth of a nation...

Trefoil decorated bull; traces of red pigment remain inside the trefoils. Steatite statue fragment. Mohenjo-daro (Sd 767). After Ardeleanu-Jansen, 1989: 196, fig. 1; cf. Parpola, 1994, p. 213. Trefoils painted on steatite beads. Harappa (After Vats. Pl. CXXXIII, Fig. 2) Trefoil on the shawl of the priest. Mohenjodaro. The discovery of the King Priest acclaimed by Sir John Marshall as “the finest piece of statuary that has been found at Moenjodaro….draped in an elaborate shawl with corded or rolled over edge, worn over the left shoulder and under the right arm. This shawl is decorated all over with a design of trefoils in relief interspersed occasionally with small circles, the interiors of which are filled with a red pigment “. Gold fillet with ‘standard device’ hieroglyph. Glyph ‘hole’: pottar, பொத்தல் pottal, n. < id. [Ka.poṭṭare, Ma. pottu, Tu.potre.] trika, a group of three (Skt.) The occurrence of a three-fold depiction on a trefoil may thus be a phonetic determinant, a suffix to potṛ as in potṛka.

Rebus reading of the hieroglyph: potti ‘temple-priest’ (Ma.) potR `" Purifier "'N. of one of the 16 officiating priests at a sacrifice (the assistant of the Brahman), यज्ञस्य शोधयिट्रि (Vedic) Rebus reading is: potri ‘priest’; poTri ‘worship, venerate’. Language is Meluhha (Mleccha) an integral component of Indian sprachbund (linguistic area or language union). The trefoil is decoded and read as: potr(i).

Steatite statue fragment; Mohenjodaro (Sd 767); trefoil-decorated bull; traces of red pigment remain inside the trefoils. After Ardeleanu-Jansen 1989: 196, fig. 1; Parpola, 1994, p. 213.

Figure 6.7 Ardeleanu-Jansen’s reconstruction of the Priest King (after Ardeleanu-ansen 1991)
"Seated male sculpture, or "Priest King" from Mohenjo-daro. Fillet or ribbon headband with circular inlay ornament on the forehead and similar but smaller ornament on the right upper arm. The two ends of the fillet fall along the back and though the hair is carefully combed towards the back of the head, no bun is present. The flat back of the head may have held a separately carved bun as is traditional on the other seated figures, or it could have held a more elaborate horn and plumed headdress. Two holes beneath the highly stylized ears suggest that a necklace or other head ornament was attached to the sculpture. The left shoulder is covered with a cloak decorated with trefoil, double circle and single circle designs that were originally filled with red pigment. Drill holes in the center of each circle indicate they were made with a specialized drill and then touched up with a chisel. Eyes are deeply incised and may have held inlay. The upper lip is shaved and a short combed beard frames the face. The large crack in the face is the result of weathering or it may be due to original firing of this object.Material: white, low fired steatite

Seated Man L-950 is Priest-King DK-1909, Bearded Man HR-910 Figure 6.6

Dimensions: 17.5 cm height, 11 cm widthMohenjo-daro, DK 1909National Museum, Karachi, 50.852Marshall 1931: 356-7, pl. XCVIII" (Jonathan Mark Kenoyer) https://www.harappa.com/slide/priest-king-mohenjo-daro

The Bactrian vase shows floating figures of seated men wearing tārpya garment which signifies the seated men to be manes. The presence of a fire-altar and an octagonal pillar in Binjor (Anupgarh) on the banks of River Sarasvati signifies the performance of a yajna. The presence of a seal with Indus Script signifying metalwork catalogues, wealth-accounting ledger attests to this archaeological site to be a Veda cultural site of ca. 2500 BCE. (तृपा f. N. of a plant (शतपथ-ब्राह्मण v , 3 , 5 , 20 Sāyaṇa)

The priests shown on the Bactrian vase are 'floating figuress' because they were the Sky Garment of Varuṇa.

तार्प्य n. a garment made of a particular vegetable substance (तृपा Sa1y. on S3Br. ) AV. xviii , 4 , 31 (°प्य्/अ)(तैत्तिरीय-संहिता ii, तैत्तिरी,य-ब्राह्मण i , iii शतपथ-ब्राह्मण v , 3 , 5 , 20,ताण्ड्य-ब्राह्मण xxi, कात्यायन-श्रौत-सूत्र xv, शाङ्खायन-श्रौत-सूत्र.) The term tarpa is associated with sackcloth and boat.The verb tarpayati signifies offeering of an oblation to divinities or manes. tarpáyati ʻ satisfies, gladdens ʼ RV. [√tr̥p] Pk. tappēi ʻ gladdens ʼ; H. tapānā ʻ to present a libation to the gods or manes ʼ, tapāwan m. ʻ libation ʼ.(CDIAL 5728) *tarpa1 ʻ matting, sacking ʼ. [Cf. tálpa -- 1 m. ʻ bed (i.e. framework with woven string?) ʼ AV., ʻ seat of a carriage ʼ MBh.: same as *tarpa -- 2?] N. ṭāpo ʻ basket to carry poultry in ʼ, Bi. ṭāp, ˚pā, ˚pī; Mth. ṭāpī ʻ bamboo fishing net ʼ, Bhoj. ṭāpā; H. ṭāp, ˚pā m. ʻ bamboo trap for fish ʼ. -- Ext. -- ḍ -- : S. ṭrapaṛu m. ʻ sackcloth ʼ; L. trappaṛ m. ʻ mat, cloth of goat's or camel's hair ʼ; P. tappaṛ m. ʻ coarse cloth of goat's hair ʼ; G. tāpṛũ ʻ coarse jute cloth ʼ; -- -- r -- : S. ṭrapura f. ʻ saddlecloth ʼ; P. ṭappar m. ʻ sackcloth, mat ʼ, ṭapparā m., ˚rī f. ʻ thatch, shed ʼ; WPah. (Joshi) ṭaprī f. ʻ hut ʼ; Ku. ṭapariyo ʻ hut ʼ, ṭaparyūṇo ʻ to thatch, roof ʼ; N. ṭaparo ʻ plate made of leaves ʼ; H. ṭāprā m. ʻ thatch, thatched house ʼ; M. ṭāpar f. ʻ muffler ʼ.Addenda: *tarpa -- 1 [tálpa -- 1 in talpaśīˊvan -- RV.] WPah.Wkc. ṭapre f. ʻ hut ʼ, J. ṭaprī f. (CDIAL 5725)*tarpa2 ʻ raft ʼ. [Cf. talpa -- 2 m. ʻ raft ʼ lex.: perh. same as *tarpa -- 1 i.e. ʻ a raft of interwoven or crossed timbers ʼ]Periplus tra/ppaga n. pl. ʻ rafts ʼ; Pk. tappa -- m.n. ʻ small boat ʼ; G. trāpɔ, tarāpɔ m. ʻ raft of crossed timbers ʼ; M. tāpā, tāphā m. ʻ float or raft of timbers tied together ʼ (tarāphā m. ʻ larger do. ʼ ← G.). (CDIAL 5726)

“Ardeeeleanu-Jansen’s Reconstruction. Ardeleanu-Jansen has recreated an interesting reconstruction of the priest-king as a statue of a seated man with his left leg raised and bent at the knee (Figure 6.7). This is a posture assumed by other statuary found at Mohenjo-daro; one of which I have named the ‘Seated Man’, another, the ‘Sad Man’, as well as figures from Bactria (Figure 6.8). Parpola's thoughts. A. Parpola attempts to demonstrate that the robe of the priest-king is something called the tārpya, found in Vedic ritual and said to be the garment of the divine king Varuna. Parpola postulates that this statue is a representation of a seated deity, which had an elaborate, changeable headdress of the type he proposes is found on the Mahayogi seal...The Seated Man (L-950). A headless seated male statue made of gray alabaster was found by Mackay at L Area on the southern half of the mound of the Great Bath. It has been attributed to the Late Period (Figure 6.5)…This is the one statue from Mohenjo-daro that clearly is seated and costumed in the same manner as those seen in Bactrian art (Figure 8), and the pose has been proposed by Ardeleanu-Jansen for the priest-king. This admits the possibility that the Mohenjo-daro representations are of Bactrians. The men on the Bactrian vase are ‘floating’ in the sky above other men behind plows being pulled by Bos Taurus, not the Indian zebu. Everyone looks perfectly at home. Of course, the dress could be Harappan and the Bactrian vase could represent ‘Harappans’ floating in the sky above the plowmen. But nowhere else in the art of the Mature Harappan do we find this form of dress, so the balance tips a bit toward the notion that the Seated Man from L Area, and the priest-king, if Ardeleanu-Jansen is correct, represent Bactrians at Mohenjo-daro in the Late Period there. This might be late enough to somehow figure in the contacts between the Indus Civilization and the Bactria-Margiana-Archaeological Complex, and the Middle Asian Interaction sphere.” (Gregory L. Possehl, 2002,The Indus Civilization: A Contemporary Perspective, Rowman Altamira, 11-Nov-2002, pp.115-116).
See:Parpola, Asko, 1985. The Sky-Garment: A study of the Harappan religion and its relation to the Mesopotamian and later Indian religions. (Studia Orientalia 57.) Helsinki: The Finnish Oriental Society. 25 cm, 216 pp. + 35 figs.

https://www.academia.edu/18966478/Parpola_Asko_1985._The_Sky-Garment_A_study_of_the_Harappan_religion_and_its_relation_to_the_Mesopotamian_and_later_Indian_religions._Studia_Orientalia_57._Helsinki_The_Finnish_Oriental_Society._25_cm_216_pp._35_figs

Potr̥, 'purifier priest', धावड dhāvaḍa 'iron smelter' is paṭel 'headman' of metalworkers' guild

https://tinyurl.com/y2287ve9

-- Headband and shoulderband of Mohenjo-daro worn by the Mohenjo-daro priest are the Indus Script hypertexts to signify धावड dhāvaḍa 'iron smelter'; the cloth he wears yields the signifier Potr̥, 'pufifier priest'. धावड dhāvaḍa, an iron smelter is a purifier of the ferrite mineral ores.

-- The bands are insignia of leaderhip in a community: paṭṭakila m. ʻ tenant of royal land ʼ Vet. -- . [*paṭṭakin: paṭṭa -- 1]Pk. paṭṭaïl(l)a -- m. ʻ village headman ʼ; G. paṭel m. ʻ hereditary headman ʼ (whence paṭlāṇi f. ʻ his wife ʼ); OM. pāṭaïlu, M. pāṭel, ˚ṭīl m. ʻ village headman ʼ.(CDIAL 7703). The bands are: paṭṭa2 m. ʻ cloth, woven silk ʼ Kāv., ʻ bandage, fillet turban, diadem ʼ MBh. [Prob. like paṭa -- and *phēṭṭa -- 1 from non -- Aryan source, of which *patta -- in Gy. and *patra -- in Sh. may represent aryanization of paṭṭa -- . Not < páttra -- nor, with P. Tedesco Archaeologica Orientalia in Memoriam Ernst Herzfeld 222, < *pr̥ṣṭa<-> ʻ woven ʼ, while an assumed borrowing from IA. in Bur. ph*llto -- čiṅ ʻ puttees ʼ is too flimsy a basis for *palta -- (~ Eng. fold, &c.) as the source NTS xiii 93]Pa. paṭṭa -- m. ʻ woven silk, fine cloth, cotton cloth, turban ʼ, ˚ṭaka -- ʻ made of a strip of cloth ʼ, n. ʻ bandage, girdle ʼ; Si. paṭa ʻ silk, fine cloth ʼ, paṭiya ʻ ribbon, girdle, cloth screen round a tent ʼ(CDIAL 7700). நெற்றிப்பட்டம் neṟṟi-p-paṭṭam, n. < id. +. Thin plate of metal worn on the forehead, as an ornament or badge of distinction; நுதலி லணியும் பட்டம். (W.)

