1

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 r g water-buffalo hieroglyph

On many hierolyph multiplexes water-buffalo (r g ) 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~rhe~t khaNDa iron implements

Santali glosses

A lexicon suggests the semantics of Paninis compound -- [p= 851] m n a quantity

of iron or excellent iron (g qv)( 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 h hāro 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

2

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 ampc(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 smithyforge -- 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

kolel 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 smithyforge forged iron

alloy castings (laterite PLUS spelter) hard alloy implements

goTa roundish stone Rebus gota laterite

dula pair Rebus dul cast metal PLUS r g buffalo Rebus rāṅgā zinc alloy spelter pewter

Thus cast spelter PLUS laterite

markhor PLUS tail

miṇḍāl markhor (Tōrwālī) meḍh a ram a sheep (Gujarati)(CDIAL 10120) Rebus mẽṛhẽt

meḍ iron (MundaHo) ko e 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 kolel smithy temple in

Kota village

3

Rhinoceros PLUS aquatic bird

Hieroglyhph kāṇ ā rhinoceros gaṇḍaacute 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 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)

httpwwwharappacomscriptparpola0html (Note 11)

Two water-buffalos flanks a hieroglyph something round like a seed Hieroglyph r g 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 hieroglyhphshieroglyph-multiplexes are read as metalwork catalogue items in

Prakritam which had tadbhava tatsama identified in Samskritam in Indian sprachbund (speech

union)

4

Tree shown on a tablet from Harappa kuTi tree Rebus kuThi smelter

[Pl 39 Tree symbol (often on a platform) on punch-marked

coins a symbol recurring on many Indus script tablets and seals

Clay sealing from private collection with

water buffalo crescent-star apparently Akkadian period

4

Tree shown on a tablet from Harappa kuTi tree Rebus kuThi smelter

[Pl 39 Tree symbol (often on a platform) on punch-marked

coins a symbol recurring on many Indus script tablets and seals

Clay sealing from private collection with

water buffalo crescent-star apparently Akkadian period

5

Buffalo bull meTTu hill Rebus meD iron

kolmo three Rebus kolimi smithy forge karava narrow pot Rebus kharva nidhi wealth

karba iron karNIka rim of jar Rebus karNI supercargo karNIka scribe

Hieroglyph r g buffalo Rebus rāṅgā zinc alloy spelter pewter

Hieroglyph gavala m ʻ wild buffalo ʼ lex [gṓ -- ]Pk gavala -- m N gauri gāi (larr a Bi dial lt

gavalikā -- )(CDIAL 4096) Rebus Ka kāvali kāvale a plate or pan for frying or baking

(Hav) kāvalige frying pan Tu kāvali kāvoli id (DEDR 1488)

Hieroglyhph buffalo Ku N r g ʻ buffalo bull ʼ (or lt raṅku -- )(CDIAL 10538 10559)

Rebus raṅga3 n ʻ tin ʼ lex [Cf nāga -- 2 vaṅga -- 1] Pk raṁga -- n ʻ tin ʼ P r g f r gā m ʻ

pewter tin ʼ (larr H) Ku rāṅ ʻ tin solder ʼ gng r k N rāṅ rāṅ ʻ tin solder ʼ A B rāṅ

Or rāṅga ʻ tin ʼ rāṅgā ʻ solder spelter ʼ Bi Mth r gā OAw rāṁga H r g f r gā m ʻ tin

pewter ʼ Si ra ga ʻ tin ʼ(CDIAL 10562) B rāṅ(g)tā ʻ tinsel copper -- foil ʼ(CDIAL

10567) [ tuttamu ] or tuttamu [Tel] n sulphate of

zinc sulphate of copper blue-stone [ tuttināgamu ] tutti- āgamu

[Chinese] n Pewter Zinc (Telugu)

Note on spelter Spelter while sometimes used merely as a synonym for zinc is often used to

identify a zinc alloy In this sense it might be an alloy of equal parts copper and zinc ie a brass

used for hard soldering and brazing or as an alloy containinglead that is used instead of bronze

In this usage it was common for many 19th-century cheap cast articles such as candlesticks and

clock casesThe word pewter is thought to be derived from the word spelter Zinc ingots

formed by smelting might also be termed spelter Skeat Walter William (1893) An

etymological dictionary of the English language (2nd ed) Clarendon Press pp 438ndash

439 httpsenwikipediaorgwikiSpelter French Bronze is a form of bronze typically consisting

of 91 copper 2 tin 6 zinc and 1 lead(Ripley George Dana Charles Anderson (1861)

The New American Cyclopaedia A Popular Dictionary of General Knowledge 3 D Appleton

and Co p 729) The term French bronze was also used in connection with cheap zinc statuettes

and other articles which were finished to resemble real bronze and some older texts call the

faux-bronze finish itself French bronze Its composition was typically 5 parts hematite powder

to 8 parts lead oxide formed into a paste with spirits of wine Variations in tint could be obtained

6

by varying the proportions The preparation was applied to the article to be bronzed with a soft

brush then polished with a hard brush after it

had dried httpsenwikipediaorgwikiFrench_Bronze ( Watt Alexander (1887) Electro-

Metallurgy Practically Treated D Van Nostrand pp 211ndash212) The term latten referred loosely

to the copper alloys such as brass or bronze that appeared in the Middle Ages and through to the

late 18th and early 19th centuries It was used for monumental brasses in decorative effects on

borders rivets or other details of metalwork (particularly armour) in livery and pilgrim badges

or funerary effigies Metalworkers commonly formed latten in thin sheets and used it to make

church utensils Brass of this period is made through the calamine brass process from copper

and zinc ore Later brass was made with zinc metal from Champions smelting process and is not

generally referred to as latten This calamine brass was generally manufactured as hammered

sheet or battery brass (hammered by a battery of water-powered trip hammers) and cast brass

was rare Latten also refers to a type of tin plating on iron (or possibly some other base metal)

which is known as white latten and black latten refers to laten-brass which is brass milled into

thin plates or sheets The term latten has also been used rarely to refer to lead alloys In

general metal in thin sheets is said to be latten such as gold latten and lattens (plural) refers to

metal sheets between 164 and 132 in thickness ( Funerary crozier of the Bishops of St

Davids on display at St Davids Cathedral West Wales) httpsenwikipediaorgwikiLatten

Hieroglyph [kāraṇḍavamu] n A sort of duck [ kāraṇḍavamu ]

kāraṇḍavamu [Skt] n A sort of duck र [kāraṇḍava ] m S A drake or sort of duck र

f S The female karandava [ kacircrandava ] m kind of duck र a sort of duck R vii 31 21

karaṇ am n Rebus Rebus karaḍā lsquohard alloyrsquo (Marathi)

Hieroglyhph kāṇṭā rhinoceros gaṇḍaacute4 m ʻ rhinoceros ʼ lex degaka -- m lex 2 ga- yaṇḍa --

[Prob of same non -- Aryan origin as khaḍgaacute -- 1 cf gaṇōtsāha -- m lex as a Sanskritized

form larr Mu PMWS 138]1 Pa gaṇḍaka -- m Pk gaṁḍaya -- m A g r Or gaṇḍā

2 K g ḍ m S geṇḍ m (lw with g -- ) P gaĩḍā m degḍī f N gaĩṛ H gaĩṛā m

G gẽḍɔ m degḍī f M gẽḍā mAddenda gaṇḍa -- 4 2 gayaṇḍa -- WPahk g geṇḍɔ mirg m ʻ

rhinoceros ʼ Md ge ḍā larr H(CDIAL 4000) Rebus kāṇḍa tools pots and pans and metal-ware

(Gujarati)

Hieroglyhph miṇḍāl markhor (Tōrwālī) meḍh a ram a sheep (Gujarati)(CDIAL 10120)

Rebus mẽṛhẽt meḍ iron (MundaHo) ko e 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 kolel smithy temple in Kota village To kwalalKota smithy Ka kolime kolume

kulame kulime kulume kulme fire-pit furnace (Bell UPU) konimi blacksmith

(Gowda) kolla id K ḍ kolleumlblacksmith Te kolimi furnace Go (SR) kollusānā to mend

implements (Ph) kolstānā kulsānā to forge (Tr) kōlstānā to repair (of ploughshares)

(SR) kolmi smithy (Voc 948) Kuwi (F) kolhali to forge (DEDR 2133)

7

Hieroglyph OP k ṭhārī f ʻ crucible ʼ (CDIAL 3546)

Rebus treasury kṓṣ ha2 n ʻ pot ʼ Kauś ʻ granary storeroom ʼ MBh ʻ inner apartment ʼ

lex degaka -- n ʻ treasury ʼ degikā f ʻ pan ʼ Bhpr [Cf kōttha -- kōtthala -- same as

prec]Pa k ṭṭha -- n ʻ monks cell storeroom ʼ degakalt-gt n ʻ storeroom ʼ Pk k ṭṭha --

kuṭdeg k ṭṭhaya -- m ʻ granary storeroom ʼ Sv dā tar -- kuṭha ʻ fire -- place ʼ Sh

(Lor) kōti (ṭh) ʻ wooden vessel for mixing yeast ʼ K kōṭha m ʻ granary ʼ kuṭhu m ʻ room

ʼ kuṭhuuml f ʻ granary storehouse ʼ S k ṭh m ʻ large room ʼ degṭhī f ʻ storeroom ʼ L k ṭhā m ʻ

hut room house ʼ degṭhī f ʻ shop brothel ʼ awāṇ k ṭhā ʻ house ʼ P k ṭṭhā k ṭhā m ʻ house

with mud roof and walls granary ʼ k ṭṭhī k ṭhī f ʻ big well -- built house house for married

women to prostitute themselves in ʼ WPah pāḍ kuṭhī ʻ house ʼ Ku k ṭho ʻ large square house

ʼ gng kōṭhi ʻ room building ʼ N k ṭh ʻ chamber ʼ degṭhi ʻ shop ʼ A k ṭhā kotildeṭhā ʻ room

