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Susa tablet with Shamash shows a spoked wheel with four spokes and sun's rays to signify four seasons caused by the Sun. Shamash is linked with the Vedic tradition. See:
In the Veda tradition, the Sun causes six seasons, hence the use of the word
षष् 'six'.This also explains why arka 'sun' is signified on a spoked wheel six spokes, as distinct from the four spokes shown on Shamash's solar wheel.
āre ‘potter's wheel’ rebus: āra ‘brass’; څرخ ṯs̱arḵẖ, 'potter's wheel'; eraka 'knave of wheel' rebus: arka, aka 'gold, copper'; eraka 'metal infusion'.
अर्क 'the sun, copper, m. ( √ अर्च्) , Ved. a ray , flash of lightning RV. &c; fire RV. ix , 50 , 4 S3Br. Br2A1rUp. (Monier-Williams) arká1 m. ʻ flash, ray, sun ʼ RV. [√arc ]Pa. Pk. akka -- m. ʻ sun ʼ, Mth. āk; Si. aka ʻ lightning ʼ, inscr. vid -- äki ʻ lightning flash ʼ.(CDIAL 624) *arkavarta ʻ a sort of ornament ʼ. [Cf. arkapuṭikā -- f. ʻ a silver ornament consisting of a round disk like the sun ʼ lex.: arká -- 1 , *varta -- 3 ]G. akɔṭī f. ʻ earring ʼ.(CDIAL 628) (Note:the Pashto word ṯs̱arḵẖ may explain the various semantic expressions listed in Annex. Cakra and examples of semantic expansions).
Terracotta wheels with painted spoked designs from Dholavira dated to mature Harappan era.
See also : https://new-indology.blogspot.com/2016/12/the-wheel-from-mehrgarh-to-vedas-and.html?fbclid=IwAR31a5qXdxM7hBoCFpRf34-Mih7NsjnWv3PojJKxk_4J3RgT4e8oYR7btGY
Shamash on Susa tablet. Sun symbol.
On November 15th, 2016 an article has been published on Nature Communications about a copper amulet (see the photo above) from Mehrgarh, Baluchistan, presented as the earliest object produced through the lost-wax technique.
Terracotta wheels from Banawali and Rakhigarhi, Mature Harappan period
| Terracotta wheels from Bhirrana, Mature Harappan period |
Plano convex molded tablet discovered in Harappa, 1997.
From harappa.com
An artist's reconstruction of the signboard on a gateway of Dholavira citadel.
Dholavira signboard. Four spoked wheels in the text of 10 signs. Each sign is about 37 cm (15 in) high and the board on which letters were inscribed was about 3 m (9.8 ft) long. (Possehl, Gregory. (2004). The Indus Civilization: A contemporary perspective, New Delhi: Vistaar Publications, p.70.)
Dholavira signboard is a proclamation of the message in 3 segments:
copper, gold metal infusion mint; metal scribe;
bell-metal, mineral ore workshop;
copper, gold, mineral ore metalcastings, artisan.
Segment 1:
arka 'sun' rebus: arka 'gold, copper'; eraka 'metal infusion'
*skabha ʻ post, peg ʼ. [√skambh ]Kal. Kho. iskow ʻ peg ʼ BelvalkarVol 86 with (?).(CDIAL 13638) Rebus: Ta. kampaṭṭam coinage, coin. Ma. kammaṭṭam, kammiṭṭam coinage, mint. Ka. kammaṭa id.; kammaṭi a coiner. Thus, the pin signifies: kolhe kammaṭa 'smelter mint' (product)
loa 'ficus glomerata' Rebus: loha 'copper, iron'.PLUS karna 'ear' rebus: karana 'scribe'
Segment 2:
arka 'sun' rebus: arka 'gold, copper'; eraka 'metal infusion'
Sign 267 kanac (kana, kana kona) mũhã̄ 'corner ingot' rebus: kancu 'bell-metal'
dāṭu 'cross' Rebus: dhatu 'mineral ore'.
koḍa 'one'(Santali) Rebus: koḍ 'artisan's workshop'.