பட்டம்² paṭṭam, n. < paṭṭa. 1. Plate of gold worn on the forehead, as an ornament or badge of distinction; சிறப்புக்கு அறிகுறியாக நெற்றி யிலணியும் பொற்றகடு. பட்டமுங் குழையு மின்ன (சீவக. 472). 2. An ornament worn on the forehead by women; மாதர் நுதலணி. பட்டங் கட்டிப்பொற்றோடு பெய்து (திவ். பெரியாழ். 3, 7, 6). 3. Title, appellation of dignity, title of office; பட்டப்பெயர். பட்டமும் பசும்பொற் பூணும் பரந்து (சீவக. 112). 4. Regency; reign; ஆட்சி. 5. Fasteners, metal clasp; சட்டங்களை இணைக்க உதவும் தகடு. ஆணிகளும் பட்டங்களுமாகிய பரிய இரும்பாலேகட்டி (நெடுநல். 80, உரை). High position; உயர் பதவி. (பிங்.)Ta. paṭṭaṭai, paṭṭaṟai anvil, smithy, forge. Ka. paṭṭaḍe, paṭṭaḍi anvil, workshop. Te. paṭṭika, paṭṭeḍa anvil; paṭṭaḍa workshop (DEDR 3865)

-- Thus, the leadership is of a metalworkers' guild.

Fired steatite beads appear to have been extremely important to the Indus people because they were incorporated into exquisite ornaments, such as this "eye bead" made of gold with steatite inlay found in 1995 at Harappa [Harappa Phase].https://www.harappa.com/indus2/121.html dhāī 'wisp of fibre' ties the golden bead on the head and on the shoulder of the priest statue at Mohenjo-daro. This word together with 'dotted circle' hypertext yields the expression धावड dhāvaḍa 'iron smelter'.
No photo description available.

The central ornament worn on the forehead of the famous "priest-king" sculpture from Mohenjo-daro appears to represent an eye bead, possibly made of gold with steatite inlay in the center.
https://www.harappa.com/indus2/122.html

Golden disk on headband and shoulderband of Mohenjo-daro Potr̥, 'pufifier priest' प्/ओतृ or पोतृ, m. " Purifier " , N. of one of the 16 officiating priests at a sacrifice (the assistant of the Brahman ; = यज्ञस्य शोधयिट्रि Sa1y. ) RV. Br. S3rS. Hariv.

The dotted circle signifies that the purifier is a smelter. धावड dhāvaḍa m A class or an individual of it. They are smelters of iron.धावडी dhāvaḍī a Relating to the class धावड. Hence 2 Composed of or relating to iron. The word धावड is an expression composed of two hieroglyphs: dhāī 'dot' and vaṭṭa.'circle'. Thus together read धावड which yields rebus Meluhha meaning: smelter of iron.

Hieroglyph: circle: vaṭṭa.: वृत्त [p= 1009,2] mfn. turned , set in motion (as a wheel) RV.; a circle; vr̥ttá ʻ turned ʼ RV., ʻ rounded ʼ ŚBr. 2. ʻ completed ʼ MaitrUp., ʻ passed, elapsed (of time) ʼ KauṣUp. 3. n. ʻ conduct, matter ʼ ŚBr., ʻ livelihood ʼ Hariv. [√vr̥t1] 1. Pa. vaṭṭa -- ʻ round ʼ, n. ʻ circle ʼ; Pk. vaṭṭa -- , vatta -- , vitta -- , vutta -- ʻ round ʼ; L. (Ju.) vaṭ m. ʻ anything twisted ʼ; Si. vaṭa ʻ round ʼ, vaṭa -- ya ʻ circle, girth (esp. of trees) ʼ; Md. va'ʻ round ʼ GS 58; -- Paš.ar. waṭṭəwīˊk, waḍḍawik ʻ kidney ʼ ( -- wĭ̄k vr̥kká -- ) IIFL iii 3, 192?(CDIAL 12069) வட்டம்போர் vaṭṭam-pōr, n. < வட்டு +. Dice-play; சூதுபோர். (தொல். எழுத். 418, இளம்பூ.)வட்டச்சொச்சவியாபாரம் vaṭṭa-c-cocca-viyāpāram, n. < id. + சொச்சம் +. Money-changer's trade; நாணயமாற்று முதலிய தொழில். Pond. வட்டமணியம் vaṭṭa-maṇiyam, n. < வட் டம் +. The office of revenue collection in a division; வட்டத்து ஊர்களில் வரிவசூலிக்கும் வேலை. (R. T.) వట్ట (p. 1123) vaṭṭa [Tel.] n. The bar that turns the centre post of a sugar mill. చెరుకుగానుగ రోటినడిమిరోకలికివేయు అడ్డమాను. వట్టకాయలు or వట్టలు vaṭṭa-kāyalu. n. plu. The testicles. వృషణములు, బీజములు. వట్టలుకొట్టు to castrate. lit: to strike the (bullock's) stones, (which are crushed with a mallet, not cut out.) వట్ర (p. 1123) vaṭra or వట్రన vaṭra. [from Skt. వర్తులము.] n. Roundness. నర్తులము, గుండ్రన. వట్ర. వట్రని or వట్రముగానుండే adj. Round. గుండ్రని.

Hieroglyph: dhāī strand or wisp: dot or one in dice throw: dhāˊtu n. ʻ substance ʼ RV., m. ʻ element ʼ MBh., ʻ metal, mineral, ore (esp. of a red colour) ʼ Mn., ʻ ashes of the dead ʼ lex., ʻ *strand of rope ʼ (cf. tridhāˊtu -- ʻ threefold ʼ RV., ayugdhātu -- ʻ having an uneven number of strands ʼ KātyŚr.). [√dhā]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); -- Si. dā ʻrelic ʼ; -- 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) दाय 1 [p= 474,2] dāya n. game , play Pan5cad.; mfn. ( Pa1n2. 3-1 , 139 ; 141) giving , presenting (cf. शत- , गो-); m. handing over , delivery Mn. viii , 165 (Monier-Williams) தாயம் tāyam :Number one in the game of dice; கவறுருட்ட விழும் ஒன்று என்னும் எண். Colloq. (Tamil)

Semantics of the purifier are reinforced by the cloth shawl worn by the Mohenjo-daro priest embroidered with trefoil symbols:

pōta2 m. ʻ cloth ʼ, pōtikā -- f. lex. 2. *pōtta -- 2 (sanskrit- ized as pōtra -- 2 n. ʻ cloth ʼ lex.). 3. *pōttha -- 2 ~ pavásta<-> n. ʻ covering (?) ʼ RV., ʻ rough hempen cloth ʼ AV. T. Chowdhury JBORS xvii 83. 4. pōntī -- f. ʻ cloth ʼ Divyāv. 5. *pōcca -- 2 < *pōtya -- ? (Cf. pōtyā = pōtānāṁ samūhaḥ Pāṇ.gaṇa. -- pṓta -- 1?). [Relationship with prōta -- n. ʻ woven cloth ʼ lex., plōta-- ʻ bandage, cloth ʼ Suśr. or with pavásta -- is obscure: EWA ii 347 with lit. Forms meaning ʻ cloth to smear with, smearing ʼ poss. conn. with or infl. by pusta -- 2 n. ʻ working in clay ʼ (prob. ← Drav., Tam. pūcu &c. DED 3569, EWA ii 319)] 1. Pk. pōa -- n. ʻ cloth ʼ; Paš.ar. pōwok ʻ cloth ʼ, pōg ʻ net, web ʼ (but lauṛ. dar. pāwāk ʻ cotton cloth ʼ, Gaw. pāk IIFL iii 3, 150). 2. Pk. potta -- , ˚taga -- , ˚tia -- n. ʻ cotton cloth ʼ, pottī -- , ˚tiā -- , ˚tullayā -- , puttī -- f. ʻ piece of cloth, man's dhotī, woman's sāṛī ʼ, pottia -- ʻ wearing clothes ʼ; S. potī f. ʻ shawl ʼ, potyo m. ʻ loincloth ʼ; L. pot, pl. ˚tã f. ʻ width of cloth ʼ; P. potṛā m. ʻ child's clout ʼ, potṇā ʻ to smear a wall with a rag ʼ; N. poto ʻ rag to lay on lime -- wash ʼ, potnu ʻ to smear ʼ; Or. potā ʻ gunny bag ʼ; OAw. potaï ʻ smears, plasters ʼ; H. potā m. ʻ whitewashing brush ʼ, potī f. ʻ red cotton ʼ, potiyā m. ʻ loincloth ʼ, potṛā m. ʻ baby clothes ʼ; G. pot n. ʻ fine cloth, texture ʼ, potũ n. ʻ rag ʼ, potī f., ˚tiyũ n. ʻ loincloth ʼ, potṛī f. ʻ small do. ʼ; M. pot m. ʻ roll of coarse cloth ʼ, n. ʻ weftage or texture of cloth ʼ, potrẽ n. ʻ rag for smearing cowdung ʼ.3. Pa. potthaka -- n. ʻ cheap rough hemp cloth ʼ, potthakamma -- n. ʻ plastering ʼ; Pk. pottha -- , ˚aya -- n.m. ʻ cloth ʼ; S. pothom. ʻ lump of rag for smearing, smearing, cloth soaked in opium ʼ.
4. Pa. ponti -- ʻ rags ʼ.5. Wg. pōč ʻ cotton cloth, muslin ʼ, Kt. puč; Pr. puč ʻ duster, cloth ʼ, pūˊčuk ʻ clothes ʼ; S. poco m. ʻ rag for plastering, plastering ʼ; P. poccā m. ʻ cloth or brush for smearing ʼ, pocṇā ʻ to smear with earth ʼ; Or. pucā̆ra, pucurā ʻ wisp of rag or jute for whitewashing with, smearing with such a rag ʼ.(CDIAL 8400)

Glyph ‘hole’: pottar, பொத்தல் pottal, n. < id. [Ka.poṭṭare, Ma. pottu, Tu.potre.] trika, a group of three (Skt.) The occurrence of a three-fold depiction on a trefoil may thus be a phonetic determinant, a suffix to potṛ as in potṛka.

Rebus reading of the hieroglyph: potti ‘temple-priest’ (Ma.)

Marathi has a cognate in पोतदार [pōtadāra] m ( P) An officer under the native governments. His business was to assay all money paid into the treasury. He was also the village-silversmith. पोतृ पु० पुनाति पु--तृन् । ऋत्विग्मेदे अच्छावाकशब्दे ८५ पृ० दृश्यम् । होत्रादिशब्देन द्वन्द्वे ऋत आत् । पोताहोतारौ ।

https://sa.wikisource.org/wiki/वाचस्पत्यम्

RV. Br. S3rS. Hariv. N. of विष्णु L. पौत्र, पोत्री f. N. of दुर्गा Gal. (cf. पौत्री). pōtṛ

Hence the importance of the office of Potr̥, 'Rigvedic priest of a yajna' signified as 'purifier', an assayer of dhāˊtu 'minerals.

http://bharatkalyan97.blogspot.in/2015/11/priest-of-dhavad-iron-smelters-with.html Orthography of the 'dotted circle' is representation of a single strand: dhāu rebus: dhāū 'red stone minerals.

Sargon leads the victory procession.

http://sumerianshakespeare.com/56801/237601.html

Inlay panel from the soundbox of lyre.from Ur, c. 2600 B.C.E Gold, lapis lazuli, shell and bitumen

tambura 'lyre' Rebus: tam(b)ra 'copper' Alternative: khara 'onager', kora 'harp' rebus: khār 'blacksmith'

barad, barat 'bull' Rebus: bharata, baran 'alloy of copper, pewter, tin'

kola 'tiger, jackal' Rebus: kol 'working in iron'

Ur lyre. Mosaic panel (the Royal Standard of Ur) from Ur, ca. 2450 BCE (Rasid 1984: 45. Abb. 12, Woolley 1934: pl.91). Plate XXXIV Fig.2

The association of 'harp' with a one-horned young bull is seen on this frieze from Ur. kundār ‘young bull' rebus: kundār ‘turner’ kundaṇa 'fine gold'; kora 'harp' rebus: khār खार् 'blacksmith'.

16. Statue of the goddess holding the flowing vase from the Mari palace, Old Babylonian period.

Aleppo: National Museum. Photo Credit: Erich Lessing / Art Resource, NY.

17. The painted faux marbre podium with an outer frame of running spirals from Room 64, the throne room suite of the Mari palace, Old Babylonian period.