ʼ kuṭhī ʻ factory ʼ B k ṭhāʻ brick -- built house ʼ kuṭhī ʻ bank granary ʼ Or k ṭhā ʻ brick --

built house ʼ degṭhī ʻ factory granary ʼ Bi k ṭhī ʻ granary of straw or brushwood in the open ʼ

Mth k ṭhī ʻ grain -- chest ʼ OAw k ṭha ʻ storeroom ʼ H k ṭhā m ʻ granary ʼ degṭhī f ʻ granary

large house ʼ Marw k ṭh m ʻ room ʼ Gk ṭhɔ m ʻ jar in which indigo is stored warehouse

ʼ degṭhī f ʻ large earthen jar factory ʼ M k ṭhā m ʻ large granary ʼ degṭhī f ʻ granary factory ʼ

Sik ṭa ʻ storehouse ʼ -- Ext with -- ḍa -- K kūṭhuumlruuml f ʻ small room ʼ L k ṭhṛī f ʻ small side

room ʼ P k ṭhṛī f ʻ room house ʼ Ku k ṭheṛī ʻ small room ʼ H k ṭhrī f ʻ room granary ʼ

M k ṭhḍī f ʻ room ʼ -- with -- ra -- A kuṭharī ʻ chamber ʼ B kuṭhrī Or k ṭhari -- with --

lla -- Sh (Lor)kotul (ṭh) ʻ wattle and mud erection for storing grain ʼ H k ṭhlā m deglī f ʻ

room granary ʼ G k ṭhlɔ m ʻ wooden box ʼAddenda kṓṣ ha -- 2 WPahk g koacuteṭṭhi f ʻ house

quarters temple treasury name of a partic temple ʼ J k ṭhā m ʻ granary ʼ k ṭhī f ʻ granary

bungalow ʼ Garh k ṭhu ʻ house surrounded by a wall ʼ Md koḍi ʻ frame ʼ lt-gt k ři ʻ cage ʼ

(X kō a -- ) -- with ext OP k ṭhārī f ʻ crucible ʼ Pkuṭhālī f H kuṭhārī f -- Md k ṭari ʻ

room ʼkōṣ hapāla m ʻ storekeeper ʼ W [kṓṣ ha -- 2 pāla -- ]

M k ṭhvaḷā m(CDIAL 3546 3547)

tAttAru buffalo horn(Mu) Rebus ThaThero lsquobrass workerrsquo(Ku) (L) N ``^buffalo horn

64001(S) N ``long ^horn kind of ^conch 64010 So(L)N ``^buffalo hornTatu ttampab

revmacrri a kind of bugle-hornMa tuttārihorn trumpetKa tutūri tuttāri tuttūri a long

trumpetT u tuttāri tuttūri trumpethorn pipeTetu tār ā a kind of trumpet Cf Martu tār ī a

wind instrument a sort of horn (DEDR 3316)

Rebus N ha āunu ʻ to strike beat ʼ ha āi ʻ striking ʼ ha āk -- hu uk ʻ noise of beating ʼ H

ha hānā ʻ to beat ʼ ha hāī f ʻ noise of beating ʼ(CDIAL 54 0) ha hakāra ʻ brass worker ʼ 2

ha hakara -- [ ha ha -- 1 kāra -- 1]1 Pk ha hāra -- m K h hur m S h hāro m P

ha hiār degrā m2 P ludh ha herā m Ku ha hero m N ha ero Bi ha herā Mth ha heri H

ha herā m(CDIAL 54 3)Ta ta u (ta i-) to knock tap pat strike against dash against strike

beat hammer thresh n knocking patting breaking striking against collision ta am clapping

8

of the hands ta al knocking striking clapping tapping beating time ta āṉ gold or silver smith

fem ta ātti Ma ta u a blow knock ta uka to tap dash hit strike against knock ta ān

goldsmith fem ta ātti ta āran washerman ta ikka to cause to hit ta ippu beating Ko ta -

(tac-) to pat strike kill (curse) affects sharpen disregard (words) ta amiddotṛ- (amiddotc) to stagger from

fatigue To to a slap to - (to y-) to strike (with hammer) pat (sin) strikes toṛ- (to -) to bump

foot to xn to xiumln goldsmith fem to ty to xity to k iumln- (iumlḏ-) to be tired exhausted Ka ta u to

tap touch come close pat strike beat clap slap knock clap on a thing (as cowdung on a wall)

drive beat off or back remove n slap or pat blow blow or knock of disease danger death

fatigue exhaustion Koḍ ta - (ta i-) to touch pat ward off strike off (curse) effects ta euml

goldsmith fem ta ati (Shanmugam) Tu ta āvuni to cause to hit strike Te ta u to strike beat

knock pat clap slap n stripe welt ta rav ḍu goldsmith or silversmith Kur taṛnā (taṛcas) to

flog lash whip Malt taṛce to slap(DEDR 303 )

miṇḍā l markhor (CDIAL 10310) Rebus meḍ (Ho) mẽṛhet iron (MundaHo)

maṇḍā raised platform stool Rebus maṇḍā warehouse

Hieroglyph Kur kaṇḍō a stool Malt kanḍo stool seat (DEDR 1179) Rebus kanda

implements (Santali) PLUS Hieroglyph barad barat ox Rebus भरत (p 603) [ bharata ] n A

factitious metal compounded of copper pewter tin ampc(Marathi) Thus bharata khanda metal

alloy implements

kolmo paddy plant (Santali) Rebus kolami furnace smithy (Telugu)

aḍaru twig (Bark) aḍiumlriuml small and thin branch of a tree (Gowda) aḍəri small branches Tu aḍaru

twig(DEDR 67)

Rebus aduru ganiyinda tegadu karagade iruva aduru = ore taken from the mine and not

subjected to melting in a furnace (Ka Siddhānti Subrahmaṇya Śastris new interpretation of the

AmarakoŚa Bangalore Vicaradarpana Press 1872 p330)

Ziziphur Jojoba badari twig

9

kūdī lsquotwigrsquo Rebus kuṭhi lsquosmelterrsquo The two ibexes + twig hieroglyhs thus connote a metal

merchantartisan with a smelter The bunch of twigs = kūdi_ kū ī (Sktlex) kūdī (also written as

kū ī in manuscripts) occurs in the Atharvaveda (AV 51 12) and Kauśika Sūtra (Bloomsfields

edn xliv cf Bloomsfield American Journal of Philology 11 355 12416 Roth Festgruss an

Bohtlingk 8) denotes it as a twig This is identified as that of Badarī the jujube tied to the body

of the dead to efface their traces (See Vedic Index I p 177) Rebus ku hi lsquosmelter furnacersquo

(Santali)

ko e lsquoforged metalrsquo (Santali)

tagara antelope rebus 1 tagara tin

There are leaf-less branches of tree in the background of the entire pictorial composition of the

Kalibangan cylinder seal

Pk ḍhaṁkhara -- mn ʻ branch without leaves or fruit ʼ (CDIAL

5524) Rebus tamkāru damgar merchant (Akkadian) ḍānro = a term of contempt for a

blacksmith (N)(CDIAL 5524) hākur = blacksmith (Mth) (CDIAL 5488)

Sign61 kolmo lsquorice plant (Mu) kolom = cutting graft to graft engraft prunekolma hoṛo = a

variety of the paddy plant (Desi)(Santali)

kolime kolume kulame kulime kulume kulme fire-pit furnace (Ka) kolimi furnace (Te) pit

(Te) kolame a very deep pit (Tu) kulume kanda_ya a tax on blacksmiths (Ka) kol kolla a

furnace (Ta)kolel smithy temple in Kota village (Ko) kwalal Kota smithy (To)konimi

blacksmith kola id (Ka) kolle blacksmith (Kod) kollusa_na_ to mend implements kolsta_na

kulsa_na_ to forge ko_lsta_na_ to repair (of plough-shares) kolmi smithy (Go) kolhali to forge

(Go)(DEDR 2133)] kolimi-titti = bellows used for a furnace (Telex) kollu- to neutralize

metallic properties by oxidation (Talex) kol brass or iron bar nailed across a door or gate kollu-

t-tati-y-a_ni large nail for studding doors or gates to add to their strength (Talex) kollan--

kamma_lai lt + karmasa_la_ kollan--pattarai kollan-ulai-k-ku_tam blacksmiths workshop

smithy (Talex) cf ulai smiths forge or furnace (Na_lati 298) ulai-k-kalam smiths forge ulai-

k-kur-atu smiths tongs ulai-t-turutti smiths bellows ulai-y-a_ni-k-ko_l smiths poker beak-

iron (Talex) [kollulaive_r-kanalla_r naitata na_ttup) mitiyulaikkollan- mur-iotirran-n-a

perumpa_)(Talex) Temple smithy kol-l-ulai blacksmiths forge (kollulaik ku_tattin-a_l

Kumara Pira Ni_tiner-i 14)(Talex) cf kolhua_r sugarcane milkl and boiling house (Bi)

kolha_r oil factory (P)(CDIAL 3537) kulhu lsquoa hindu caste mostly oilmenrsquo (Santali) kolsa_r =

sugarcane mill and boiling house (Bi)(CDIAL 3538)

Together with kol tiger woman the ligatured glyph composition with twig as head-dress

connotes metal alloy furnace-smelterworkshop

kōlupuli = Bengal tiger (Te) kol = tiger (Santali) kōla = woman (Nahali)

Rebus kol metal (Ta) kol = pan~calōkam (five metals) (Talex)

10

Indian mackerel Ta ayirai acarai acalai loach sandy colour Cobitis thermalis ayilai a kind of

fish Ma ayala a fish mackerel scomber aila ayila a fish ayira a kind of small fish loach

(DEDR 191) Munda So Ayo `fish Go ayu `fish Go ltayugt (Z) ltayuugt (Z) ltayugt (A)

N ``^fish Kh kaDOG `fish Sa Hako `fish Mu hai(H) ~ haku(N) ~ haikO(M) `fish Ho

haku `fish Bj hai `fish Bhhaku `fish KW haiku ~ hakO |Analyzed hai-kO ha-kO (RDM)

