The following four tablets of Mohenjo-daro have identical Indus Script inscriptions on both sides of the tablets: m2018A,B; m440A,B; m447A,B; m2017A,B
The inscription accompanying the rhinoceros field symbol is a hypertext ![]()
The Meluhha rebus readings of the identical inscriptions are:
gaṇḍá4 m. ʻ rhinoceros ʼ lex., °aka -- m. lex. 2. *ga- yaṇḍa -- . [Prob. of same non -- Aryan origin as khaḍgá -- 1 : cf. gaṇōtsāha -- m. lex. as a Sanskritized form ← Mu. PMWS 138]1. Pa. gaṇḍaka -- m., Pk. gaṁḍaya -- m., A. gãr, Or. gaṇḍā.
2. K. gö̃ḍ m., S. geṇḍo m. (lw. with g -- ), P. gaĩḍā m., °ḍī f., N. gaĩṛo, H. gaĩṛā m., G. gẽḍɔ m., °ḍī f., M. gẽḍā m.Addenda: gaṇḍa -- 4 . 2. *gayaṇḍa -- : WPah.kṭg. ge ṇḍɔ mi rg m. ʻ rhinoceros ʼ, Md. genḍā ← H.(CDIAL 4000) rebus: kāṇḍa 'tools, pots and pans' (Marathi)
Variant Sign 63, Sign 64
Three types of birds are unambiguous hieroglyphs in Indus Script Corpora: 1. quail or duck; 2. aquatic bird or crane; 3. black drongo. The third category, black drongo, is sometimes associated with 'fish' hieroglyph to convey a hypertext message through compound sign clusters, Sign 63, Sign 64. The function of split parenthesis in these signs is a hieroglyphic cipher to signify an ingot. mũh 'face' (Hindi) rebus: mũhe 'ingot' (Santali) mũhã̄ = the quantity of iron produced at one time in a native smelting furnace of the Kolhes; iron produced by the Kolhes and formed like a four-cornered piece a little pointed at each end; mūhā mẽṛhẽt = iron smelted by the Kolhes and formed into an equilateral lump a little pointed at each of four ends;kolhe tehen mẽṛhẽt ko mūhā akata = the Kolhes have to-day produced pig iron (Santali). kharva is a dwarf; kharva is a nidhi of Kubera. karba'iron' (Tulu). A little pointed at each end, the ingot is oval in shape and is split into two parenthesis as on Signs 63 and 64.![]()
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I suggest that the Signs 63 and 64 are hypertexts with three hieroglyph components:
Component 1: Hieroglyph: split parenthesis rebus: mūhā 'ingot';
Component 2. Hieroglyph: ayo 'fish' rebus: ayas 'alloy metal' PLUS khambhaṛā ʻfish-finʼ rebus: kammaṭi a coiner (Ka.); kampaṭṭam coinage, coin, mint (Ta.) kammaṭa = mint, gold furnace (Te.);
Component 3: Hieroglyph: pōlaḍu, 'black drongo' rebus: pōlaḍ 'steel'.
Read together, the hypertext of hieroglyphs of parenthesis, bird and fish PLUS the hieroglyph of rhinoceros signify:
ayas 'alloy metal' PLUS pōlaḍ 'steel' PLUS mūhā 'ingot'; PLUS kāṇḍa 'tools, pots and pans'.
Since the samemessage is repeated on both sides of the tablets, the semantics are: dula 'pair' rebus: dul 'metal castings'.
Thus, the message is metal castings, equipment and ingots of alloy metal and steel.