From Parrot, “Peintures du palais de Mari,” pl. 37/1.(False marble podium)

7. Drawing of the central panel of the “investiture” painting from the palace at Mari. From Parrot, Peintures murales, pl. XI.Courtesy Mission archéologique française de Mari, Parrot.

https://www.cambridge.org/core/books/art-and-immortality-in-the-ancient-near-east/investiture-painting-from-mari/D5D4E5AF1242671F2610AD3341E74C8F/core-readerfonds

Below, a modern artist's (Balage of Hungary) interpretation of the Mari wall mural fully restored. White doves were associated with the goddess Ishtar. The bull's horns are on of their helmets or crowns. Apparently the king of Mari is conversing with a priestess of Ishtar about an oracle while she feeds Ishtar's doves, a court harpist looks on and a blind (?) beggar calls out for alms.

http://www.bibleorigins.net/CherubimMariMural.html

Mari Mural -- Investiture of Zimri-Lim; attempts at reconstruction of the badly preserved present form

Below, a line-drawing showing the above mural in its badly preserved present form.

Note: The uppermost register shows Ishtar, one foot on a lion's back, bestowing symbols of rulership on Mari's king, so this is an investiture scene. Mesopotamian myths have kings being made to supervise mankind in the providing of life's necessities for the gods: food, shelter and clothing. Man will also maintain irrigation canals to provide water for the gods' city-gardens which possess fruit trees, vegetables and grain. Akkadian Ishtar is the Sumerian Inanna, and one of her Sumerian epithets was nin edin "the lady of edin." Her husband Dumuzi was mulu edin "the lord of edin." In one myth she descends to the earth with her brother Utu the sun-god to eat of various trees to acquire knowledge, sexual knowledge, in order to fulfill her conjugal duties with her husband Dumuzi

Below, a closeup of a drawing showing a deity holding a pot from which arises a seedling palm tree (?) and four streams of water

Notes: तार्प्य n. a garment made of a particular vegetable substance (तृपा सायण. on शतपथ-ब्राह्मण ) अथर्व-वेद. xviii , 4 , 31 (°प्य्/अ) अथर्व-वेद xviii , 4 , 31 (°प्य्/अ) तैत्तिरीय-संहिता. ii तैत्तिरीय-ब्राह्मण. i , iii शतपथ-ब्राह्मण. v , 3 , 5 , 20 ताण्ड्य-ब्राह्मण. xxi कात्यायन-श्रौत-सूत्र. xv शाङ्खायन-श्रौत-सूत्र. AV XVIII.4.31 [1800431] On thee doth Savitar the God bestow this vesture for thy wear. [p. 204] Clothe thee herein, and find meet robe in Yama's realm to cover thee.

तृपा f. N. of a plant शतपथ-ब्राह्मण. v , 3 , 5 , 20 सायण.

پند pand, s.m. (2nd) Science, skill, sagacity, art, stratagem, cunning. 2. Distance, remoteness, farness. 3. (P) Advice, counsel, admonition. Pl. پندونه pandūnah. پند آخستل pand āḵẖistal, verb trans. To take advice, to take counsel. پند ورکول pand war-kawul, verb trans. To give advice, to admonish.(Pashto) panḍa 1 पंड । तीर्थपुरोहितः m. a minister or priest who officiates at a Hindū sacred place, and lives upon the offerings of pilgrims.(Kashmiri)

पाण्ड्व n. an uncoloured woollen garment (शतपथ-ब्राह्मण); pāṇḍvam पाण़्ड्वम् An uncoloured woollen garment. (Apte) Rebus: பாண்டுகம்பளம் pāṇṭu-kampaḷam, n. < pāṇḍu-ḳampala. (Buddh.) Indra's throne of marble; இந்திரன் ஆசனம். இந்திரன் பாண்டு கம்பளந் துளக்கிய
தாதலின் (மணி. 14, 29). Paṇḍu (adj.) [cp. Ved. pāṇḍu, palita, pāṭala (pale -- red); Gr. pelitno/s, pello/s, po/lios (grey); Lat. palleo (to be pale), pullus (grey); Lith. patvas (pale -- yellow), pilkas (grey); Ohg. falo (pale, yellowish, withered); E. pale] pale -- red or yellow, reddish, light yellow, grey; only at Th 2, 79 (kisā paṇḍu vivaṇṇā), where paṇḍu represents the usual up -- paṇḍ' -- uppaṇḍuka -- jātā: "thin, pale and colourless" see ThA 80). Otherwise only in cpds., e. g.-- kambala a light red blanket, orange -- coloured cloth S i.64 (=ratta -- kambala C.); A i.181; Sn 689 (=ratta SnA 487); also a kind of ornamental stone, Sakka's throne (p. -- k. -- silā) is made of it J i.330; ii.93; ii.53, (˚silāsana); v.92 (id.); Pv ii.9⁶⁰ (˚silā=p. -- k -- nāmaka sīlāsana PvA 138); VvA 110 (id.); KhA 122 (˚varāsana); DhA i.17 (˚silāsana).(Pali)

2770 kambara ʻ variegated ʼ. [See karbará -- ]S. kamiro ʻ spotted, variegated ʼ, Si. kam̆buru. 2882 karbará ʻ spotted, variegated ʼ lex. [Cf. karburá -- , kambara -- , *karbiśa -- , śabála -- which with karbu -- , śabara -- , śárvara -- are from an Austro -- as. word -- group with various prefixes EWA i 175]Pk. kabbara -- ; S. kaḇiro ʻ spotted ʼ, kaḇari f. ʻ a species of jay ʼ; P. kabrā ʻ variegated dirty white, grey -- eyed ʼ; Or. kabara, ˚arā, ˚aḷā ʻ variegated ʼ, Aw. lakh. kabrā; H. kābar, kabrā ʻ speckled, grey ʼ, m. ʻ mixture of sand and clay ʼ; G. kābrũ, ˚briyũ ʻ spotted ʼ, kābrī f. ʻ seed of safflower plant ʼ, kābar -- citrũ ʻ particoloured ʼ; M. kabrā ʻ spotted ʼ; Si. kabara ʻ scrofulous skin outbreak ʼ, kabarā (= kabara -- goyā) ʻ a large spotted lizard, Hydrosaurus salvator ʼ, kabar -- ran̆ga ʻ spotted ʼ.

2771 kambalá1 m.n. ʻ woollen blanket or upper garment ʼ AV., ˚laka -- m. ʻ a woollen cloth ʼ Suśr., ˚likā -- f. Pāṇ. [If ← Austro -- as. (EWA i 161 with lit) perh. cf. also ámbara -- , in Pa. once ambala -- ]
Pa. kambala -- m.n., ˚līya -- n. ʻ woollen stuff, garment or blanket ʼ; Pk. kaṁbala -- m.n. ʻ woollen blanket ʼ, Sh. kămălŭ m., K. kamȧli f., S. kamari f.; L. kammal f. ʻ fine blanket ʼ; P. kammal, ˚mlī, kambal, ˚blī f. ʻ coarse blanket ʼ (→ H. kambal, kammal m. ʻ blanket ʼ, kamlī f. ʻ small do. ʼ, Aw. kãbarī, Bhoj. kamarā, ˚rī, Mth. kammal, ˚ar, kamari, kamariā, Bi. kammal, ˚ar, kamrā, ˚rī, ˚riyā, B. kambal), WPah. bhad. kammal n., jaun. kāmaḍ (LSI = -- ḷ?), kāmo, Ku. kāmlo, gng. kã̄maw, kã̄malo, N. kāmlo, A. kāmali, Or. kambaḷa; G. kã̄bḷɔ m., ˚ḷī f. ʻ loosely woven woollen stuff ʼ, kāmaḷi, kāmḷī f., ˚ḷɔ m. ʻ blanket ʼ (early ← NW kammal -- ); M. kã̄bḷi f. ʻ coarse woollen stuff ʼ, ˚ḷẽ n. ʻ depreciative term for prec. ʼ, ˚ḷā m. ʻ coarse blanket of two breadths ʼ, kãbḷī f. ʻ a poor flimsy blanket (← H.?); Si. kam̆bala ʻ woollen clothing ʼ.
kambalin -- .
Addenda: kambalá -- 1: WPah.kṭg. (kc.) kambəl m. ʻ blanket ʼ (← H.), J. kāmmaḷ; Garh. kāmḷu ʻ rug ʼ; Md. kanbaḷi ʻ blanket, sheep ʼ (or ← M. G. kã̄bḷī).

पाण्ड्व m. pl. N. of a people in मध्य-देश (v.r. for पाण्डु and °ड्य)(वराह-मिहिर);पाण्डु (mfn. ( √पण्ड्?) yellowish white , white , pale (शतपथ-ब्राह्मण, MBh. Ka1v. &c). पाण्ड्याः pāṇḍyāḥ पाण्ड्याः m. (pl.) N. of a country and its inhabitants; तस्यामेव रघोः पाण्ड्याः प्रतापं न विषेहिरे R.4.49. -ण्ड्यः A king of that country; पाण्ड्यो$यमंसार्पितलम्बहारः R.6.6. (Apte) பாண்டியன் pāṇṭiyaṉ, n. < pāṇḍya. King of the ancient Pāṇḍya country; பாண்டியநாட்டு வேந்தன். (சிலப். 17, 5.) పాండ్యము or పాండ్యదేశము pānḍyamu. [Skt.] n. A country in the Southern part of the Indian peninsula, comprehending the districts of Madura and Tinnevelly. పాండీడు pānḍ-īḍu. n. A king of the Pānḍya country. పాండ్యదేశపురాజు. Rebus:

पंड्या   paṇḍyā m ( H) A tribe of Hindustání Bráhmans or an individual of it. (Marathi)
पांड्या   pāṇḍyā m A half-grown tiger. 2 A village-officer. He is employed in the customs &c. The term is understood by Shúdras of the कुळकरणी. 3 ( H) A title of Bráhmans of the पंचगौड division (Hindustání Bráhmans); the भट or family or personal priest amongst the भय्या or पर- देशी people. (Marathi)

पाण्डु   pāṇḍu पाण्डु a. Pale-white, whitish, pale, yellowish; यथा पाण्ड्वाविकम् Bṛi. Up.2.3.6; विकलकरणः पाण्डुच्छायः शुचा परिदुर्बलः U.3.22. -ण्डुः 1 The pale-white or yellowish-white colour. -2 Jaundice. -3 A white elephant. -4 N. of the father of the Pāṇḍavas. [He was begotten by Vyāsa on Ambālikā, one of the widows of Vichi- travīrya. He was called Pāṇḍu, because he was born pale (पाण्डु) by reason of his mother having become quite pale with fear when in private with the sage Vyāsa; (यस्मात् पाण्डुत्वमापन्ना विरूपं प्रेक्ष्य मामिह । तस्मादेव सुतस्ते वै पाण्डुरेव भविष्यति Mb.) He was prevented by a curse from having progeny himself; so he allowed his first wife Kuntī to make use of a charm she had acquired from Durvāsas for the birth of sons. She gave birth to Yudhiṣṭhira, Bhīma and Arjuna; and Mādrī, his other wife, by the use of the same charm, gave birth to Nakula and Sahadeva. One day Pāṇdu forgot the curse under which he was labouring, and made bold to embrace Mādrī, but he fell immediately dead in her arms.] -Comp. -आमयः jaundice. -कम्बलः 1 a white blanket. -2 a warm upper garment. -3 the housing of a royal elephant. -4 A kind of stone. -कम्बलिन् m. 1 a carriage covered with a woollen blanket. -2 the housings of a royal elephant. -पुत्रः a son of Pāṇḍu, any one of the five Pāṇḍavas. -पृष्ठ a. 'white-backed', having no auspicious marks on the body, one from whom nothing great is to be expected. -भावः Becoming yellowish white, pale; न कलङ्कानुगमो न पाण्डुभावः Bv.2.1. -भूमः a region full of chalky soil. -मृत्तिका 1 white or pale soil. -2 the opal. -मृद् f. chalk. -रङ्गः N. of a god (at Pandharpur), Viṭṭhala. -रागः whiteness, pallor. -रोगः jaundice. -लेखः a sketch made with chalk; a rough draft or sketch made on the ground, board &c.; पाण्डुलेखेन फलके भूमौ वा प्रथमं लिखेत् । न्यूनाधिकं तु संशोध्य पश्चात् पत्रे निवेशयेत् ॥ Vyāsa. -लोहम् silver; पाण्डुलोहशृङ्खलात्मना मया पादपद्मयोर्युगलं तव निगडयित्वा Dk.1. -वर्ण a. White. -शर्करा light-coloured gravel (प्रमेहभेद). -शर्मिला an epithet of Draupadī. -सोपाकः N. of a mixed tribe; चाण्डालात् पाण्डुसोपाकस्त्वक्सार- व्यवहारवान् Ms.1.37; Mb.13.48.26. (Apte)

8047 pāˊṇḍara ʻ whitish -- yellow, yellow, pale, white ʼ ŚBr. 2. pāṇḍurá -- R. [pāṇḍú -- ]1. Pa. paṇḍara -- ʻ white, pale, yellowish ʼ; Pk. paṁḍara<-> ʻ white ʼ; Gy. pal. pnáră, pránă ʻ white, snow, lime ʼ; Tir. parána ʻ white ʼ, Bshk. p*lṇar, p*lna, Chil. p*lnaro, Mai. panara obl., Sv. parãṛó, Phal. paṇāˊru, f. ˚ṇḗri (paṇḗri ʻ white of the eye ʼ); Or. pāṇḍarā ʻ yellowish -- white, grey ʼ, dial. paṇḍarā ʻ white ʼ; H. pã̄ḍrā m. ʻ species of sugarcane ʼ, pã̄ḍrī f. ʻ white chalky soil ʼ; Si. pan̆ḍara, pan̆ḍuru ʻ whitish, yellow, white lotus ʼ.
2. Pk. paṁḍura -- , ˚raya -- , ˚ria -- ʻ white ʼ, Or. pāṇḍurā; M. pã̄ḍhar f. ʻ white soil ʼ, pã̄ḍhrā ʻ white ʼ, pã̄ḍhurkā ʻ whitish ʼ.