Ku Kaku`fish(V064M106) Mu ha-i haku `fish (HJP) (V341) ayugt(Z) ltayuugt (Z)

ltayugt(A) N ``^fish 1370 ltyOgtltAyOgt(L) N ``^fish 3612

ltkukkulEyOgtltkukkuli-yOgt(LMD) N ``prawn Serango dialect 32612

ltsArjAjyOgtltsArjAjgt(D) N ``prawn 32622 ltmagur-yOgt(ZL) N ``a kind of ^fish

Orltgt 32632 ltur+GOl-Da-yOgt(LL) N ``a kind of ^fish 32642ltbalbal-yOgt(DL) N

``smoked fish 15163 Vikalpa Munda ltaDaragt(L) N ``^scales of a fish sharp bark of a

tree10171 SoltaDaragt(L) N ``^scales of a fish sharp bark of a tree

aya = iron (G) ayah ayas = metal (Skt) aduru native metal (Ka) ayil iron (Ta) ayir ayiram

any ore (Ma) ajirda karba very hard iron (Tu)(DEDR 192) Ta ayil javelin lance surgical

knife lancetMa ayil javelin lance ayiri surgical knife lancet (DEDR 193) aduru = ganiyinda

tegadu karagade iruva aduru = ore taken from the mine and not subjected to melting in a

furnace (Ka Siddhānti Subrahmaṇyarsquo Śastrirsquos new interpretation of the AmarakoŚa Bangalore

Vicaradarpana Press 1872 p330) adar = fine sand (Ta) ayir ndash iron dust any ore (Ma) Kur

adar the waste of pounded rice broken grains etc Malt adru broken grain (DEDR 134) Ma

aśu thin slenderayir ayiram iron dustTa ayir subtlety fineness fine sand candied sugar atar

fine sand dust அயரsup3 ayir n 1 Subtlety fineness நணசம (த_வ_) 2 [M ayir] Fine

sand நணமணல (மலசலப 92) ayiram n Candied sugar ayil n cf ayas 1 Iron 2 Surgical

knife lancet Javelin lance ayilavaṉ Skanda as bearing a javelin (DEDR 341)Tu gadarů a

lump (DEDR 1196) kadaramdash m lsquoiron goad for guiding an elephantrsquo lex (CDIAL

2711) [ a aska hina ] a as hard as iron extremely hard (Bengali) A

blacksmith Vāj35 a [ - - ] Going moving nimble n (- ) 1 Iron

(

Śukra 416

R843 -2 Steel -3 Gold -4 A metal in general

ayaskāṇḍa 1 an iron-arrow -2 excellent iron -3 a large quantity of iron -क_नत _(अयसक_नत _)

1 beloved of iron a magnet load-stone 2 a precious stone ˚मजण _ a loadstone ayaskāra 1 an

iron-smith blacksmith (SktApte) ayas-kāntamu [Skt] n The load-stone a magnet ayaskāruḍu

n A black smith one who works in iron ayassu n ayō-mayamu [Skt] adj made of iron (Te)

aacuteyasmdash n lsquometal ironrsquo RV Pa ayō nom sg n and m ayamdash n lsquoironrsquo Pk ayamdash n Si ya

A AŚC R Amdash A ASK Amdash A ASK Amdash Addenda aacuteyasmdash Md da lsquoironrsquo dafat

lsquopiece of ironrsquo ayaskāṇḍamdash mn lsquoa quantity of iron excellent ironrsquo Pāṇ gaṇ viii348 [ ASmdash

KAA Amdash]Siyakaḍa lsquoironrsquoayaskū amdash lsquoiron hammerrsquo [ ASmdash K Amdash1] Pa

ayōkū amdash ayak m Si yakuḷalsquosledge mdashhammerrsquo yavuḷa (lt ayōkū a) (CDIAL 5 0 5 1 5 2)

cf Lat aes aer-is for as-is Goth ais Thema aisa Old Germ e7r iron Goth eisarn Mod

Germ Eisen

Laterite Angadipuram India

Hieroglyphs Ka gō u state of being full-grown but hard (also gō -aḍike) a hard inferior kind

of areca-nut Koḍ go -aḍake full grown tough areca-nut Tu gōṇ u dried (as the kernel of a

coconut) (BRR also gō u) state of being full-grown dried and hard Te goṇ u-po ka (B also)

gō u-pōka an inferior kind of areca-nut(DEDR 2202)

11

(a) Ta kō ai fort castle kō u stronghold Ma kō a fort residence kō u fort Ko ko castle

palatial mansion To kwa bungalow Ka kō e fort rampart (PBh) kōṇ e fort Koḍ ko e

palace Tu kō egrave fort Te kō a (Inscr) ko amu id Kuwi (S) kō a palace fort Cf Skt ko a-

ko a- fort stronghold (b) Ko goṛ (obl go -) wall Ka gōḍe id Tu gōḍegrave id Te gōḍa id Kol

(SR) goḍā id Kuwi (S) kōḍa wall prison (Isr) kōḍa wall(DEDR 2207)

gō a ʻ something round ʼ [Cf guḍaacute -- 1 -- In sense ʻ fruit kernel ʼ cert larr Drav cf Tam

ko ai ʻ nut kernel ʼ Kan goṟa e ampc listed DED 1722]

K go h f dat deg i f ʻ chequer or chess or dice board ʼ S g o u m ʻ large ball of tobacco ready for

hookah ʼ deg ī f ʻ small do ʼ P go f ʻ spool on which gold or silver wire is wound piece on a

chequer board ʼ N go o ʻ piece ʼ go i ʻ chess piece ʼ A go ʻ a fruit whole piece ʼ deg ā ʻ

globular solid ʼ gu i ʻ small ball seed kernel ʼ B go ā ʻ seed bean whole ʼ Or go ā ʻ whole

undivided ʼ go i ʻ small ball cocoon ʼ go āli ʻ small round piece of chalk ʼ Bi go ā ʻ seed ʼ

Mth go a ʻ numerative particle ʼ H go f ʻ piece (at chess ampc) ʼ G go m ʻ cloud of smoke ʼ

deg ɔ m ʻ kernel of coconut nosegay ʼ deg ī f ʻ lump of silver clot of blood ʼ deg ilɔ m ʻ hard ball of

cloth ʼ M go ā m ʻ roundish stone ʼ deg ī f ʻ a marble ʼ go uḷā ʻ spherical ʼ Si gu iya ʻ lump

ball ʼ -- prob also P go ā ʻ gold or silver lace ʼ H go ā m ʻ edging of such ʼ (rarr K go a m ʻ

edging of gold braid ʼ S go o m ʻ gold or silver lace ʼ) M go ʻ hem of a garment metal

wristlet ʼ Ko gō u ʻ silver or gold braid ʼ(CDIAL 4271)

The gloss used by Meluhha speakers for laterite iron ores is gota

P g ṭṭā ʻ gold or silver lace ʼ H g ṭā m ʻ edging of such ʼ (rarr K g ṭa m ʻ edging of gold braid

ʼ S g ṭ m ʻ gold or silver lace ʼ) M g ṭ ʻ hem of a garment metal wristlet ʼ(CDIAL 4271)

Kur go ā any seed which forms inside a fruit or shell Malt go a a seed or berry(DEDR 069)

N g ṭ ʻ piece ʼ g ṭi ʻ chess piece ʼ A g ṭ ʻ a fruit whole piece ʼ degṭā ʻ globular solid ʼ guṭi ʻ

small ball seed kernel ʼ B g ṭā ʻ seed bean whole ʼ Or g ṭā ʻ whole undivided ʼ M g ṭā m

ʻ roundish stone ʼ (CDIAL 4271) ltgOTagt(P) ADJ ``^whole SX ``^numeral ^intensive

suffix Kh Sa Mu HoltgoTAgtBltgoTagt `undivided KhltgoThaGgt(P)

SaltgoTAGgt~ltgOTejgt MultgoTogt SadltgoTgt O BhltgoTagt cfJultgoTogt `piece

OltgoTagt `one 11811 11721 ltgoTagt(BD) NI ``the ^whole 10971 (Munda

etyma)

Rebus ltgotagt N ``^stone 3014 10171 Note The stone may be gota laterite mineral

ore stone kh ṭ m ʻbase alloyʼ (Punjabi) Rebus ko e lsquoforging (metal)(Mu) Rebus go ī f ʻlump

of silver (G) go i = silver (G) koḍ lsquoworkshoprsquo (Gujarati)

Water-buffalo on artefacts of Ancient Near East

The following three examples from Mehrgarh Mohenjo-daro and Banawali show acrobats in

bull-jumping or buffalo-leaping

9

kūdī lsquotwigrsquo Rebus kuṭhi lsquosmelterrsquo The two ibexes + twig hieroglyhs thus connote a metal

merchantartisan with a smelter The bunch of twigs = kūdi_ kū ī (Sktlex) kūdī (also written as

kū ī in manuscripts) occurs in the Atharvaveda (AV 51 12) and Kauśika Sūtra (Bloomsfields

edn xliv cf Bloomsfield American Journal of Philology 11 355 12416 Roth Festgruss an

Bohtlingk 8) denotes it as a twig This is identified as that of Badarī the jujube tied to the body

of the dead to efface their traces (See Vedic Index I p 177) Rebus ku hi lsquosmelter furnacersquo

(Santali)

ko e lsquoforged metalrsquo (Santali)

tagara antelope rebus 1 tagara tin

There are leaf-less branches of tree in the background of the entire pictorial composition of the

Kalibangan cylinder seal

Pk ḍhaṁkhara -- mn ʻ branch without leaves or fruit ʼ (CDIAL

5524) Rebus tamkāru damgar merchant (Akkadian) ḍānro = a term of contempt for a

blacksmith (N)(CDIAL 5524) hākur = blacksmith (Mth) (CDIAL 5488)

Sign61 kolmo lsquorice plant (Mu) kolom = cutting graft to graft engraft prunekolma hoṛo = a

variety of the paddy plant (Desi)(Santali)

kolime kolume kulame kulime kulume kulme fire-pit furnace (Ka) kolimi furnace (Te) pit