Segment 3:
arka 'sun' rebus: arka 'gold, copper'; eraka 'metal infusion' PLUS dula 'pair' rebus: dul 'metal casting' Thus, copper, gold metalcastings.
ḍato 'claws or pincers (chelae) of crab Rebus: dhatu 'mineral' (Santali).kāru 'pincers' rebus: kāru 'artisan'
Annex. Cakra and examples of semantic expansions
4538 cakrá m.n. ʻ wheel ʼ RV., ʻ potter's wheel ʼ ŚBr., ʻ oil mill ʼ Mn., ʻ circle ʼ R., cakrīˊ -- f. ʻ wheel ʼ RV.Pa. cakka -- n. ʻ wheel ʼ, Pk. cakka -- , ˚aya -- n.; Kho. (Lor.) č*lkvr ʻ spinning wheel ʼ (with *l for o fr. č*lxvr ← Ir. BSOS viii 660); Sh. gil. čărkŭ m. ʻ wheel, spinning wheel ʼ, (Lor.) gil. čurūk, gur. čorōk ʻ buttocks ʼ (→ Ḍ. čərōk); K. ċakhar, dat. ˚kras m., ċạkhürü f. ʻ wheel ʼ; S. caku m. ʻ potter's wheel ʼ, ˚kī f. ʻ hand -- mill ʼ; L. cakkar m. ʻ wheel ʼ, awāṇ. cakkur; P. cakkar m. ʻ circuit, ring ʼ, cakk m. ʻ potter's wheel ʼ; WPah. cakkī ʻ mill ʼ; Ku. cāk(h) ʻ bunch of bananas ʼ, cāk(h)o ʻ hand -- mill ʼ, gng. ċak(h) ʻ stone -- mill ʼ; N. cāk ʻ buttocks ʼ (semant. cf. Sh. above, Pk. cakkāāra -- as epithet of ʻ buttock ʼ and K. s.v. cakrala -- ), cāko ʻ anything round ʼ, mah ko c˚ ʻ honeycomb ʼ; A. sāk ʻ potter's wheel ʼ, sākā ʻ wheel ʼ, ˚ki ʻ small round bunch of flowers ʼ; B. cāk ʻ wheel, comb or hive of bees or wasps ʼ, cākā ʻ wheel ʼ, ˚kī ʻ grindstone ʼ; Or. caka ʻ wheel, potter's wheel ʼ, cakā ʻ round stone ʼ, cakī ʻ mill -- stone ʼ; Bi. cāk ʻ wheel, potter's wheel ʼ, (Gaya) cakkā ʻ wheel ʼ; Mth. cāk ʻ wheel, potter's wheel, pastry board ʼ; Bhoj. cāk ʻ wheel ʼ; Aw. lakh. cakiā ʻ stone -- mill ʼ; H. cāk m. ʻ any kind of wheel, millstone ʼ (mau -- cāk m. ʻ honeycomb ʼ), cākā m. ʻ wheel, sod of turf ʼ, cākī f. ʻ millstone ʼ; G. cāk m. ʻ wheel, potter's wheel, millstone ʼ, ˚kī f. ʻ circular piece fixed in axle ʼ, ˚kũ n. ʻ a thick roundish mass ʼ; M. ċāk n. ʻ wheel ʼ, ˚kī f. ʻ circular flat piece of metal ʼ; Ko. ċāka n. ʻ wheel ʼ; Si. saka ʻ wheel, circle ʼ.cakraka -- , cakrala -- , cakriṇī -- , cakríya -- , cākrika -- ; *cakracāra -- , cakranakha -- , cakranābhi -- , *cakrapati -- , *cakrapattra -- , cakramarda -- , *cakrayaṣṭi -- , cakravartin -- , cakravāṭa -- , cakravyūha -- .Addenda: cakrá -- : S.kcch. cakk m. ʻ potter's wheel ʼ, WPah.kṭg. ċɔkkər m., J. cakkar m. prob. ← P. Him.I 89; Garh. cāk; -- Ko. ċāka rather ʻ slice ʼ.