8048 pāṇḍava m. pl. ʻ the five sons of Pāṇḍu ʼ MBh.
Pk. paṁḍava -- m.; Ash. panáu, panaũ ʻ name of a god ʼ, Kt. pāneu, Pr. paṇə́, (Raverty) "pándú"; Wg. paṇāˊ ʻ name of seven divine brothers ʼ; S. pānaü m. ʻ a brave man ʼ.
*pāṇḍavagrāma -- .

8049 *pāṇḍavagrāma ʻ village of the Pāṇḍavas ʼ. [pāṇ- ḍava -- , grāˊma -- ]
Dm. Panagram ʻ name of the principal village in the Damel valley ʼ NTS xii 116, 128.

8050 *pāṇḍaśa ʻ yellowish ʼ. [~ pāˊṇḍara -- : cf. *dhūmaśa- ~ dhūmara -- . -- pāṇḍú -- ]
Wg. ãdotdot; ʻ grey ʼ.

2753 kapṓta m. ʻ pigeon, dove ʼ RV., ˚aka -- m. ʻ small do. ʼ MBh.
Pa. kapōta -- m., ˚tī -- f. ʻ pigeon ʼ, ˚taka -- m., ˚tikā -- f. ʻ small do. ʼ, Aś. kapota -- m., Pk. kavōya -- , ˚ōḍa -- m., Ḍ. kaū m., Ash. kewīˊk, Kt. kawéki, Pr. kowroṭīˊ, Paš. kawayāˊ, Kal. rumb. kohṓu obl. ˚hṓlūna, urt. kɔhɔ́̄r, Kho. kowór; L. P. kovī m. ʻ small dove ʼ, P. kgr. kuvī m.; Si. (DhpAGp. 18832) kovo -- , ˚vu -- ʻ dove ʼ, kobō (b due to Tam. influence? H. Smith JA 1950, 188). -- Early loan from Ir. in Wg. kuptə ʻ white dove ʼ, Gaw. kōpotá ʻ pigeon ʼ Morgenstierne BSOS viii 668.
*kapōtra -- , kāˊpōta -- .
Addenda: kapṓta -- [Cf. Ir. Shgh. čibůd ʻ pigeon ʼ < *kapauta -- ]

2754 *kapōtra ʻ pigeon ʼ. [Cf. Pahl. kapōtar: kapṓta -- ]
K. kōtur, dat. ˚taras m. ʻ pigeon, dove ʼ; -- prob. ← Psht. kautar.
Addenda: *kapōtra -- : Md. kotaru ʻ pigeon ʼ ← Ir.?

paṇḍuā kābatā 'a king of big dove': pāṇḍú ʻ white, yellowish, pale ʼ ŚBr. 2. *paṇḍra -- 2. 3. *paḍḍa -- . [These variants, together with puṇḍra -- 1 and puṇḍárīka -- point to non -- Aryan origin: prob. with PMWS 91 ← Mu.]
1. Pa. paṇḍu -- ʻ yellowish, reddish ʼ; Pk. paṁḍu<-> ʻ whitish yellow, white ʼ; Gy. eur. parno ʻ white ʼ, SEeur. pai̦no, germ. pārni ʻ chalk ʼ; P. pã̄ḍū m. ʻ white clay mixed with water and used by children for writing on wooden tablets ʼ; Or. paṇḍu ʻ yellowish, brown ʼ, paṇḍuā kābatā ʻ a kind of big dove ʼ, (Sambhalpur) paṇḍiā ʻ grey ʼ; Si. pan̆ḍu ʻ whitish, yellow ʼ. -- Ext. -- ll -- : Pk. paṁḍullaïya -- ʻ white ʼ, Si. pän̆ḍili ʻ white, whiteness ʼ, päḍili ʻ white ʼ.
2. K. pronu ʻ white, pure, clean ʼ, pranun ʻ to become white ʼ (Morgenstierne FestskrBroch 149 < *pandra -- ).3. Pk. paḍḍa -- ʻ white ʼ.
pāˊṇḍara -- , *pāṇḍaśa -- , pāṇḍurá -- .pāṇḍurá -- see pāˊṇḍara -- .
Addenda: pāṇḍú -- [< IE. *pondu -- T. Burrow, BSOAS xxxviii 55 with Sk. ā (or dial. a in *paṇḍra -- 2) < IE. o]Md. fan̆ḍu ʻ dim, pale, faded ʼ.(CDIAL 8051)

Gudea
Gudea, the true shepherd, “had everything function as it should in his city . . . He had debts remitted and made all hands clear. . . He opened manacles, removed fetters. . . He undid the tongue of the goad and the whip, replacing them with wool from lamb-bearing sheep. . . He locked up those guilty of capital offences (instead of executing them). . . He had the daughter become the heir in the families without a son. A day of justice dawned for him. . . Gudea paid attention to the justice of [the gods] Nanshe and Ningirsu. He provided protection for the orphan against the rich, and provided protection for the widow against the powerful.”

The king of Uruk, the original shepherd king:

Cylinder seal impression showing an Uruk king (right) and a priest feeding the sacred flock of Inanna, the goddess of war and the patron deity of Uruk. The king wears a shepherd hat. The netted skirt is a ceremonial garment worn during the performance of religious rites for Inanna. The king of Uruk was the first shepherd king of Sumer.

Gudea: His crown is a stylized shepherd's hat.
Most Sumerian statues have been decapitated, had their faces disfigured, or were otherwise vandalized during the many wars that occurred in the region.

The seal of Gudea: Gudea, with shaven head, is accompanied by a minor female deity (lamma, guardian spirit). He is led by his personal god, Ningishzida, into the presence
of Enlil, the chief Sumerian god. Wind pours forth from of the jars held by Enlil, signifying that he is the god of the winds that bring life giving rains. The winged leopard (dragon?) is a mythological creature associated with Ningishzida, The horned helmets, worn even by the animals, indicates divine status (the more horns the higher the rank). The writing in the background translates as: "Gudea, Ensi [ruler], of Lagash".

Although Gudea used the title ensi (ruler, governor) rather than the more exalted title of lugal (king), he was a king in all but name. Unlike other Sumerian kings, however, did he not use the sign diĝir in his name (meaning a "god" or "deity") which designated divinity. Gudea did not represent himself to be a god, but only as a man who was divinely favored, so it's significant that Gudea is shown bareheaded, without his crown, and with his hands raised in the "reverence position", as was required of a mortal man when in the presence of a god. A king like Ur-Namma was shown standing before the god Enlil with his hat on, signifying that he too is a god (see Ur-Namma Translation).
http://sumerianshakespeare.com/25401/index.html

One-horned young bull + standard device is the most frequently used pictorial motif (hieroglyph-multiplex or hypertext) on Indus Script Corpora.
Mohenjo-daro. m1656. Pectoral. Together with the hieroglyphs of a young bull, one-horned with pannier in front of a standard device, the expression signified is a pot overflowing with water.
kāṇḍam காண்டம்² kāṇṭam, n. < kāṇḍa. 1. Water; sacred water; நீர். துருத்திவா யதுக்கிய குங்குமக் காண் டமும் (கல்லா. 49, 16). Rebus: khāṇḍā ‘metal tools, pots and pans’ (Marathi)
<lo->(B) {V} ``(pot, etc.) to ^overflow''. See <lo-> `to be leftover'. @B24310. #20851. Re<lo->(B) {V} ``(pot, etc.) to ^overflow''. See <lo-> `to be left over'. (Munda ) Rebus: loh ‘copper’ (Hindi)

The hieroglyph-multiplex clearly refers to the metal tools, pots and pans of copper: lokhāṇḍā

Hieroglyph: sãgaḍ, 'lathe' (Meluhha) Rebus 1: sãgaṛh , 'fortification' (Meluhha). Rebus 2:sanghAta 'adamantine glue'. Rebus 3:

sangāṭh संगाठ् 'assembly, collection'. Rebus 4: sãgaḍa 'double-canoe, catamaran'.

Hieroglyph: one-horned young bull: खोंड (p. 216) [ khōṇḍa ] m A young bull, a bullcalf. Rebus: कोंद kōnda ‘engraver, lapidary setting or infixing gems’ (Marathi)

Hieroglyph: one-horned young bull: खोंड (p. 216) [ khōṇḍa ] m A young bull, a bullcalf.

Rebus: कोंद kōnda ‘engraver, lapidary setting or infixing gems’ (Marathi) खोदगिरी [ khōdagirī ] f Sculpture, carving, engraving.

ko_d.iya, ko_d.e = young bull; ko_d.elu = plump young bull; ko_d.e = a. male as in: ko_d.e du_d.a = bull calf; young, youthful (Te.lex.)

Hieroglyph: ko_t.u = horns (Ta.) ko_r (obl. ko_t-, pl. ko_hk) horn of cattle or wild animals (Go.); ko_r (pl. ko_hk), ko_r.u (pl. ko_hku) horn (Go.); kogoo a horn (Go.); ko_ju (pl. ko_ska) horn, antler (Kui)(DEDR 2200). Homonyms: kohk (Go.), gopka_ = branches (Kui), kob = branch (Ko.) gorka, gohka spear (Go.) gorka (Go)(DEDR 2126).

खोंड (p. 216) [ khōṇḍa ] m A young bull, a bullcalf. 2

kot.iyum = a wooden circle put round the neck of an animal; kot. = neck (G.lex.) [cf. the orthography of rings on the neck of one-horned young bull].खोंड (p. 216) [ khōṇḍa ]A variety of जोंधळा.खोंडरूं (p. 216) [ khōṇḍarūṃ ] n A contemptuous form of खोंडा in the sense of कांबळा-cowl.खोंडा (p. 216) [ khōṇḍā ] m A कांबळा of which one end is formed into a cowl or hood. 2 fig. A hollow amidst hills; a deep or a dark and retiring spot; a dell. 3 (also खोंडी & खोंडें) A variety of जोंधळा.खोंडी (p. 216) [ khōṇḍī ] f An outspread shovelform sack (as formed temporarily out of a कांबळा, to hold or fend off grain, chaff &c.)

kod. = place where artisans work (G.lex.) kod. = a cow-pen; a cattlepen; a byre (G.lex.) gor.a = a cow-shed; a cattleshed; gor.a orak = byre (Santali.lex.) कोंड (p. 180) [ kōṇḍa ] A circular hedge or field-fence. 2 A circle described around a person under adjuration. 3 The circle at marbles. 4 A circular hamlet; a division of a मौजा or village, composed generally of the huts of one caste.कोंडडाव (p. 180) [ kōṇḍaḍāva ] m Ring taw; that form of marble-playing in which lines are drawn and divisions made:--as disting. from अगळडाव The play with holes.कोंडवाड (p. 180) [ kōṇḍavāḍa ] n f C (कोंडणें & वाडा) A pen or fold for cattle.कोंडाळें (p. 180) [ kōṇḍāḷēṃ ] n (कुंडली S) A ring or circularly inclosed space. 2 fig. A circle made by persons sitting round.