(Te) kolame a very deep pit (Tu) kulume kanda_ya a tax on blacksmiths (Ka) kol kolla a

furnace (Ta)kolel smithy temple in Kota village (Ko) kwalal Kota smithy (To)konimi

blacksmith kola id (Ka) kolle blacksmith (Kod) kollusa_na_ to mend implements kolsta_na

kulsa_na_ to forge ko_lsta_na_ to repair (of plough-shares) kolmi smithy (Go) kolhali to forge

(Go)(DEDR 2133)] kolimi-titti = bellows used for a furnace (Telex) kollu- to neutralize

metallic properties by oxidation (Talex) kol brass or iron bar nailed across a door or gate kollu-

t-tati-y-a_ni large nail for studding doors or gates to add to their strength (Talex) kollan--

kamma_lai lt + karmasa_la_ kollan--pattarai kollan-ulai-k-ku_tam blacksmiths workshop

smithy (Talex) cf ulai smiths forge or furnace (Na_lati 298) ulai-k-kalam smiths forge ulai-

k-kur-atu smiths tongs ulai-t-turutti smiths bellows ulai-y-a_ni-k-ko_l smiths poker beak-

iron (Talex) [kollulaive_r-kanalla_r naitata na_ttup) mitiyulaikkollan- mur-iotirran-n-a

perumpa_)(Talex) Temple smithy kol-l-ulai blacksmiths forge (kollulaik ku_tattin-a_l

Kumara Pira Ni_tiner-i 14)(Talex) cf kolhua_r sugarcane milkl and boiling house (Bi)

kolha_r oil factory (P)(CDIAL 3537) kulhu lsquoa hindu caste mostly oilmenrsquo (Santali) kolsa_r =

sugarcane mill and boiling house (Bi)(CDIAL 3538)

Together with kol tiger woman the ligatured glyph composition with twig as head-dress

connotes metal alloy furnace-smelterworkshop

kōlupuli = Bengal tiger (Te) kol = tiger (Santali) kōla = woman (Nahali)

Rebus kol metal (Ta) kol = pan~calōkam (five metals) (Talex)

10

Indian mackerel Ta ayirai acarai acalai loach sandy colour Cobitis thermalis ayilai a kind of

fish Ma ayala a fish mackerel scomber aila ayila a fish ayira a kind of small fish loach

(DEDR 191) Munda So Ayo `fish Go ayu `fish Go ltayugt (Z) ltayuugt (Z) ltayugt (A)

N ``^fish Kh kaDOG `fish Sa Hako `fish Mu hai(H) ~ haku(N) ~ haikO(M) `fish Ho

haku `fish Bj hai `fish Bhhaku `fish KW haiku ~ hakO |Analyzed hai-kO ha-kO (RDM)

Ku Kaku`fish(V064M106) Mu ha-i haku `fish (HJP) (V341) ayugt(Z) ltayuugt (Z)

ltayugt(A) N ``^fish 1370 ltyOgtltAyOgt(L) N ``^fish 3612

ltkukkulEyOgtltkukkuli-yOgt(LMD) N ``prawn Serango dialect 32612

ltsArjAjyOgtltsArjAjgt(D) N ``prawn 32622 ltmagur-yOgt(ZL) N ``a kind of ^fish

Orltgt 32632 ltur+GOl-Da-yOgt(LL) N ``a kind of ^fish 32642ltbalbal-yOgt(DL) N

``smoked fish 15163 Vikalpa Munda ltaDaragt(L) N ``^scales of a fish sharp bark of a

tree10171 SoltaDaragt(L) N ``^scales of a fish sharp bark of a tree

aya = iron (G) ayah ayas = metal (Skt) aduru native metal (Ka) ayil iron (Ta) ayir ayiram

any ore (Ma) ajirda karba very hard iron (Tu)(DEDR 192) Ta ayil javelin lance surgical

knife lancetMa ayil javelin lance ayiri surgical knife lancet (DEDR 193) aduru = ganiyinda

tegadu karagade iruva aduru = ore taken from the mine and not subjected to melting in a

furnace (Ka Siddhānti Subrahmaṇyarsquo Śastrirsquos new interpretation of the AmarakoŚa Bangalore

Vicaradarpana Press 1872 p330) adar = fine sand (Ta) ayir ndash iron dust any ore (Ma) Kur

adar the waste of pounded rice broken grains etc Malt adru broken grain (DEDR 134) Ma

aśu thin slenderayir ayiram iron dustTa ayir subtlety fineness fine sand candied sugar atar

fine sand dust அயரsup3 ayir n 1 Subtlety fineness நணசம (த_வ_) 2 [M ayir] Fine

sand நணமணல (மலசலப 92) ayiram n Candied sugar ayil n cf ayas 1 Iron 2 Surgical

knife lancet Javelin lance ayilavaṉ Skanda as bearing a javelin (DEDR 341)Tu gadarů a

lump (DEDR 1196) kadaramdash m lsquoiron goad for guiding an elephantrsquo lex (CDIAL

2711) [ a aska hina ] a as hard as iron extremely hard (Bengali) A

blacksmith Vāj35 a [ - - ] Going moving nimble n (- ) 1 Iron

(

Śukra 416

R843 -2 Steel -3 Gold -4 A metal in general

ayaskāṇḍa 1 an iron-arrow -2 excellent iron -3 a large quantity of iron -क_नत _(अयसक_नत _)

1 beloved of iron a magnet load-stone 2 a precious stone ˚मजण _ a loadstone ayaskāra 1 an

iron-smith blacksmith (SktApte) ayas-kāntamu [Skt] n The load-stone a magnet ayaskāruḍu

n A black smith one who works in iron ayassu n ayō-mayamu [Skt] adj made of iron (Te)

aacuteyasmdash n lsquometal ironrsquo RV Pa ayō nom sg n and m ayamdash n lsquoironrsquo Pk ayamdash n Si ya

A AŚC R Amdash A ASK Amdash A ASK Amdash Addenda aacuteyasmdash Md da lsquoironrsquo dafat

lsquopiece of ironrsquo ayaskāṇḍamdash mn lsquoa quantity of iron excellent ironrsquo Pāṇ gaṇ viii348 [ ASmdash

KAA Amdash]Siyakaḍa lsquoironrsquoayaskū amdash lsquoiron hammerrsquo [ ASmdash K Amdash1] Pa

ayōkū amdash ayak m Si yakuḷalsquosledge mdashhammerrsquo yavuḷa (lt ayōkū a) (CDIAL 5 0 5 1 5 2)

cf Lat aes aer-is for as-is Goth ais Thema aisa Old Germ e7r iron Goth eisarn Mod

Germ Eisen

Laterite Angadipuram India

Hieroglyphs Ka gō u state of being full-grown but hard (also gō -aḍike) a hard inferior kind

of areca-nut Koḍ go -aḍake full grown tough areca-nut Tu gōṇ u dried (as the kernel of a

coconut) (BRR also gō u) state of being full-grown dried and hard Te goṇ u-po ka (B also)

gō u-pōka an inferior kind of areca-nut(DEDR 2202)

11

(a) Ta kō ai fort castle kō u stronghold Ma kō a fort residence kō u fort Ko ko castle

palatial mansion To kwa bungalow Ka kō e fort rampart (PBh) kōṇ e fort Koḍ ko e

palace Tu kō egrave fort Te kō a (Inscr) ko amu id Kuwi (S) kō a palace fort Cf Skt ko a-

ko a- fort stronghold (b) Ko goṛ (obl go -) wall Ka gōḍe id Tu gōḍegrave id Te gōḍa id Kol

(SR) goḍā id Kuwi (S) kōḍa wall prison (Isr) kōḍa wall(DEDR 2207)

gō a ʻ something round ʼ [Cf guḍaacute -- 1 -- In sense ʻ fruit kernel ʼ cert larr Drav cf Tam

ko ai ʻ nut kernel ʼ Kan goṟa e ampc listed DED 1722]

K go h f dat deg i f ʻ chequer or chess or dice board ʼ S g o u m ʻ large ball of tobacco ready for

hookah ʼ deg ī f ʻ small do ʼ P go f ʻ spool on which gold or silver wire is wound piece on a

chequer board ʼ N go o ʻ piece ʼ go i ʻ chess piece ʼ A go ʻ a fruit whole piece ʼ deg ā ʻ

globular solid ʼ gu i ʻ small ball seed kernel ʼ B go ā ʻ seed bean whole ʼ Or go ā ʻ whole

undivided ʼ go i ʻ small ball cocoon ʼ go āli ʻ small round piece of chalk ʼ Bi go ā ʻ seed ʼ

Mth go a ʻ numerative particle ʼ H go f ʻ piece (at chess ampc) ʼ G go m ʻ cloud of smoke ʼ

deg ɔ m ʻ kernel of coconut nosegay ʼ deg ī f ʻ lump of silver clot of blood ʼ deg ilɔ m ʻ hard ball of

cloth ʼ M go ā m ʻ roundish stone ʼ deg ī f ʻ a marble ʼ go uḷā ʻ spherical ʼ Si gu iya ʻ lump

ball ʼ -- prob also P go ā ʻ gold or silver lace ʼ H go ā m ʻ edging of such ʼ (rarr K go a m ʻ

edging of gold braid ʼ S go o m ʻ gold or silver lace ʼ) M go ʻ hem of a garment metal

wristlet ʼ Ko gō u ʻ silver or gold braid ʼ(CDIAL 4271)

The gloss used by Meluhha speakers for laterite iron ores is gota

P g ṭṭā ʻ gold or silver lace ʼ H g ṭā m ʻ edging of such ʼ (rarr K g ṭa m ʻ edging of gold braid

ʼ S g ṭ m ʻ gold or silver lace ʼ) M g ṭ ʻ hem of a garment metal wristlet ʼ(CDIAL 4271)

Kur go ā any seed which forms inside a fruit or shell Malt go a a seed or berry(DEDR 069)