†cakrin -- . 4539 cakraka ʻ circular ʼ W. [cakrá -- ]Pk. cakkāga -- , Or. cakā, H. cākā. 4541 *cakracāra ʻ course of a wheel ʼ. [Cf. cakracārin- ʻ flying in a circle ʼ Hariv. -- cakrá -- , cāra -- 1]M. cakārī f. ʻ wheel rut, wheeling round (of a carriage) ʼ. 4542 cakranakha m. ʻ the perfume Unguis odoratus ʼ. [cakrá -- , nakhá -- ]
Si. sakniya ʻ a partic. drug ʼ. 4543 cakranābhi f. ʻ hub of wheel ʼ Suśr. [cakrá -- , nāˊbhi -- ]
Si. saknäba ʻ hub ʼ. 4544 *cakrapati ʻ universal ruler ʼ. [cakrá -- , páti -- ]
Pk. cakkavaï -- (→ OAw. cakkavaï ʻ universal sovereign ʼ); G. cakve adv. ʻ as sole ruler ʼ.
4547 *cakrayaṣṭi ʻ stick for potter's wheel ʼ. [cakrá -- , yaṣṭí -- ]
Bi. cakaiṭh ʻ pointed stick with which potter twirls his wheel ʼ, H. cakeṭh m.
Bi. cakaiṭh ʻ pointed stick with which potter twirls his wheel ʼ, H. cakeṭh m.
4548 *cakrala ʻ circular ʼ. [Poss. MIA. cakkala -- ʻ round ʼ Uṇ. < *cakla -- ~ cakrá -- ]Pa. cakkalaka -- m. ʻ disc, tuft ʼ; Pk. cakkala -- ʻ round, extensive ʼ, n. ʻ circle ʼ; Kho. čókul ʻ avalanche of stones ʼ (< *cakla -- BelvalkarVol 88); K. ċakul m. ʻ anything circular ʼ, ċaküjü f. ʻ buttock, hip ʼ; S. cakaru m. ʻ circle ʼ; L. cakkul m. ʻ horizontal wheel of well gear ʼ, cakklī f. ʻ vertical do. ʼ, awāṇ. caklī ʻ wheel ʼ; P. caklā ʻ round, wide ʼ, m. ʻ open square in city, district, brothel ʼ, cakklī f. ʻ roundness, pastry board ʼ (→ S. cakulo m.); Ku. cāklo ʻ broad ʼ; N. cāklo ʻ thick, dense ʼ; A. sākli ʻ any flat circular thing, coin ʼ; B. cāklā ʻ round and flat, piece of bread, province ʼ; Or. cakuḷī ʻ a kind of cake ʼ; Bi. cakrī ʻ round flat sweetmeat of sugarcane juice ʼ; WBi. cākal ʻ cake of dung placed on grain heap to avert evil eye ʼ; Mth. cākar ʻ wide ʼ; H. cākal, caklā ʻ circular, round and flat, broad ʼ, m. ʻ province ʼ, cakrām. ʻ flat round cake ʼ; G. cākaḷ f. ʻ a kind of snake which looks like a wheel ʼ, cākḷɔ m. ʻ water -- wheel, circular leather seat, pot ʼ.Addenda: *cakrala -- : Ko. ċākkaḷa ʻ round bite mark ʼ.