Cylinder seal. Provenience: KhafajeKh. VII 256 Jemdet Nasr (ca. 3000 - 2800 BCE) Frankfort, Henri: Stratified Cylinder Seals from the Diyala Region. Oriental Institute Publications 72. Chicago: University of Chicago Press, no. 34.

karaḍa ‘panther’; karaḍa tiger (Pkt); खरडा [ kharaḍā ] A leopard. खरड्या [ kharaḍyā ] m or खरड्यावाघ m A leopard (Marathi). Kol. keḍiak tiger. Nk. khaṛeyak panther. Go. (A.) khaṛyal tiger; (Haig) kariyāl panther Kui kṛāḍi, krānḍi tiger, leopard, hyena. Kuwi (F.) kṛani tiger; (S.) klā'ni tiger, leopard; (Su. P. Isr.) kṛaˀni (pl. -ŋa) tiger. / Cf. Pkt. (DNM) karaḍa- id. (DEDR 1132). krōṣṭŕ̊ ʻ crying ʼ BhP., m. ʻ jackal ʼ RV. = krṓṣṭu -- m. Pāṇ. [√kruś]

Pa. koṭṭhu -- , ˚uka -- and kotthu -- , ˚uka -- m. ʻ jackal ʼ, Pk. koṭṭhu -- m.; Si. koṭa ʻ jackal ʼ, koṭiya ʻ leopard ʼ GS 42; -- Pk. kolhuya -- , kulha -- m. ʻ jackal ʼ < *kōḍhu -- ; H. kolhā, ˚lā m. ʻ jackal ʼ, adj. ʻ crafty ʼ; G. kohlũ, ˚lũ n. ʻ jackal ʼ, M. kolhā, ˚lā m. (CDIAL 3615)

Pkt. 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). Rebus: karaḍa ‘hard alloy’.

Allographs: Pk. karaḍa -- m. ʻ safflower ʼ; M. karḍī, °ḍaī f. ʻ safflower, Carthamus tinctorius and its seed ʼ (CDIAL 2788). Pk. karaṁḍa -- m.n. ʻ bone shaped like a bamboo ʼ, karaṁḍuya -- n. ʻ backbone ʼ (CDIAL 2670). S. karaṅgho, kaṇgho m. ʻbackbone, ridgepole ʼ; P. karaṅg m. ʻ skeleton ʼ (→ H. karaṅg m. ʻ skull, rib ʼ); N. karaṅ ʻ rib, rafter ʼ, karaṅge ʻ like a skeleton ʼ;with unexpl. ā: (CDIAL 2784).

Ka. mēke she-goat; mē the bleating of sheep or goats. Te. mē̃ka, mēka goat. Kol. me·ke id. Nk. mēke id. Pa. mēva, (S.) mēya she-goat. Ga. (Oll.)mēge, (S.) mēge goat. Go. (M) mekā, (Ko.) mēka id. ? Kur. mēxnā (mīxyas) to call, call after loudly, hail. Malt. méqe to bleat. [Te. mr̤ēka (so correct) is of unknown meaning. Br. mēḻẖ is without etymology; see MBE 1980a.] / Cf. Skt. (lex.) meka- goat. (DEDR 5087). Meluhha, mleccha (Akkadian. Sanskrit). Milakkha, Milāca ‘hillman’ (Pali) milakkhu ‘dialect’ (Pali) mleccha ‘copper’ (Prakrit).

Ta. takar sheep, ram, goat, male of certain other animals (yāḷi, elephant, shark). Ma. takaran huge, powerful as a man, bear, etc. Ka. tagar, ṭagaru,ṭagara, ṭegaru ram. Tu. tagaru, ṭagarů id. Te. tagaramu, tagaru id. / Cf. Mar. tagar id. (DEDR 3000). Allograph: tagaraka ‘tabernae montana’ fragrant tulip (Sanskrit) Rebus: tagara ‘tin’ (Kannada): Ta. takaram tin, white lead, metal sheet, coated with tin. Ma. takaram tin, tinned iron plate. Ko. tagarm (obl. tagart-) tin. Ka. tagara, tamara, tavaraid. Tu. tamarů, tamara, tavara id. Te. tagaramu, tamaramu, tavaramu id. Kuwi (Isr.) ṭagromi tin metal, alloy. / Cf. Skt. tamara- id.(DEDR 3001).

kund opening in the nave or hub of a wheel to admit the axle (Santali)

Ka. kunda a pillar of bricks, etc. Tu. kunda pillar, post. Te. kunda id. Malt. kunda block, log. ? Cf. Ta. kantu pillar, post.(DEDR 1723).

Br. kōnḍō on all fours, bent double. (DEDR 204a) khōṇḍa A stock or stump (Marathi); ‘leafless tree’ (Marathi). khoṇḍ square (Santali) khoṇḍ 'young bull-calf' (Marathi) कोंड [kōṇḍa] A circular hamlet; a division of a मौजा or village, composed generally of the huts of one caste (possibly, a turner’s hamlet)(Marathi). Ku. koṭho ʻlarge square houseʼ Rebus: kõdār ’turner’ (Bengali); kõdā ‘to turn in a lathe’(Bengali). कोंद kōnda ‘engraver, lapidary setting or infixing gems’ (Marathi) khū̃ṭ ‘community, guild’ (Mu.);kunḍa ‘consecrated fire-pit’.

kāṇḍa ‘flowing water’ Rebus: kāṇḍā ‘metalware, tools, pots and pans’.

kul ‘tiger’ (Santali); kōlu id. (Telugu) kōlupuli = Bengal tiger (Te.) कोल्हा [ kōlhā ] कोल्हें [kōlhēṃ] A jackal (Marathi) Rebus: kole.l 'temple, smithy' (Kota.) kol = pañcalōha, a metallic alloy containing five metals (Tamil): copper, brass, tin, lead and iron (Sanskrit); an alternative list of five metals: gold, silver, copper, tin (lead), and iron (dhātu; Nānārtharatnākara. 82; Mangarāja’s Nighaṇṭu. 498)(Kannada) kol, kolhe, ‘the koles, iron smelters speaking a language akin to that of Santals’ (Santali)

Ziziphus (jujube) is called कूदी कूट्/ई in Atharvaveda. It is बदरी, "Christ's thorn". Rebus: kuThi 'smelter' Rebus 2: kUThiya, koTia, koTiya, 'dhow seafaring vessel' (Kuwait) Variant spellings appear in texts: kotia, cotia,kUtiyya (pl. kawAti or kUtiyyAt) – a Kuwait and Bhraini ocean-going vessel with features similar to baghla and ghanja. (J. Hornell 1920, The origins and significance of Indian boat designs,Memoirs of the Asiatic Society of Bengal, Calcutta, repr. 1970 by South Indian Federation of Fishermen Societies, Trivandrum.) http://www.siffs.org/books/indianboatdesign.pdf

See: http://bharatkalyan97.blogspot.in/2016/07/kotiya-seafaring-merchant-vessel-of.html The flagstaff signified by बदरी, "Christ's thorn" is a semantic determinant of the word sought to be signified by the banner. What is held aloft is koTiya, koTia, kUtiyya 'dhow, seafaring vessel' which is like a baghla or ghanja.

For Gudea, building and restoring the temple of the war god symbolized the re-emerging hopes of Sumerian independence, after two centuries of Akkadian domination and during the ever present danger of attack by the Gutian barbarians. The battle for Sumerian independence would not occur until after death of Gudea, at the time of Utu-Hengal and Ur-Namma. In the meantime, rebuilding the temple fostered Sumerian cultural identity and promoted a strong "national" spirit. In rebuilding the temple, Gudea was rebuilding the Sumerian nation, thus leading the way for Ur-Namma and the Neo-Sumerian Revival.

Translation of a Gudea foundation cone:

Line drawing of a Gudea foundation cone, by Marcel Sigrist. Gudea's name (gu3-de2-a) is on the 4th line down, reading left to right.  Enlarge.

Note: {d} designates diĝir and is not pronounced. The numerical subscripts of the signs are also unpronounced.

Transliteration:

1.   {d} nin-ĝir2-su

2.   ur-saĝ kal-ga

3.   {d} en-lil2-la2-ra

4.   gu3-de2-a

5. ensi2

6.   lagaš-ki-ke4

7.   niĝ2-ul-e pa mu-na-e3

8.   e2-ninnu  {d} anzud-{mušen}-babbar2-ra-ni

9.   mu-na-du3

10.   ki-bi mu-na-gi4

In line 7, niĝ2-ul could be translated as niĝ2-du7, meaning "something suitable or appropriate".

Translation:

For Ningirsu

Mighty warrior of Enlil

Gudea

The ruler of Lagash

Brought forth something everlasting

The Temple Ninnu, of Anzud the White Eagle

He built

This place he restored

Note: Ninnu means "fifty", denoting 50 divine powers.

Anzud: with two stags.

Anzud was the lion-headed eagle, the god of storms. He was a mythological creature closely associated with Enlil and his son, Ningirsu. Anzud had a dual personality, sometimes benevolent, and sometimes malevolent. Anzud stole the Tablet of Destiny, where man's fate is decreed. Under the command of Enlil, the gods tried to recover the tablet. During the ensuing struggle, Anzud "the white eagle" was killed by the warrior Ningirsu. Anzud thus became the symbolic animal of Ningirsu. This is why Anzud's name was associated with the temple of Ningirsu, as seen in the inscription above.

Four views of Anzud, the lion-headed eagle.

Anzud with two lions. I photographically repaired some of the damage done to the figures and remodeled the background. See the original plaque. Enlarge.

Stone mace head: A votive offering to a temple; it is too large to have been used as a weapon. Anzud is also known as Imdugud. Enlarge. See the back of the mace.

Bas relief of Anzud attacking a man-headed bull. For more information on Imdugud/Anzud, see Beijing World Art Museum for an article by Richard Zettler.

http://sumerianshakespeare.com/25401/index.html

http://sumerianshakespeare.com/106901.html

https://www.themaparchive.com/early-mesopotamia-and-syria-43002300-bce.html

Map showing the extent of Mesopotamia. Shown are Washukanni, Nineveh, Hatra,
Assur, Nuzi, Palmyra, Mari, Sippar, Babylon, Kish, Nippur, Isin, Lagash, Uruk, Charax Spasinu and Ur, from north to south.

Mari - Mesopotamian City

[quote] The Mesopotamian city of Mari is identified with modern Tell Hariri, located on the west bank of the Euphrates River, 30 miles north of the border between Iraq and Syria. Its palace architecture has been beautifully preserved, and historical records provide a rare glimpse into upper Mesopotamian politics during the Old Assyrian Period. Mari was a circular city (1.2 miles in diameter), excavated first by André Parrot (from 1933) and later by Jean Margueron (from 1979). Excavations reveal a series of palaces from the Early Dynastic II–III Periods (early third millennium b.c.e.) to the Old Babylonian Period (early second millennium b.c.e.), each palace built upon the ruins of the preceding one. The latest palace is one of the best preserved and most impressive of the entire Bronze Age. It was exceptional for its time period, because it incorporated various religious shrines together with the royal residence.