N g ṭ ʻ piece ʼ g ṭi ʻ chess piece ʼ A g ṭ ʻ a fruit whole piece ʼ degṭā ʻ globular solid ʼ guṭi ʻ

small ball seed kernel ʼ B g ṭā ʻ seed bean whole ʼ Or g ṭā ʻ whole undivided ʼ M g ṭā m

ʻ roundish stone ʼ (CDIAL 4271) ltgOTagt(P) ADJ ``^whole SX ``^numeral ^intensive

suffix Kh Sa Mu HoltgoTAgtBltgoTagt `undivided KhltgoThaGgt(P)

SaltgoTAGgt~ltgOTejgt MultgoTogt SadltgoTgt O BhltgoTagt cfJultgoTogt `piece

OltgoTagt `one 11811 11721 ltgoTagt(BD) NI ``the ^whole 10971 (Munda

etyma)

Rebus ltgotagt N ``^stone 3014 10171 Note The stone may be gota laterite mineral

ore stone kh ṭ m ʻbase alloyʼ (Punjabi) Rebus ko e lsquoforging (metal)(Mu) Rebus go ī f ʻlump

of silver (G) go i = silver (G) koḍ lsquoworkshoprsquo (Gujarati)

Water-buffalo on artefacts of Ancient Near East

The following three examples from Mehrgarh Mohenjo-daro and Banawali show acrobats in

bull-jumping or buffalo-leaping

10

Indian mackerel Ta ayirai acarai acalai loach sandy colour Cobitis thermalis ayilai a kind of

fish Ma ayala a fish mackerel scomber aila ayila a fish ayira a kind of small fish loach

(DEDR 191) Munda So Ayo `fish Go ayu `fish Go ltayugt (Z) ltayuugt (Z) ltayugt (A)

N ``^fish Kh kaDOG `fish Sa Hako `fish Mu hai(H) ~ haku(N) ~ haikO(M) `fish Ho

haku `fish Bj hai `fish Bhhaku `fish KW haiku ~ hakO |Analyzed hai-kO ha-kO (RDM)

Ku Kaku`fish(V064M106) Mu ha-i haku `fish (HJP) (V341) ayugt(Z) ltayuugt (Z)

ltayugt(A) N ``^fish 1370 ltyOgtltAyOgt(L) N ``^fish 3612

ltkukkulEyOgtltkukkuli-yOgt(LMD) N ``prawn Serango dialect 32612

ltsArjAjyOgtltsArjAjgt(D) N ``prawn 32622 ltmagur-yOgt(ZL) N ``a kind of ^fish

Orltgt 32632 ltur+GOl-Da-yOgt(LL) N ``a kind of ^fish 32642ltbalbal-yOgt(DL) N

``smoked fish 15163 Vikalpa Munda ltaDaragt(L) N ``^scales of a fish sharp bark of a

tree10171 SoltaDaragt(L) N ``^scales of a fish sharp bark of a tree

aya = iron (G) ayah ayas = metal (Skt) aduru native metal (Ka) ayil iron (Ta) ayir ayiram

any ore (Ma) ajirda karba very hard iron (Tu)(DEDR 192) Ta ayil javelin lance surgical

knife lancetMa ayil javelin lance ayiri surgical knife lancet (DEDR 193) aduru = ganiyinda

tegadu karagade iruva aduru = ore taken from the mine and not subjected to melting in a

furnace (Ka Siddhānti Subrahmaṇyarsquo Śastrirsquos new interpretation of the AmarakoŚa Bangalore

Vicaradarpana Press 1872 p330) adar = fine sand (Ta) ayir ndash iron dust any ore (Ma) Kur

adar the waste of pounded rice broken grains etc Malt adru broken grain (DEDR 134) Ma

aśu thin slenderayir ayiram iron dustTa ayir subtlety fineness fine sand candied sugar atar

fine sand dust அயரsup3 ayir n 1 Subtlety fineness நணசம (த_வ_) 2 [M ayir] Fine

sand நணமணல (மலசலப 92) ayiram n Candied sugar ayil n cf ayas 1 Iron 2 Surgical

knife lancet Javelin lance ayilavaṉ Skanda as bearing a javelin (DEDR 341)Tu gadarů a

lump (DEDR 1196) kadaramdash m lsquoiron goad for guiding an elephantrsquo lex (CDIAL

2711) [ a aska hina ] a as hard as iron extremely hard (Bengali) A

blacksmith Vāj35 a [ - - ] Going moving nimble n (- ) 1 Iron

(

Śukra 416

R843 -2 Steel -3 Gold -4 A metal in general

ayaskāṇḍa 1 an iron-arrow -2 excellent iron -3 a large quantity of iron -क_नत _(अयसक_नत _)

1 beloved of iron a magnet load-stone 2 a precious stone ˚मजण _ a loadstone ayaskāra 1 an

iron-smith blacksmith (SktApte) ayas-kāntamu [Skt] n The load-stone a magnet ayaskāruḍu

n A black smith one who works in iron ayassu n ayō-mayamu [Skt] adj made of iron (Te)

aacuteyasmdash n lsquometal ironrsquo RV Pa ayō nom sg n and m ayamdash n lsquoironrsquo Pk ayamdash n Si ya

A AŚC R Amdash A ASK Amdash A ASK Amdash Addenda aacuteyasmdash Md da lsquoironrsquo dafat

lsquopiece of ironrsquo ayaskāṇḍamdash mn lsquoa quantity of iron excellent ironrsquo Pāṇ gaṇ viii348 [ ASmdash

KAA Amdash]Siyakaḍa lsquoironrsquoayaskū amdash lsquoiron hammerrsquo [ ASmdash K Amdash1] Pa

ayōkū amdash ayak m Si yakuḷalsquosledge mdashhammerrsquo yavuḷa (lt ayōkū a) (CDIAL 5 0 5 1 5 2)

cf Lat aes aer-is for as-is Goth ais Thema aisa Old Germ e7r iron Goth eisarn Mod

Germ Eisen

Laterite Angadipuram India

Hieroglyphs Ka gō u state of being full-grown but hard (also gō -aḍike) a hard inferior kind

of areca-nut Koḍ go -aḍake full grown tough areca-nut Tu gōṇ u dried (as the kernel of a

coconut) (BRR also gō u) state of being full-grown dried and hard Te goṇ u-po ka (B also)

gō u-pōka an inferior kind of areca-nut(DEDR 2202)

11

(a) Ta kō ai fort castle kō u stronghold Ma kō a fort residence kō u fort Ko ko castle

palatial mansion To kwa bungalow Ka kō e fort rampart (PBh) kōṇ e fort Koḍ ko e

palace Tu kō egrave fort Te kō a (Inscr) ko amu id Kuwi (S) kō a palace fort Cf Skt ko a-

ko a- fort stronghold (b) Ko goṛ (obl go -) wall Ka gōḍe id Tu gōḍegrave id Te gōḍa id Kol

(SR) goḍā id Kuwi (S) kōḍa wall prison (Isr) kōḍa wall(DEDR 2207)

gō a ʻ something round ʼ [Cf guḍaacute -- 1 -- In sense ʻ fruit kernel ʼ cert larr Drav cf Tam

ko ai ʻ nut kernel ʼ Kan goṟa e ampc listed DED 1722]

K go h f dat deg i f ʻ chequer or chess or dice board ʼ S g o u m ʻ large ball of tobacco ready for

hookah ʼ deg ī f ʻ small do ʼ P go f ʻ spool on which gold or silver wire is wound piece on a

chequer board ʼ N go o ʻ piece ʼ go i ʻ chess piece ʼ A go ʻ a fruit whole piece ʼ deg ā ʻ

globular solid ʼ gu i ʻ small ball seed kernel ʼ B go ā ʻ seed bean whole ʼ Or go ā ʻ whole

undivided ʼ go i ʻ small ball cocoon ʼ go āli ʻ small round piece of chalk ʼ Bi go ā ʻ seed ʼ

Mth go a ʻ numerative particle ʼ H go f ʻ piece (at chess ampc) ʼ G go m ʻ cloud of smoke ʼ

deg ɔ m ʻ kernel of coconut nosegay ʼ deg ī f ʻ lump of silver clot of blood ʼ deg ilɔ m ʻ hard ball of

cloth ʼ M go ā m ʻ roundish stone ʼ deg ī f ʻ a marble ʼ go uḷā ʻ spherical ʼ Si gu iya ʻ lump

ball ʼ -- prob also P go ā ʻ gold or silver lace ʼ H go ā m ʻ edging of such ʼ (rarr K go a m ʻ

edging of gold braid ʼ S go o m ʻ gold or silver lace ʼ) M go ʻ hem of a garment metal

wristlet ʼ Ko gō u ʻ silver or gold braid ʼ(CDIAL 4271)

The gloss used by Meluhha speakers for laterite iron ores is gota

P g ṭṭā ʻ gold or silver lace ʼ H g ṭā m ʻ edging of such ʼ (rarr K g ṭa m ʻ edging of gold braid

ʼ S g ṭ m ʻ gold or silver lace ʼ) M g ṭ ʻ hem of a garment metal wristlet ʼ(CDIAL 4271)

Kur go ā any seed which forms inside a fruit or shell Malt go a a seed or berry(DEDR 069)

N g ṭ ʻ piece ʼ g ṭi ʻ chess piece ʼ A g ṭ ʻ a fruit whole piece ʼ degṭā ʻ globular solid ʼ guṭi ʻ

small ball seed kernel ʼ B g ṭā ʻ seed bean whole ʼ Or g ṭā ʻ whole undivided ʼ M g ṭā m

ʻ roundish stone ʼ (CDIAL 4271) ltgOTagt(P) ADJ ``^whole SX ``^numeral ^intensive

suffix Kh Sa Mu HoltgoTAgtBltgoTagt `undivided KhltgoThaGgt(P)

SaltgoTAGgt~ltgOTejgt MultgoTogt SadltgoTgt O BhltgoTagt cfJultgoTogt `piece

OltgoTagt `one 11811 11721 ltgoTagt(BD) NI ``the ^whole 10971 (Munda

etyma)