4549 cakravartin m. ʻ a universal ruler ʼ MBh. [Poss. der. fr. *cakravarta -- ʻ enclosure of the earth -- circle ʼ (same as cakravāṭa -- if < * -- vārt(r)a -- )]Pa. cakkavattin -- m., NiDoc. cakravarti, Pk. cakkavaṭṭi -- , ˚vatti -- m.; -- Si. sakviti ʻ universal ruler ʼ EGS 171, but certainly ← Pa. 4550 *cakravaha ʻ flowing in a circle ʼ. [cakrá -- , vahá -- ]OH. cakoha m. ʻ whirlpool ʼ. 4551 cakravāká m. ʻ the ruddy goose Anas casarca ʼ RV., ˚kī -- f. Kālid.Pa. cakkavāka -- m., Aś. cakavāke, Pk. cakkavāya -- , cakkāa -- m.; K. ċā̆kav m. ʻ the ruddy sheldrake Casarca ʼ; S. cakuo m. ʻ A. casarca ʼ, P. cakvā m., ˚vī f., WPah. bhiḍ. ċekkrõ, pl. ˚ru n., N. cakhewā, A. sakowā, sākai f., B. cakā, Or. cakuā, ˚ui, Mth. cakawā, ˚kewā, Aw. lakh. cakawā, ˚kaī, H. cakwā m., ˚kaī f., G. cakvɔ m., ˚vī f., M. ċakvā m., ˚vī f., Si. sakvā. 4552 cakravāṭa m. ʻ boundary ʼ lex., cakravāla -- m. ʻ circle ʼ MBh., BHSk. cakravāḍa -- m. ʻ a mountain range encircling the earth ʼ. [Cf. cakravartin -- . -- cakrá -- , vāṭa -- 1]Pa. cakkavāḷa -- m.n. ʻ mountain range encircling the earth ʼ; Pk. cakkavāla -- m. ʻ circle ʼ; Si. sakvaḷa ʻ the world ʼ EGS 170 prob. ← Pa. 4553 cakravyūha m. ʻ circular array of troops ʼ MBh. [cakrá -- , vyūhá -- ]Or. cakabhua ʻ circular battle array ʼ. 4554 cakriṇī f. of cakrin -- ʻ having a wheel ʼ (ʻ driving in a carriage ʼ Yājñ.), m. ʻ snake ʼ lex. (semant. cf. G. cākaḷ < *cakrala -- ). [cakrá -- ]M. cākaṇ f. ʻ a snake, species of Coluber ʼ.4554a †cakrin -- ʻ having wheels ʼ lex., ʻ driving in a carriage ʼ Yājñ., ʻ discus -- bearer ʼ MBh., ʻ oil -- miller ʼ Yājñ., ʻ potter ʼ lex. [cakrá -- ]Pk. cakki(ya) -- m. ʻ potter ʼ, cakkisālā -- f. ʻ oil -- shop ʼ; -- S.kcch. cākī m. ʻ oil -- miller ʼ, cākaṇ f. ʻ his wife ʼ (rather < cākrika -- ?). 4555 cakríya ʻ pertaining to wheels ʼ RV., ʻ *circular ʼ. [cakrá -- ]Dm. čakri ʻ a partic. entrail ʼ; Kal. rumb. čāˊkri ʻ spleen ʼ. (CDIAL 4538 to 4555)
ʦroṭu च़्र॑टु॒ । चक्राकारत्वम् m. the condition of being wheel-shaped; anything wheel-shaped; a potter's wheel (El. tsruṭ m.); ʦrüṭü च़्र॑टू॒ । चक्रिका f. (sg. dat. ʦracĕ च़्रच्य ), a potter's wheel (El. tsrauṭ f.); any circular disc, large or small, a round cake, a tabloid (cf. hanga-ʦo, p. 338b, l. 47; lācha-ʦo, p. 507a, l. 30; mīli-ʦo, p. 565b, l. 51; nāga-ʦo, p. 623b, l. 49; nöhi-ʦi, p. 625b, l. 23; tŏndūra-ʦo, p. 1010a, l. 18); cf. ʦroṭu. ʦrüṭügaʦhüñü च़्र॑टू॒ गछ़॑ञू॒ । आहतिनाशः f.inf. to become a disc, to be squashed flat by a blow from above, to be struck by a blow from above and so destroyed. (Kashmiri).