More than 20,000 cuneiform tablets were uncovered at Mari, most dated to the Old Babylonian Period. Although the language of most texts is Akkadian (east Semitic), northwest Semitic grammar and syntax show up in proper names and in various constructions. The archive consists mostly of palatial and provincial administrative texts, letters, and treaties, demonstrating the political value of writing in this period. It is one of the major sources of information on how the great Assyrian king Shamshi-Adad I organized his empire in northern Mesopotamia. In addition, Mari has the largest number of Mesopotamian prophetic texts. These were letters from prophets, often to the king, claiming direct messages from deities. The city of Mari likely originated from the very start of the Early Dynastic I Period (beginning of third millennium b.c.e.). It prospered rapidly due to its strategic location along the trade route connecting Mesopotamia with Syria. The archaeological evidence found for the Early Dynastic III Period (c. 2600–2350 b.c.e.) shows Mari’s indebtedness to much of Sumerian culture. Short inscriptions from this period refer to Ansud as the king of Mari, a name that may also appear in the Sumerian King List. During c. 2250–2000 b.c.e., the title shakkanakku (Akkadian for "governor") was used for the rulers of Mari, a term that may allude to a time of foreign control, when Mari’s rulers were the deputies of other kings. This seems to have been a period of great power, when the city underwent extensive renovation.The final century before Mari’s destruction is much clarified by the written record. Yahdun-Lim, who derived from the Sim’alite stock of the Amorites, ruled as king over Mari. He was assassinated in a palace coup, and his successor, Sumu-Yaman, died shortly after. In 1796 b.c.e. the Assyrian ruler Shamshi-Adad I conquered Mari and installed his younger son, Yasmah-Adad, upon Mari’s throne. Zimri-Lim, a descendant of Yahdun-Lim, fled to Yamhad (Aleppo), whose king Yarim-Lim was his father-in-law. Shamshi-Adad died in 1782 b.c.e., and Zimri-Lim reclaimed the throne of Mari. He established strong ties with Aleppo and Babylon, faithfully supporting Hammurabi’s expansionistic conquests. Hammurabi, however, eventually turned against Mari: The city was conquered in 1761 b.c.e., and within the next two years its riches, removed to Babylon and its palace burned. Although Mari continued to be inhabited as a small town, Hammurabi’s destruction marked its end as a major political center. [unquote]

http://earlyworldhistory.blogspot.com/2012/03/mari-mesopotamian-city.html

Anzud, the lion-headed eagle, the god of storms.
Pendant of gold and lapis lazuli.

"Inanna, the goddess of love and war, with a lion. No other image of Inanna better illustrates her dual nature. She is depicted as a goddess of love, "showing some leg"; while the lion and the weapons of battle (maces) seen rising up behind her shows that she is also the goddess of war. In all of ancient mythology, no other deity is the goddess of love and war combined. The eight-pointed star (Venus) is another symbol associated with Inanna. This image is in photographic reverse. See the complete seal impression. Also see a line-drawing of the seal by S. Beaulieu.

Although she is called the goddess of love, Inanna is really the goddess of lust. She is not associated with romance, marriage, fertility or child bearing. She is so extreme in her emotions, so psychotic in her desires, and so relentless in getting what she wants, she thus symbolizes the violence of human passion. This is why she is also represents the destruction and carnage of war."

Enlil. Chief god of earth. An was the lord of the heavens.

Enlil leads Ur-Namma and a worker to begin construction of a new temple. Ur-Namma is shown wearing a shepherd's hat, the crown of a king. Ur-Namma (left) in the presence of Enlil, with the Tree of Life between them.
"Above: Ur-Namma stands before the god Enlil, watering the Tree of Life to overflowing. Enlil presents Ur-Namma with a measuring rod and rope used for surveying, and an adze, used for building a new temple. It was originally thought that the surveying rope symbolized Enlil's dominion over all the land, and he holds a battleaxe to symbolize his right to "strike and kill" (i.e., to administer justice) like the fasces used by the Romans, and the cobra on the front of a pharaoh's crown. I would suggest that the rope is simply used to mark out the boundries of a new temple, and the "weapon" that Enlil holds is actually an adze, which is used as a construction tool, rather than a battleaxe, which is used as a weapon of war. In other words, Enlil is giving Ur-Namma the tools needed for building a temple. The god is commonly mistaken to be Nanna, the moon god for whom the great ziggurat at Ur was built, but this seems unlikely because no Tree of Life would be associated with a moon god. Below: Enlil leads Ur-Namma and a worker to begin work on the temple. King Ur-Namma is shown wearing a shepherd's hat. He is also shown with a full beard, which was his usual appearance. The statue of him at the top of the page shows him as completely shaven, as part of the purification ritual for the dedication of a new temple. The fact that Ur-Namma keeps his hat on while in the presence of Enlil shows that he too is a god."
http://sumerianshakespeare.com/23501.html

"Cylinder seal impression. A carved stone cylinder was rolled across a wet clay tablet to form an official, individualized seal. This one shows the winged goddess Inanna standing above the sun god Utu as he rises, using a saw to cut his way through the mountains. To her left is an unidentified hunter/warrior god. To her right is Enki, the god of the Abzu (the underground water table) surrounded by water and fish. Beside him is Isimud, his two-faced minister. The writing in the background identifies the seal as belonging to Adda, a scribe." http://sumerianshakespeare.com/106901.html

A cylinder seal impression showing Enki and other gods. Enki is on the right. The gods are recognizable by their horned helmets. Note the "birdman" in the center. He is being led in a neck stock, his hands tied, to stand before the judgment of Enki. http://sumerianshakespeare.com/106901.html

Mosaic panel from the temple of Samash, Mari

Relief perforé du roi Ur-Nanshe
See: http://www.louvre.fr/en/routes/sumerian-city-states Perforated relief of King Ur-Nanshe
Related image

A religious scene board of mosaic from temple of Dagan, Mari, made of sea-shells, ivory and lapis lazuli. This mosaic depicting a religious ceremony was found in the temple of Dagan. In the middle of the second register two women prepare a fleece covered altar mounted on animal legs. Some other details of the mosaic are shown below:

The men walk in a solemn procession. One of the men has his hands folded in prayer.
On the upper left, a high priestess holds an offering basin that was used in temples.
She wears a large domed hat called a polos.
The mosaic is all about Sumerian queens. See The Sumerian Queens on this website.
There is nothing particularly Akkadian about the Mari Mosaic. It is completely Sumerian.
All of the women on the mosaic wear the typical Sumerian skirt with a broad leafy fringe.
The man with his hands folded in prayer looks like he was plucked from the Standard of Ur. He wears a fringed skirt with a broad belt tied in the back. This was the “national costume” of the Sumerians during the ED III period. The Akkadians, on the other hand, wore a
distinctive “angled-skirt” throughout most of their history.

A Sumerian with his hands folded in prayer. He wears the traditional Sumerian skirt. Detail from the Standard of Ur.
See a comparison of him and the man on the Mari mosaic.

"This shell plaque was found in the palace of Mari. It is dated circa 2500 B.C. The Louvre correctly identified it as a Sumerian soldier because the helmet, shoulder armor, and battleaxe, is the same equipment used by soldiers on the Standard of Ur. However, his outfit also contains some Akkadian elements. The knotted bun on the back of the helmet is an Akkadian design (see The Gold Helmet of the King of Kish). The fringe of his skirt is broad, like the leafy fringe on a Sumerian skirt, but it is also long, like the fringe on the skirt of an Akkadian soldier. As explained in Weapons: the Tombs of Ur, he is not just a soldier, he is a king. He is a Sumerian King of Kish, possibly Eannatum, the ruler of Sumer and Akkad. He is in full regalia, with some accoutrements that are Sumerian and some that are Akkadian."

"This brings us back to the figure of the Sumerian King of Kish. I had previously identified him as Eannatum, but in light of the evidence I must concede the possibility that he is perhaps Mesanepada, because his bead and this inlay were both found in the palace. He was one of three Sumerian Kings of Kish during this period of history (2500 – 2400 B.C), including his father Meskalamdug and also Eannatum, so the inlay could depict any one of the three men.
Although subtle and not noticeable at first, he is wearing the stylized beard of a Mari man. The beard shows up better on another shell inlay (below) that was found in the Tombs of Ur. Although a Sumerian king was usually shown with a shaven face, these bearded figures
depict how a Sumerian King of Kish portrayed himself to his subjects in Mari."

"Limestone plaque found in the palace of Mari: This is a very important artifact because it is the first depiction of siege warfare in the ancient world. On the left, a soldier stands behind (and beneath) a large curved shield made of bundled reeds. The shield is very cumbersome and it would be completely impractical on an open battlefield where rapid mobility is required. Instead, the shield is designed for siege warfare, for battles fought at the base of a city wall. The curved top protects the soldier from missiles being thrown down by the defenders on the top of the wall. Beside the soldier is an archer shooting a flaming arrow. This is one of the earliest depictions of a bow and arrow being used in combat. Moreover, it is a “recurved bow”, with tips that curve away from the archer when the bow is strung, which gives the arrow greater speed and power. Flaming arrows were not used against infantry formations, instead they were used to set buildings on fire. Notice how the archer is shooting the arrow straight up, in order to clear the city wall. Meanwhile the body of an enemy defender (who is portrayed naked to show he is dead) tumbles down from the top of the wall. Taken all together, it is quite a dynamic scene.
I suggest that these men are not the soldiers of Mari. They are Sumerian. The skirt and the shoulder armor exactly matches those worn by Sumerian soldiers on the Standard of Ur. The shoulder armor is worn only by the nobility, so the soldier shown on the left is a lord, possibly a king. The archer on the right is a commoner. He wears a spotted garment like the common soldiers in the phalanx formation on the Standard of Ur. Throughout history, the archers were always commoners. That’s because they fought from a distance, which was considered to be somewhat cowardly. They were quite unlike the noble lords, full of bravado, who fought in heroic battles of individual combat, up close and personal."

"On the Standard of Ur, the king wears the distinctive shoulder armor. He has just defeated the Akkadian king in individual combat. The common soldier wears a spotted cloak. The uniforms of each city-state had unique markings to make the soldiers easy to identify on the battlefield.

So the world’s first depiction of siege warfare is definitely Sumerian. Which raises another interesting question: Why would a plaque showing a Sumerian victory be displayed in the palace of Mari? More about that later.
Many mosaics were discovered in various temples at Mari. The mosaics were in pieces scattered on the floor, so their reconstruction is somewhat speculative. The Louvre suggests they were decorations on gaming boards and musical instruments. I would suggest, however, that this is unlikely. The mosaics depict solemn religious rites and scenes of battle. They would not be used as mere decorations on something as frivolous as a board game or a musical instrument."

The Standard of Mari:

In front of a soldier, a Sumerianstandard bearer holds a banner aloft signifying the one-horned young bull which is the signature glyph of Indus writing. Detail of a victory parade, from the Ishtar temple, Mari, Syria. 2400 BCE Schist panel inlaid with mother of pearl plaques. Louvre Museum. It is also a Meluhha standardd shown on two tablets with Indus Script (together with other dharma samjnA (responsibility signifiers).

"The figure in the middle of the top register is the king, drawn larger than the other men to signify his greater importance. He holds a battle ensign featuring a bull statuette. The king’s soldiers are lined up behind him, and in front of him are more soldiers and a few prisoners. The bottom register is a confusing array of soldiers, prisoners, a chariot, and a clay pot (!?). The standard was found in the temple of Ishtar, in pieces scattered on the floor, which would account for the arbitrary arrangement of the figures. Below is shown a different arrangement, with each soldier escorting a bound prisoner (like on the Standard of Ur) which would explain why the soldiers have their arms hanging in the air.

Soldiers and their prisoners.

It is possible that the hypertexts the one-horned young bull and the standard device signified: కోడియ (p. 326) kōḍiya Same as kode కోడె (p. 326) kōḍe kōḍe. [Tel.] n. A bullcalf. కోడెదూడ. A young bull. కాడిమరపదగినదూడ. Plumpness, prime. తరుణము. జోడుకోడయలు a pair of bullocks. కోడె adj. Young. కోడెత్రాచు a young snake, one in its prime. "కోడెనాగముం బలుగుల రేడుతన్ని కొని పోవుతెరంగు"రామా. vi. కోడెకాడు kōḍe-kāḍu. n. A young man. పడుచువాడు. A lover విటుడు. కారుకోడె (p. 275) kārukōḍe karu-kode. [Tel.] n. A bull in its prime.

L’enseigne (M,458) (pl. LVII) est faite d’un petit taureau dresse, passant a gauche, monte sur un socle supporte par l’anneau double du type passe-guides. La hamper est ornementee d’une ligne chevronnee et on retrouve le meme theme en travers de l’anneau double.

M.458 H. 0.070 m. (totale); h. 0, 026 m. (taureau sur socle); l. 0,018m.

Translation

The sign (M, 458) (pl. LVII) is made of a young bull stand, from left, mounted on a base supports the double ring-pass type guides. The hamper is decorated with a line and the same theme is found across the double ring.