Rebus ltgotagt N ``^stone 3014 10171 Note The stone may be gota laterite mineral

ore stone kh ṭ m ʻbase alloyʼ (Punjabi) Rebus ko e lsquoforging (metal)(Mu) Rebus go ī f ʻlump

of silver (G) go i = silver (G) koḍ lsquoworkshoprsquo (Gujarati)

Water-buffalo on artefacts of Ancient Near East

The following three examples from Mehrgarh Mohenjo-daro and Banawali show acrobats in

bull-jumping or buffalo-leaping

11

(a) Ta kō ai fort castle kō u stronghold Ma kō a fort residence kō u fort Ko ko castle

palatial mansion To kwa bungalow Ka kō e fort rampart (PBh) kōṇ e fort Koḍ ko e

palace Tu kō egrave fort Te kō a (Inscr) ko amu id Kuwi (S) kō a palace fort Cf Skt ko a-

ko a- fort stronghold (b) Ko goṛ (obl go -) wall Ka gōḍe id Tu gōḍegrave id Te gōḍa id Kol

(SR) goḍā id Kuwi (S) kōḍa wall prison (Isr) kōḍa wall(DEDR 2207)

gō a ʻ something round ʼ [Cf guḍaacute -- 1 -- In sense ʻ fruit kernel ʼ cert larr Drav cf Tam

ko ai ʻ nut kernel ʼ Kan goṟa e ampc listed DED 1722]

K go h f dat deg i f ʻ chequer or chess or dice board ʼ S g o u m ʻ large ball of tobacco ready for

hookah ʼ deg ī f ʻ small do ʼ P go f ʻ spool on which gold or silver wire is wound piece on a

chequer board ʼ N go o ʻ piece ʼ go i ʻ chess piece ʼ A go ʻ a fruit whole piece ʼ deg ā ʻ

globular solid ʼ gu i ʻ small ball seed kernel ʼ B go ā ʻ seed bean whole ʼ Or go ā ʻ whole

undivided ʼ go i ʻ small ball cocoon ʼ go āli ʻ small round piece of chalk ʼ Bi go ā ʻ seed ʼ

Mth go a ʻ numerative particle ʼ H go f ʻ piece (at chess ampc) ʼ G go m ʻ cloud of smoke ʼ

deg ɔ m ʻ kernel of coconut nosegay ʼ deg ī f ʻ lump of silver clot of blood ʼ deg ilɔ m ʻ hard ball of

cloth ʼ M go ā m ʻ roundish stone ʼ deg ī f ʻ a marble ʼ go uḷā ʻ spherical ʼ Si gu iya ʻ lump

ball ʼ -- prob also P go ā ʻ gold or silver lace ʼ H go ā m ʻ edging of such ʼ (rarr K go a m ʻ

edging of gold braid ʼ S go o m ʻ gold or silver lace ʼ) M go ʻ hem of a garment metal

wristlet ʼ Ko gō u ʻ silver or gold braid ʼ(CDIAL 4271)

The gloss used by Meluhha speakers for laterite iron ores is gota

P g ṭṭā ʻ gold or silver lace ʼ H g ṭā m ʻ edging of such ʼ (rarr K g ṭa m ʻ edging of gold braid

ʼ S g ṭ m ʻ gold or silver lace ʼ) M g ṭ ʻ hem of a garment metal wristlet ʼ(CDIAL 4271)

Kur go ā any seed which forms inside a fruit or shell Malt go a a seed or berry(DEDR 069)

N g ṭ ʻ piece ʼ g ṭi ʻ chess piece ʼ A g ṭ ʻ a fruit whole piece ʼ degṭā ʻ globular solid ʼ guṭi ʻ

small ball seed kernel ʼ B g ṭā ʻ seed bean whole ʼ Or g ṭā ʻ whole undivided ʼ M g ṭā m

ʻ roundish stone ʼ (CDIAL 4271) ltgOTagt(P) ADJ ``^whole SX ``^numeral ^intensive

suffix Kh Sa Mu HoltgoTAgtBltgoTagt `undivided KhltgoThaGgt(P)

SaltgoTAGgt~ltgOTejgt MultgoTogt SadltgoTgt O BhltgoTagt cfJultgoTogt `piece

OltgoTagt `one 11811 11721 ltgoTagt(BD) NI ``the ^whole 10971 (Munda

etyma)

Rebus ltgotagt N ``^stone 3014 10171 Note The stone may be gota laterite mineral

ore stone kh ṭ m ʻbase alloyʼ (Punjabi) Rebus ko e lsquoforging (metal)(Mu) Rebus go ī f ʻlump

of silver (G) go i = silver (G) koḍ lsquoworkshoprsquo (Gujarati)

Water-buffalo on artefacts of Ancient Near East

The following three examples from Mehrgarh Mohenjo-daro and Banawali show acrobats in

bull-jumping or buffalo-leaping

12

Mehrgarh Terracotta circular button seal (Shah SGM amp Parpola A 1991 Corpus of Indus

Seals and Inscriptions 2 Collections in Pakistan Helsinki Suomalainen Tiedeakatemia MR-17

A humped bull (water buffalo) and abstract forms (one of which is like a human body) around

the bull The human body is tossed from the horns of the bovine

m0312 Persons vaulting over a water buffalo The water buffalo tosses a person on its horns

Four or five bodies surround the animal Rounded edges indicate frequent use to create clay seal

impressions

13

Impression of a steatite stamp seal (2300-1700 BCE) with a water-buffalo and acrobats Buffalo

attack or bull-leaping scene Banawali (after UMESAO 200088 cat no 335) A figure is

impaled on the horns of the buffalo a woman acrobat wearing bangles on both arms and a long

braid flowing from the head leaps over the buffalo bull The action narrative is presented in five

frames of the acrobat getting tossed by the horns jumping and falling downTwo Indus script

glyphs are written in front of the buffalo (ASI BNL 5683)

Rebus readings of hieroglyphs lsquo1 arrow 2 jagnotch 3 buffalo 4acrobaticsrsquo

1 kaṇḍa lsquoarrowrsquo (Skt) H k ḍerā m ʻ a caste of bow -- and arrow -- makers (CDIAL

3024) Or kāṇḍa k ṛ ʻstalk arrow ʼ(CDIAL 3023) ayaskāṇḍa lsquoa quantity of iron excellent

ironrsquo (Pāṇgaṇ)

2 खााडा [ khāṇḍā ] m A jag notch or indentation (as upon the edge of a tool or weapon)

(Marathi) Rebus khāṇḍā lsquotools pots and pans metal-warersquo

3 rā g lsquowater buffalo bullrsquo (KuN)(CDIAL 1055 ) Rebus rango lsquopewterrsquo ranga

rang pewter is an alloy of tin lead and antimony (anjana) (Santali)

4 ḍullu to fall off ḍ llu to roll over (DEDR 2698) Te ḍul(u)cu ḍulupu to cause to fall ḍ llu to

fall ḍ lligillu to fall or tumble over (DEDR 2 88) [ḍ lucu] r ḍ luṭsu [Tel] v n

To tumble head over heels as dancing girls do (Telugu) Rebus 1 dul lsquoto cast in a

mouldrsquo dul mẽṛhẽt dul meṛeḍ cast iron k ṭe meṛeḍ lsquoforged ironrsquo (Santali) Bshk ḍōl ʻ brass

pot (CDIAL 6583) Rebus 2 WPah ḍhōˋḷ m ʻstoneʼ ḍhograveḷṭɔ m ʻbig stone or

boulderʼ ḍhograveḷṭu ʻsmall idʼ HimI 87(CDIAL 5536) Rebus K ḍula m ʻ rolling stoneʼ(CDIAL

6582)

kaṇ i buffalo bull (Tamil) kaṇḍ lsquobuffalorsquo rebus kaṇḍ lsquostone (ore)rsquo kiḍāvu He-

buffalo (Malayalam) Colloq sup3 ka avu n lt 1 Male buffalo

( 33) kaḍawa h ṛ lsquoa man who has

14

buffaloesrsquo (George L Campbell Compendium of the Worldrsquos Languages Routledge London

1991 p 1199)Rebus khāḍ lsquotrench firepitrsquo (G) khāṛo lsquopit bogrsquo (Nepali)

Rebus kāḍ lsquostonersquo Ga (Oll) kanḍ (S) kanḍu (pl kanḍkil) stone (DEDR 12 8) mayponḍi kanḍ

whetstone (Ga)(DEDR 4628) ( ) Pebbles or small stones also stones broken up (as for a

road) metal [ khaḍā ] m A small stone a pebble 2 A nodule (of lime ampc) a lump or bit

(as of gum assafœtida catechu sugar-candy) the gem or stone of a ring or trinket a lump of

hardened faeligces or scybala a nodule or lump gen CDIAL 3018 kā ha m ʻ rock ʼ lex [Cf kā ta -

- 2 m ʻ stone ʼ lex]

ba i trs To overturn to overset or ovethrow to turn or throw from a foundation or foothold

(Santali) ba i to turn on the ground to any extent or roll uaurba i to upset or overthrow by

shoving or pushing maba i to overturn by cutting to fell trees ba i-n rflx v to lay oneself

down ba-p-a i repr V to throw each other ba i-o to be overturned overthrown ba-n-ati vrbn

the extent of the overturning falling down or rolling ba i-n rlfxv to lie down ba i-aṛagu to

bring or send down a slope by rolling ba i bara to roll again and again or here and there ba i-

bur to turn over by rolling (Mundari) Rebus ba i bha i lsquofurnacersquo (H) Rebus ba a = a kind of

iron (G) bha a lsquofurnacersquo (G) ba a = kiln (Santali) bha a = an oven kiln furnace (Santali) ba hi

furnace for smelting ore (the same as ku hi) (Santali)

m1406

15

m1406B

karaḍa -- m ʻsafflowerʼ degḍā -- f ʻ a tree like the kara ja ʼ (Prakrit) M karḍī degḍaī f ʻ

safflower carthamus tinctorius and its seed ʼ (CDIAL 2788) Rebus [karaḍā] Hard from

alloy--iron silver ampc (Marathi) kharādī turner a person who fashions or shapes objects on a

lathe (Gujarati)

[ 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)

dhollu lsquodrummerrsquo (Western Pahari) Rebus dul lsquocast metalrsquo

The Meluhha gloss for five is ta al Homonym is ha ha brass (ie alloy of copper + zinc)

Glosses for zinc are sattu (Tamil) satta sattva (Kannada) jasth m (sg dat

jastas ) zinc spelter pewter zasath or zasuth m (sg

dat zastas ) zinc spelter pewter (cf Hindī jast) jastuvu adj (f

jastuumlvuuml) made of zinc or pewter(Kashmiri) Hence the hieroglyph svastika repeated five times

Five svastika are thus read ta al sattva Rebus zinc (for) brass (or pewter)

ha ha1 ʻbrassʼ [Onom from noise of hammering brass]N ṭhaṭṭar ʻ an alloy of copper and

bell metal ʼ ha hakāra ʻ brass worker ʼ 1Pk ṭhaṭṭhāra -- m K ṭh ṭhur m S ṭh ṭhār m

P ṭhaṭhiār degrā m2 P ludh ṭhaṭherā m Ku ṭhaṭher m N ṭhaṭer Bi ṭhaṭherā

Mth ṭhaṭheri Hṭhaṭherā m(CDIAL 5491 5493)

h182A h182B

The drummer hieroglyph is associated with svastika glyph on this tablet (har609) and also on

h182A tablet of Harappa with an identical text

dhollu lsquodrummerrsquo (Western Pahari) Rebus dul lsquocast metalrsquo The drummer hieroglyph thus

announces a cast metal The technical specifications of the cast metal are further described by

other hieroglyphs on side B and on the text of inscription (the text is repeated on both sides of

Harappa tablet 182)

16

kola tiger Rebus kol alloy of five metals pancaloha (Tamil) ḍhol lsquodrumrsquo

(GujaratiMarathi)(CDIAL 5608) Rebus large stone dul lsquoto cast in a mouldrsquo Kanac lsquocornerrsquo

Rebus kancu lsquobronzersquo dula pair Rebus dul cast metal kanka lsquoRim of jarrsquo

(Santali) karṇaka rim of jarrsquo(Skt) Rebuskarṇaka lsquoscribersquo (Telugu) gaṇaka id (Skt) (Santali)

Thus the tablets denote blacksmiths alloy cast metal accounting including the use of alloying

mineral zinc -- satthiya svastika glyph

17

Tammuz alabaster (Gypsum) relief from Ashur c 1500 BCE in the Staatliche Museen zu

Berlin Germany Foto MarburgArt Resource New York Two goats flank the person feeding

them with leafy twigs In the lower register two women carry jars with overflowing streams of

water This is a Meluhha hieroglyph as is the pair of twigs emanating from the waist of the

standing person Thammiddotmuz (taumlmʊz) n The tenth month of the year in the Jewish

calendar [Hebrew tammūz akin to Iraqi Arabic tabbūz July both ultimately from

Sumerian dumu-zi Dumuzi a dying and rising shepherd divinity (Inannas husband) dumu son

offspring + zi true effective]

Meluhha hieroglyphs read rebus

mr eka melh goat Rebus milakkhu copper

kūdī kūṭī lsquobunch of twigsrsquo (Sanskrit) Rebus ku hi lsquosmelter furnacersquo (Santali) kūdī (also

written as kū ī in manuscripts) occurs in the Atharvaveda (AV 51 12) and Kauśika

Sūtra (Bloomsfieldrsquos edn xliv Cf Bloomsfield American Journal of Philology 11 355

12416 Roth Festgruss an Bohtlingk 98) denotes it as a twig This is identified as that of

Badarī the jujube tied to the body of the dead to efface their traces (See Vedic Index I

p 177)

dula pair Rebus dul cast (metal)

lo lsquopot to overflowrsquo kāṇḍa lsquowaterrsquo Rebus l khaṇḍ Iron tools vessels or articles in

general

kola lsquowomanrsquo Rebus kollsquo smithy working in ironrsquo

18

Bhirrana Gaur

21 Buffalo Six signs Dholavira

Seal 1 Adda Enheduanarsquos major- domo

19

This seal belonged to Enheduanarsquos major domo estate supervisorndash perhaps her ldquoright-hand

manrdquo It depicts a bull attacked by a lion and a typical Kish hero armed with dagger Enkidu

dagger in hand and a bison A second bison rampant This is a mythological animal with the

human face splendid beard and triple belt of Enkidu The cartouche two small crossed lions

The Kish hero is a landmark in art His flat cap long hair and beard and embroidered loin- cloth

are here connected with the Sargonid period but he is found before the time of Sargon and is

more properly traced back to the Pre-Akkadian school of Kish The composition is simple and

strong Each figure is drawn separately on an open field

mdashmdashmdashmdashmdashmdashndashLegrain Archaic Seals Impressions UET vol III p358

The inscription reads as follows

1) ad-dahelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphellip Adda

2) ugula-eacutesaacutebrahelliphelliphelliphelliphellip estate supervisormajordomo

3) en-heacute-du-an-nahelliphelliphelliphellipof En-hedu-ana

The seal is made of black and white diorite and bears the excavation noU 9178 It measures

37cm in length with its copper caps It was found loose in the soil of the Royal Cemetary at Ur

at a depth of about 34m [Frayne1993]

Seal 2 X-kitus-du Enheduanarsquos scribe

The seal depicts buffalo

under a cartouche and

two crossed bulls The

water- buffalo with

slanting lines on his horns

is another landmark in art

of the Sargonid period

The seal was rolled on

sides and back and the

complete scene (not

shown here) showed the

bulls attacked by the lion and the Kish hero [Legrain

Archaic Seals Impressions UET vol III p358]

20

The seal impression was found on a sealing not the cylinder seal itself It has the excavation no

U 11684 The piece which measures 42times25times2 cm was found loose in the upper soil of the

Royal Cemetary at Ur [Frayne 1993]

The inscription reads

1)[en]-heacute-[du]-[an]-nahelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphellip[En]-he[du]-ana

2)[dumu-acutesa]r-ru-GIhelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphellip child of Sargon

3)[x]-ki-tus-duhelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphellip[x]-kitus-du

4)[dub-s]arhelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphellip[scri]be (is) [h]er [servant]

5)[ir-da-n]i

Seal 3 Enheduanarsquos coiffeur

This seal is

made of lapis

lazuli seal

and was

found broken

and

incomplete

only 2

fragments

being found

in the grave

PG503

lying apart

and the gold

caps

belonging to

it also apart It bears the excavation no U 8988

The scene depicts a Kish hero lion rampant bison and other animals

The half-preserved inscription reads

1) en-heacute-du-an-nahelliphelliphelliphelliphellip En-hedu-ana

2) dumu-acutesar-ru-GIhelliphelliphelliphelliphellipchild of Sargon

3) DINGIR-IGID[ ]helliphelliphelliphelliphellip Ilum-pal[il]is her coiffeur

4) kinda-[ni] [(x)]

Source httpwwwmesopotamiangodscomcategoryakkad

21

Seal Mohenjo-daro

Hieroglyph rāngo lsquowater buffalo bullrsquo (KuN)(CDIAL 1055 ) Rebus rango lsquopewterrsquo 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) ko iyum = a wooden circle put round the neck of an animal ko = neck

(Gujarati)Rebus koD artisans workshop(Kuwi) koD = place where artisans work (Gujarati)

ko e forge (Mu) ko e meṛed = forged iron in contrast to dul meṛed cast iron (Mundari)

22

Buffalo Mohenjo-daro

23

Buffalo Daimabad bronze Prince of Wales Museum Mumbai

rangā lsquobuffalorsquo ranga lsquopewter or alloy of tin (ranku) lead (nāga) and antimony

(a jana)rsquo(Santali)

kaṭaacutei ʻ buffalo calf ʼ(Gaw) kāṭ ʻ young buffalo bull ʼ (Kumaoni) (CDIAL 2645)

23

Buffalo Daimabad bronze Prince of Wales Museum Mumbai

rangā lsquobuffalorsquo ranga lsquopewter or alloy of tin (ranku) lead (nāga) and antimony

(a jana)rsquo(Santali)

kaṭaacutei ʻ buffalo calf ʼ(Gaw) kāṭ ʻ young buffalo bull ʼ (Kumaoni) (CDIAL 2645)

24

kāṛā lsquobuffalorsquo bull (Tamil) khaḍā lsquonodule (ore) stonersquo (Marathi) Alternative kaṇ i

buffalo Rebus kāḍ lsquostone orersquogaḍa lsquolarge stone mouldrsquo Glyph kuṇḍī lsquocrooked buffalo hornsrsquo

(Lahnda) Rebus kuṇḍī = chief of village (Prakrit)The artisan is kundakaramdash m lsquoturnerrsquo (Skt)

H k derā m lsquoone who works a lathe one who scrapesrsquo (CDIAL 32 7)ḍabe ḍabea lsquolarge horns

with a sweeping upward curve applied to buffaloesrsquo (Santali) Rebus ḍab ḍhimba ḍhompo

lsquolump (ingot)rsquo 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

25

Cylinder seal and modern impression bull-man combatting lion nude hero combatting water

buffalo inscription

Period Akkadian

Date ca 2250ndash2150 BC

Geography Mesopotamia

Culture Akkadian

Medium Albite

Dimensions H 1516 in ( 34 cm ) Diam 78 in ( 23 cm)

Classification Stone-Cylinder Seals-Inscribed

Credit Line Gift of Nanette B Kelekian in memory of Charles Dikran and Beatrice Kelekian