M.458 H. 0.070 m. (Total); h. 0, 026 m. (Bull on base); l. 0,018m.

Source: http://digital.library.stonybrook.edu/cdm/compoundobject/collection/amar/id/48366/rec/2 (Parrot, Andre, Mission archéologique de Mari. V. I: Le temple d'Ishtar, p.161)

Frise d'un panneau de mosaïque
Vers 2500 - 2400 avant J.-C.
Mari, temple d'Ishtar
Coquille, schiste
Fouilles Parrot, 1934 - 1936
AO 19820 Louvre reference

King on the Standard of Mari. He has a shaven face and head. This is how Sumerian kings were usually portrayed, like on the Standard of Ur. The kings of Mari always have beards.
Image result for susa pennant one-horned bull bharatkalyan97

Image result for susa pennant one-horned bull bharatkalyan97

One of the king’s men. His uniform is a confusing blend of Sumerian and Akkadian styles. The leaf-fringed skirt tied in the back is Sumerian, as is the spotted garment. On the Standard of Ur, the spotted garment is obviously a full length cloak, but here is seems to be a sash, the kind worn by Akkadian soldiers. So it’s a Sumerian uniform with an Akkadian twist. The weapon he carries is either a narrow-blade battleaxe or an adze, both of which are typically Sumerian (the Akkadians used a broad-blade axe). He wears a flared hat. The hat is Akkadian and probably indicates a nobleman. The soldier is clean-shaven, which is typically Sumerian, but his hair is very long in the back, which is typical of Akkadian royalty. So now we have a confusing combination of Sumerian and Akkadian styles. (The minutiae of Mesopotamian clothing, as related to the Standard of Mari, is described on a separate page of this website.)

Soldiers on the Standard of Mari. They wear Sumerian skirts and helmets. The sashes are Akkadian.

The soldier on the right is clean‑shaven, like other soldiers on the standard. I suggest
they are Sumerians. The other two soldiers have beards, but no mustaches. The Sumerians were sometimes shown bearded, but with the usual combination of beard and mustache.
A beard without a mustache is a distinctive feature of Mariote men, so the bearded soldiers are men from Mari."

"Mari beards.
Notice the Akkadian hat worn by the man on the lower right. Also notice how the profile of the beard matches the profiles of the bearded soldiers in the above drawing.

On the standard, we have soldiers from Sumer and Mari in the same army and wearing uniforms that are a blend of Sumerian and Akkadian styles. This is surprising because Sumerian and Mariote soldiers were not accustomed to fighting in the same army. They usually fought against each other.
So why are they shown as allies on the Standard of Mari?

There’s really only one good answer to the question: It’s because this is the coalition army of the King of Kish, the king of kings, the ruler of Sumer and Akkad.

Although the Sumerians and Akkadians often battled each other, they never fought wars of extermination. They never tried to destroy each other or to enslave the opposing populations. Instead, the losing side simply became a vassal state of the winning side. In their long history together, sometimes the Akkadians ruled the Sumerians and sometimes it was the other way around. It’s difficult to keep track of how many times this happened. In any case, whenever a Sumerian king defeated his Akkadian enemies to thus become the King of Kish, he would portray himself as the legitimate ruler of both nations, and his former enemies would then be portrayed as his loyal subjects (whether they liked it or not).

This is the personal seal of Mesanepada, whose votive bead is mentioned above. Part of the inscription reads, “Mesanepada, the King of Kish”. It shows a Sumerian and an Akkadian involved in a struggle together rather than against each other. On the left is an Akkadian king with a Mariote beard and wearing a spiky headdress who stabs the lion that is attacking the Sumerian hero.

The Standard of Ur is all about the King of Kish:

Part of the victory procession on the Standard of Ur. The men seem to be bringing gifts to “celebrate” the victory of the Sumerian king. Ever since the Standard of Ur was discovered 85 years ago, these men were thought to be the friends and allies of the Sumerians. They are actually the defeated enemy, and they are Akkadians (see Standard of Ur: King). Ironically, this had been the purpose of the scene all along – that former enemies now appear as allies, the loyal subjects of the Sumerian King of Kish. In this regard, the Standard of Ur and the Standard of Mari both serve the same purpose.
It's very possible that the Standard of Mari is not just a decorative mosaic panel, as is commonly supposed, but an actual royal standard like Standard of Ur, the kind carried aloft during processions of the king (see What is the Standard of Ur?).

Mosaic panel from the temple of Shamash in Mari. A Sumerian king (shown larger than the others to indicate his greater importance) presides over the ceremonial sacrifice of a ram. An enlargement shows that the ceremony is attended by a long-haired Sumerian priest (second from the right) like the one shown on the Standard of Ur. Also in attendance is a bearded man of Mari (far right). If the king were also a Mariote, he would have the same Mariote beard (without a mustache), just like Lamgi-Mari and all other ED III kings of Mari.

As previously stated, many of the Mari mosaics were found scattered on the floors of various temples. André Parrot, who discovered most of the mosaics displayed on this page, reports that it seemed as if they were part of the rubble that was used to backfill the foundation of an old temple in order to build a new temple on top of it. These mosaics were expensive works of art, laborious to produce, and often constructed of precious materials. They depict solemn religious ceremonies and glorious victories in war, so why were they destroyed and then thrown into a landfill?

I would suggest that the temples and the palace were either built by the Sumerian invaders or temporarily occupied by them. The mosaics were the Sumerians' votive offerings to the Sumerian/Mariote gods (they had many gods in common). After the Sumerians had been run out of town, the temples were cleansed of their presence, or new temples were built on top of the old ones. In this way, the Sumerian temple of Inanna would be re-consecrated as the temple of the Akkadian goddess Ishtar. These mosaics weren't valuable to the Mariotes. The people of Mari were happy to be rid of the mosaics, which were reminders of the Sumerian occupation, and they were happy to finally be rid of their Sumerian overlords.
The ED III artifacts found in Mari are not "plunder and booty" that was stolen from the Sumerians. These works of art were placed in the temples by the Sumerians themselves. After the Sumerians were expelled from the city, their votive offerings were either destroyed or transferred to the palace as trophies of war.

That is why the votive bead of Mesanepada ended up in the palace of Mari.
The same is true for all the other Sumer artifacts found at the palace and in the temples.
...In conclusion, I suggest that if so many ED III Mari artifacts look Sumerian, it's because
they really are Sumerian."

Mesanepada bead

"Lapis lazuli bead from the Treasure of Ur, discovered by André Parrot in 1965.
The inscriptions that are engraved on the eight-sided bead are translated as follows:
“(For) … / Mesanepada/ the king of Ur/ son of Meskalamdug/ the king of Kish/ consecrated
(this bead).” The name of the goddess to whom the bead was dedicated is missing
due to damage. The part of the inscription shown above translates as “the king of Ur”.

This is not an ordinary bead that was worn as a piece of jewelry. It is a votive offering
by a king to a goddess. It was meant to be displayed in a Sumerian temple. So why
was it found in a jar buried beneath an Akkadian palace in faraway Mari?

Several theories have been offered. First, the Treasure of Ur was meant to be a gift from the king of Mari to the king of Ur, or vice versa. However, it seems unlikely that the treasure is a gift that was placed in a jar but not sent by the king of Mari, or a gift that was delivered to him but not opened. Besides, where is the “gift tag”? The jar should have been inscribed with the names of the kings (“from the king of Mari, to the king of Ur”). Another theory suggests it's a votive offering placed in a cultic room in the palace. Yet another theory proposes that it is “plunder and booty” taken in some regional war. The usual explanation for buried wealth is that it’s a “secret stash”. The owner buried it for safekeeping, perhaps in times of war, and he died (or was killed) before he could retrieve the treasure.
The problem is that none of these theories answer the central question of how the Mesanepada bead got there in the first place. I've got a theory, which I will later explain.

The Mesanepada bead highlights a major problem with archaeology in Mesopotamia; i.e., the "find spot" of an artifact doesn't necessarily indicate its country of origin. Just because an artifact is found in a given location doesn't mean it was made there. It could have been made somewhere else."

http://sumerianshakespeare.com/312101/

Image result for priest ishtar temple louvre mari

Ishtar statue with headdress - from the Temple of Ishtar at Mari, Syria, circa 2600-2300 BCE
Ruins of ziggurat n ancient city of Mari.

Ruins of ziggurat n ancient city of Mari.

Mari, Syria - a ziggurat near the palace.

Mari was an ancient Semitic city in modern-day Syria. Its remains constitute a tell located 11 kilometers north-west of Abu Kamal on the Euphrates river western bank, some 120 kilometers southeast of Deir ez-Zor. It flourished as a trade center and hegemonic state between 2900 BCE and 1759 BCE. As a purposely-built city, the existence of Mari was related to its position in the middle of the Euphrates trade routes; this position made it an intermediary between Sumer in the south and the Levant in the west.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gala_(priests) "The Gala (Sumerian: 𒍑𒆪 gala, Akkadian: kalû) were priests of the Sumerian goddess Inanna, significant numbers of the personnel of both temples and palaces, the central institutions of Mesopotamian city states, individuals with neither male nor female gender identities.Originally specialists in singing lamentations, gala appear in temple records dating back from the middle of the 3rd millennium BC.According to an old Babylonian text, Enki created the gala specifically to sing "heart-soothing laments" for the goddess Inanna."

Examples of तार्प्य n. a garment made of a particular vegetable substance

Image result for priest mari archaeology

Ancient Sumerian statuette of two gala priests, dating to c. 2450 BCE, found in the temple of Inanna at Mari

Ebih-Il, l'intendant
Epoque des dynasties archaïques, vers 2400 av. J.-C.
Mari, temple d'Ishtar
Gypse, lapis-lazuli, coquille
H. : 52,50 cm. ; L. : 20,60 cm. ; Pr. : 30 cm.

Fouilles A. Parrot, 1934 - 1935
Département des Antiquités orientales AO 17551

Statuette d'orant aux mains jointes vêtu de la jupe de kaunakès Vers 2500 - 2400 avant J.-C. Mari, temple d'Ishtar Albâtre | Site officiel du musée du Louvre

Scribe or priest, alabaster

Scribe or priest. Alabaster head from the Ishtar

Priest, Ishtar Temple. Musee du Louvre

See:

Potr̥, 'purifier priest', धावड dhāvaḍa 'iron smelter' is paṭel 'headman' of metalworkers' guild https://tinyurl.com/y2287ve9

Rekha Rao

Indology | 29-04-2019

Mohenjo-Daro Man Performing Raajasooya Yajna

Several scholars and academicians post excavation of Indus sites, got inspired by the grandeur of planned dwelling site. The artifacts, murals, pottery and the most intriguing seals of this magnificent civilization looked way advanced and ahead of time. Obviously, it implies a miss match with their understanding and the reality. Does this mean the existing civilization in the land of Bharata was inferior to those of the invaders? It was said so by scholars though not affirmatively that Aryans were invaders or transited from other countries believed to be more advanced. Vedas being indigenous to the land of Bharata, (which included present day India and the adjoining land mass) is more appropriate linkage that ought to have been used while trying to understand the civilization whether it was imposed by foreigners or evolved by locals. The analysis of artifacts was completely focused on civilization outside the boundary of the then land of Bharata which is a huge dis connect. Eighty years of research have been on objects as discrete entities without connecting to a basic and a larger cultural ethos and practices of those times. This lack of connectivity has resulted in a variety of controversies amongst the scholars.

My research work is attempted with a new approach in bridging the disconnect around the hitherto theories. Understanding of Veda’s helped me in establishing a very close linkage of the seals, figurines, artifacts, pottery and symbols to the Vedic rituals.

Introduction

The Indus seals, also called Harappan seals, and the artefacts excavated belonging to the period of Indus civilization are highly sophisticated heritage artifacts. Dating as far back as 3500 years approximately the seals and figurines with finely executed carvings are the archaeological proof of the civilization that existed in that ancient period. These findings mirror the religious, social and intellectual excellence of Indus valley civilization. The very popular bust of a male figure excavated from Mohenjo-Daro, an archaeological site in the province of Sindh, Pakistan has evinced keen interest by public on knowing who he is. King or a priest king? He is called King priest thus far which is not a convincing term because a king never did the work of a priest and vice versa. They belonged to different varnas.

The Harappans were close contemporaries of Sumerians and early Babylonians in Mesopotamia and Minoan civilization in the Mediterranean. For such a highly developed culture of Indus civilization, people had a writing system like other civilizations but was distinctly different from the other forms of writing. Despite the efforts of many scholars for more than eight decades, it is yet to be deciphered.

This article invokes interest for larger debate on why the Indus script and figurines were compared with the script of other ancient civilizations and propagating that Aryans were not indigenous to the land of Bharata. A study of seals and figurines keeping the Vedic texts as background prove how truly the seals, symbols, pictures and the figurines are a true representation of the knowledge compiled in the Vedas. The study or understanding the significance of the male bust figure, though different from the bull seals, is indirectly connected to the seals because they all belong to the same period and were made based on what customs and knowledge were in practice. A figurine in pictorial form explains many facts in a precise way what otherwise would have been a lengthy chapter to be understood.

The decipherment of the unique Indus script has remained controversial as there is no consistency in the logic established in its interpretation. The prominence of a mythical one horned bull that never existed and calling it as unicorn does indicate it is beyond what has been understood till date.

The question regarding why Indus script is not deciphered and why the significance of figurines are not explained in a convincing way comes with draw backs in the analysis. The figurines similar to the objects of Indus period like the cart with the bundle of sticks or pots are more easily interpreted as toys for children rather than connecting it with the true picture of who is the person driving the cart, why he carries pots, or what kind of sticks are being carried, why there are two types of carts, etc. as described in Vedas. Unlike other ancient scripts which are lengthy, the inscriptions on Indus seals are extremely brief, in some it is just 2-3 signs. Some seals have repetitions of same symbol. The bull picture is indispensable part of the seals and symbols are different in each seal.

Different researchers have come out with different analysis. The scholars do not agree upon one opinion and hence it is defensive methodology. Each analysis fails to address what constitutes the theme of decipherment and the literary basis for the analysis. The values given to a sign does not show a convincing and persistent interpretation when applied on different seals with added marks on a basic symbol. Though many signs occur frequently like strokes, appears to be as mathematical signs of number representations, the analysis lack clarity with what theme the numbers are associated. The signs are pictures of both animate and inanimate objects in different combinations. Many are suggestive pictures and not true pictures according to S.R Rao (The language and Script of Indus Civilization, 2011). The decipherer is at a loss to know whether all signs should be read as ideographs in which ideas or actions are indicated or as logographs which stand for words or signs with phonetic equivalents. He also says about the problems created by Dravidian origin of Indus seals which has resulted in sacrificing objectivity on the part of most scholars attempting decipherment.

Mohenjo-Daro Man Performing Raajasooya Yajna

Figure 1. The bust of Mohenjo-Daro male figure

Though attempts were made to decipher the symbols inscribed, any approach for why the bull was part of the seal, why the embellishments on bull’s neck as well as the surface designs on the structure in front varied from seal to seal have not been addressed as much as the symbol decipherment. The interpretation of script like symbols or the figures on seals ignoring the bull’s picture which occupy more than 70% of the seal has been ignored and not given the due concern or convincing analysis. These efforts are like watering the leaf parts of a plant, forgetting to feed the most vital part – the roots. Many seals and figurines depict figures in action and the precise literary source for story depiction has not been considered but interpreted or connected with the much later puranic episodes.

The icon of Mohenjo-Daro bust

The icon of the kingly looking bust from Mohenjo-Daro (Figure 1), measures 17.5 CMS in height and 11CMS in width is carved from steatite also known as soap stone. The figure depicts a very handsome and calm face with a trimmed beard and clean-shaven upper lip. His nose is prominent, full lips, and eyes though large look half closed. The hair style looks neatly back combed. The beard looks freshly trimmed and shaped well. He is adorned with a head band with a central inlay of stone ornament and a similar smaller band is on his open right arm. He wears a blanket of animal skin that looks like leopard skin in design or it could be designed blanket full of trefoil design with a center.

Since the figure highlights three facts like the trimmed beard, the conspicuous-the head and arm band, and thirdly the designed cover worn as a blanket, the approach needs to proceed on literary sources on the fact who wore these head bands and why beard trimming was given so much importance.

The head band guides to the fact that it is the ornament called “Mastaka bhooshana”. Mastaka is head and bhooshana means a decorative ornament tied around the head with an inlay of precious stone. About the ornaments that were used to tie around the body by kings, the Ch. 23 of Natya shastra classifies it as Shirovestana type. Natyashastra is much later in time but based on what was in practice before its compilation (later than 500 B.C). Similar decorative arm band called “angada” is seen in the figure which is used by high ranking or a royal person.

It is interesting to note that an in-depth study of Harappan seals, sites and figurines is slowly and steadily uncovering the veil of the current understanding and exposing it as a reflection of its association with Vedic knowledge and practice.

Varieties of head embellishments and its classifications

The priestly class is depicted to tie their hair into a bun (Fig. 2. A and B) as can be seen in the Indus seals and they never wore any type of head ornaments. The head embellishments are marked as red boundary in the pictures below. The person who went to purchase Soma sticks does not have any head band (Fig.3). The pictures of Kesins (Rigveda 10. 136) or the Vratya class of people are depicted in the seals (Fig.2.C), depict a different type of head decoration with long matted hair like that of a snake, flower decorations and a turban .The deities in Indus seals depict a different type of head gear (fig. 4.A,B) like the horn of buffalo with a twig of Aswattha leaves (Ficus Religiosa). Only the king depicts (Fig 4.C) the head band Mastaka Bhooshana with an inlay of stones.

Mohenjo-Daro Man Performing Raajasooya Yajna 002

The strong looking male bust could be that of a king and not a priest because priests are depicted in seals with the hair tied into a bun.

A Vedic Connection to the attire

A study of the facts related to trimming of the beard are discussed in the Satapatha brahmana, and Apastambha srauta sutra, (18.22.9-11). Cutting of beard and trimming the hair for a king was observed as one of the important rituals of Somayajnas. The king or the sponsored had to observe vows of retaining facial hair after the consecration / diksha for soma yajna for more than a year or the prescribed specified period. The preliminaries for big rituals like Raajasooya yajna or Vaajapeya yajna were very elaborate and conducted for one or two years. The highlight of Rajasooya was the Abhihsechaniya where sacred water collected from many rivers in wooden vessels of four different trees was poured over the king. later he was bathed in liquids processed elaborately with many medicinal herbs, anointed with ‘rochana’ the yellow pigment, that made him a dikshita. King had to observe certain vows for one year that concluded with Keshavapaniya ritual. He was not allowed to cut his hair because the collected essence of water and extract of medicinal herbs would have touched his hair first which gave imperial glory, divine status and ward off all diseases.

“Kesa vapaniya” means the hair cutting ceremony done by Kesha vapa the hair dresser for the king (kesa means hair, vapa is to cut off in Sanskrit). It was associated with the Atiratra or multiple days soma yajna performed before the Raajasooya yajna. Raajasooya was the anniversary celebration of coronation of the king. Raajasooya – the rite of royal consecration, was a complex ceremony that lasted for over an year with long succession of seven distinct yajnas called pavitra, agnistoma, abhisecaniya..and so on as preliminaries to the big yajna. Each one was a big scale Srauta yajna sponsored by the king and performed in the yajna shala. Many priests participated in the series of yajnas and the sacrificial fee was a huge amount. Great emperors and kings had to observe the vow of not cutting the hair or shave the beard for one year after performing the consecration or the deeksha up to the coronation rite. The purpose of yearlong performance of smaller yajnas by the king was to the acquisition of spiritual knowledge. He should first harness his mind and intellect to realize the omniscient God and show it to others. Keshavapaniya was an important ritual observed in Soma yajna where the beard and hair of the king was trimmed. The pressing of soma sticks went along with other rituals like this. The elaborate ritual and Vedic recitation of stanzas go in decreasing order from twenty-one verses in the morning to seventeen verses at midday, fifteen to nine verses at the third pressing like the stages of hair trimming.

Raajasooya is a Maha Soma yajna like Aswamedha, Vishwa shanti or Vishwajit yajnas, performed for the prosperity and peace of a kingdom or even universe on a very large scale and magnitude. Raajasooya was performed by only a kshatriya king which commences on the first day of waxing period of Phalguna masa (12th month of Hindu almanac). Abhisekha of pouring holy liquid on the king was the highlight beyond which the king had to observe certain vows. (ref. “Yajna A Comprehensive Survey” by Yoga Publication Trust Bihar,2006)

The chief priest chants the “Mahendra shastra”. This stotra is in honour of Indra who was acknowledged as the super king and emperor of Devas. The chanting was about the king being equated to Indra. Yajurveda says the king was to be elected by people like Indra was the choice of people. (Ref. The Full Text of “The Yajur Veda” translated by Devi Chand – 1959.)

Ch. 125.22-23 and 126. 32-33 of Yajurveda says about how Indra was chosen as a leader:

“Elect him as a ruler who is lustrous like the Sun in fore front of dawn, the giver of wealth, master of riches, bestower of wisdom, son of strong father and controller of his senses. Elect him as the ruler, who is the protector of the whole world, springs to life in its midst and fills heaven and earth opposing foes, Cuts the enemy into pieces like sun cuts the dense clouds and he is respected by the five classes of persons”.

In Ch. 130, of Yajurveda it says, “He alone is fit to rule who spreads knowledge, wages battles on earth, expert statesman endowed with noble qualities and speedily preaches religion”.

This indicates that the people chose Indra to be their king and nurtured him with Soma juice to grow stronger and kill the demons who had hoarded the clouds causing draught on earth. Since Indra could fight and released water from the skies, and help the community, he was elevated to the status of a deity. The interesting thing during the Vedic times is in having a structured governance system for administration and people’s wellbeing.

The king after the abhisekha and diksha will wear a bow, arrow and enjoy certain chariot games. He will be given the tiger or animal skin as a shawl, a gold chain and shoes made or boar skin. In the year long period after commencement several small homas were to be performed including chaturmasya yajna and 12 ishtis (where all four categories of priests participate), Pashu yaga and Soma yaga. The chief priest holds the hand of the king announces the name of the king and declares the provinces under the rule of the king who then ascends the golden throne.

About the nature of kingship, Aitereya Brahmana associated with Rig Veda describes about 8 types of rajya / province that offer care and comfort to the people. To quote one or two among them, “Samrajya” was the large area ruled by the king. He should subdue the neighboring kings and establish sovereignty. He should rule “Swarajya”, which is free from the attack of invaders. “Maharajya” was the province in which several smaller provinces were integrated into a Ganatantra prajarajya and ruled by able ministers.

The seal depicts the king at the time of royal consecration. He can be identified as a king by the distinct ornament on his forehead and arm symbolizing his kingly status and the blanket or Kambala, also called “Pandva”in Sanskrit at unction ceremony (Katyayana Srauta sutra, XV.5.12) that is worn over his lower Tarpya dress. Tarpya was a special material for dress at the unction ceremony made of a type of vegetable substance or the plant yarn is indicated in Apastambha srauta sutra 18.5.7. This Tarpya or Tapa garment was made by repeated rounds of soaking the plant yarn or tree substance in clarified butter and beating it to spread until thin and soft which was considered as a formal wear during auspicious ceremonies. Kambal was a blanket made of wool or animal skin to cover the upper body. The designs of the kambal that the man is adorned with resemble the design of leopard’s skin. It may also be the tarpya garment with that design or an animal skin.

Conclusion

The trimming of facial hair and hair dressing of the king was observed as an important part of big sacrifices, which went along with the recitation Vedic stanzas. The trimmed beard with the head band Mastaka bhooshana suggests Keshavapaniya ritual of the king at the time of Raajasooya yajna. The figurine represents the King.

References

Symbolography in Indus seals by Rekha Rao. Print Book: https://www.amazon.com/dp/1549709208eBook: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B016QQKBQE

Encyclopaedia of Oriental Philosophy and Religion: A Continuing …, Volume 1,edited by Nagendra Kr Singh, A. P. Mishra.

A Dictionary of the Vedic Rituals, Chitrabhanu Sen, Concept Publishing Company, New Delhi, 1978 (reprint 2001)

The Religion and Philosophy of the Veda and Upanishads, A. B. Keith, Harvard oriental series, No. XXXII, Cambridge, 1925

Picture source: Harappa.com.

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