1999

Accession Number 19993254 Metmuseum

26

Signs of a house Drawing after

HuntingtonhttphuntingtonarchiveosueduresourcesdownloadswebPresentationsharappanSe

alspdf

Gaur H176A

27

Kotdiji burial vessel Human face stars buffalo horn Drawing after

Huntington httphuntingtonarchiveosueduresourcesdownloadswebPresentationsharappanSe

alspdf

Cylinder Seal of Ibni-Sharrum Agade period reign of Sharkali-Sharri (c 2217-2193

BCE)Mesopotamia Serpentine H 39 cm Diam 26 cm Formerly in the De Clercq collection

28

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

httpwwwlouvrefrenoeuvre-noticescylinder-seal-ibni-sharrum

Found on christiescom

AN AKKADIAN BLACK STONE CYLINDER SEAL CIRCA 2300-2200 BC 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 38 in (35 cm)

high httpwwwpinterestcompin403353710347940947

29

(Ward p 9 p20)

khaṇṭi lsquobuffalo bullrsquo (Tamil) ka ā ka amā lsquobisonrsquo (Tamil)(DEDR 1114)

(glyph) Rebus khaṇḍ lsquotools pots and pans metal-warersquo kaḍiyo [Hem Des kaḍa-i-o =

(SktSthapati a mason) a bricklayer mason (G)] ltlo-gt(B) V ``(pot etc) to ^overflow See

ltlo-gt `to be left over B24310 20851 Reltlo-gt(B) V ``(pot etc) to ^overflow See

ltlo-gt `to be left over (Munda ) Rebus loh lsquocopperrsquo (Hindi) Glyph of flowing water in the

second register kāṇ am n lt kāṇḍa 1 Water sacred water kāṇ am

lsquoewer potrsquo (Tamil) Thus the combined rebus reading Ku l khaṛ ʻiron tools ʼ

H l khaṇḍ m ʻ iron tools pots and pans ʼ G l kh ḍ n ʻtools iron ironwareʼ M l kh ḍ n ʻ

iron ʼ(CDIAL 11171) The kneeling personrsquos hairstyle has six curls bhaṭa lsquosixrsquo

rebus bhaṭa lsquofurnacersquo mēḍhā A twist or tangle arising in thread or cord a curl or snarl

(Marathi) Rebus meḍ lsquoironrsquo (Ho) Thus the orthography denotes meḍ bhaṭa lsquoiron furnacersquo

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) [ 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) [ mēḍhakī ] f n (Dim of ) A small stake or

post esp as bifurcated(Marathi) [ mēṇḍharūṃ ] n ( ) A sheep

30

Pr 0 (Marathi) [ mēṇḍhā ] m ( S

through

H) A male sheep a ram or tup 2 A crook or curved end (of a stick horn ampc) and attrib such a

stick horn bullock

[ mēḍha ] f A forked stake Used as a post Hence a short post generally whether forked or

not Pr

[ mēḍha ]The polar star (Marathi) Rebus mẽṛhẽt meḍ lsquoironrsquo

(MundaHo) [mēṇḍhasara] m A bracelet of gold thread (Marathi)

Hieroglyph mr ka goat Rebus Meluhha copperworker (mleccha copper

(Samskritam) milakkhu rajanam copper colored (Pali)

httpbharatkalyan97blogspotin201410indus-script-kharada-brief-memoranda-ofhtml

httpwwwbritannicacomEBcheckedmedia35736Cylinder-seal-impression-from-the-

Akkadian-period-with-a-combat

Cylinder seal Ht 36 cm 2220 - 2159 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

31

High relief metope from Temple C Selinus Sicily limestone c 58 h

c 550-540 BCE (National Museum Palermo) httpwwwsandrashawcomAH1L14htm

A vivid Meluhha hieroglyph overflowing pot has rebus-metonymy reading metal tools pots

and pans

m1656 Mohenjodro Pectoral

Hieroglyph s ghāṛɔ lathe(Gujarati)Rebus Vajra Sanghāta binding together

(Varahamihira) saṁgaḍha ʻ collection of forts ʼ [gaḍha -- ]L s gaṛh m ʻ line of

entrenchments stone walls for defence ʼ(CDIAL 12845)

Hieroglyph (p 216) [khōṇḍa] m A young bull a bullcalf [ khōṇḍā

] m A of which one end is formed into a cowl or hood [ khōṇḍarūṃ

] n A contemptuous form of in the sense of -cowl (Marathi

32

Molesworth) kōḍe dūḍa bull calf (Telugu) kōṛe young bullock (Konda)Rebus kotildedā lsquoto turn in

a lathersquo (Bengali)

kāṇḍam kāṇ am n lt kāṇḍa 1 Water sacred water

( 4 16) Rebus khāṇḍā lsquometal

tools pots and pansrsquo (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 lsquocopperrsquo (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

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 kara a1 m ʻ crow ʼ

BhP degaka -- m lex [Cf karaṭu -- karkaṭu -- m ʻ Numidian crane ʼ kar ṭu -- deg ṭavya --

deg ḍuka -- m lex karaṇḍa2 -- m ʻ duck ʼ lex seekāraṇḍava -- ]Pk karaḍa -- m ʻ crow ʼ degḍā --

f ʻ a partic kind of bird ʼ S karaṛa -- ḍhī˜gu m ʻ a very large aquatic bird ʼ L karṛā m degṛī f ʻ

the common teal ʼ(CDIAL 2787) Allograph kara a m ʻ Carthamus tinctorius ʼ lexPk karaḍa -

33

- m ʻ safflower ʼ degḍā -- f ʻ a tree like the kara ja ʼ M karḍī degḍaī f ʻ safflower Carthamus

tinctorius and its seed ʼ(CDIAL 2788) Rebus karaḍā hardalloy of metals (Marathi)

httphostthemorganorgcollectionscollectionsaspid=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

33

- m ʻ safflower ʼ degḍā -- f ʻ a tree like the kara ja ʼ M karḍī degḍaī f ʻ safflower Carthamus

tinctorius and its seed ʼ(CDIAL 2788) Rebus karaḍā hardalloy of metals (Marathi)

httphostthemorganorgcollectionscollectionsaspid=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

34

Akkadian Cylinder Seal of Adda (c 2250 BC) with left to right Ninurta Ishtar Shamash and

Ea From Dury Art of the Ancient Near and Middle East Abrams NY

Akkadian Cylinder Seal (c 2200 BC showing Gilgamesh slaying the bull of heaven with

Enkidu Also from Dury both in British Museum)

35

Gilgamesh and Enkidu struggle of the celestial bull and the lion (cylinder seal-print Approx

2400 BC Walters Art Gallery Baltimore)

httpwwwmetmuseumorgtoahworks-of-art19993254 (Bos gaurus shown with greater

clarity) httpartthewaltersorgviewwoaaspxid=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

36

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

lapidariesmetalsmithmetalwork artisan guildmint Indus script cipher Hieroglyphs of Indian

linguistic area (2010)

Mleccha rebus decoding

ibha elephant (Skt) Rebus ib iron ibbho merchant (cfHemacandra Desinamamala vaṇika)

badhia rhino Rebus baḍhoe lsquoa carpenter worker in woodrsquo badhoria lsquoexpert in working in

woodrsquo(Santali) kol tiger kolla smith sal bos gaurus rebus sal workshop]kamaḍha

lsquopenancersquo (Pkt) Rebus kamma a = mint gold furnace (Te) tāttāru buffalo horns (Munda)

Rebus ha hero brassworker(Ku)cūḍā cūlā cūliyā tigerrsquos 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 (Glex) sodagor = a merchant trader sodāgor (PB) (Santali) A

jackal (Marathi) Rebus Ta kol working in iron blacksmith kollaṉ blacksmith Ma kollan

blacksmith artificer Ko kolemiddotl smithy temple in Kota village kolhali to forge (DEDR

2133)(Kuwi)

kūrda m ʻ jump ʼ gūrda -- m ʻ jump ʼ Kā h [ kūrd] S kuḍ u m ʻ leap ʼ N kud Or kuda degdā

kudā -- kudi ʻ jumping about ʼkūˊrdati ʻ leaps jumps ʼ MBh [gūˊrdati khūˊrdatē Dhātup prob

larr Drav (Tam kuti Kan gudi ʻ to spring ʼ) T Burrow BSOAS xii 375]S kuḍ aṇu ʻ to leap ʼ L

kuḍ aṇ ʻ to leap frisk play ʼ P kuddṇā ʻ to leap ʼ Ku kudṇo N kudnu B k dā kotildedā Or

kudibā ʻ to jump dance ʼ Mth kūdab ʻ to jump ʼ Aw lakh kūdab H kūdnā OMarw kūdaiuml G

(CDIAL 3411 3412) Rebus kunda lsquoturnerrsquo kundār turner (A) Vikalpa ēṟu Pouncing

upon as an eagle

( 43 5) Rebus eruvai lsquocopperrsquo (Ta) ere dark red (Ka)(DEDR 446) [

kōlhā ] [ kōlhēṃ ]

Pouncing tiger glyph is read rebus k dā kol turner smith

35

Gilgamesh and Enkidu struggle of the celestial bull and the lion (cylinder seal-print Approx

2400 BC Walters Art Gallery Baltimore)

httpwwwmetmuseumorgtoahworks-of-art19993254 (Bos gaurus shown with greater

clarity) httpartthewaltersorgviewwoaaspxid=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

36

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

lapidariesmetalsmithmetalwork artisan guildmint Indus script cipher Hieroglyphs of Indian

linguistic area (2010)

Mleccha rebus decoding

ibha elephant (Skt) Rebus ib iron ibbho merchant (cfHemacandra Desinamamala vaṇika)

badhia rhino Rebus baḍhoe lsquoa carpenter worker in woodrsquo badhoria lsquoexpert in working in

woodrsquo(Santali) kol tiger kolla smith sal bos gaurus rebus sal workshop]kamaḍha

lsquopenancersquo (Pkt) Rebus kamma a = mint gold furnace (Te) tāttāru buffalo horns (Munda)

Rebus ha hero brassworker(Ku)cūḍā cūlā cūliyā tigerrsquos 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 (Glex) sodagor = a merchant trader sodāgor (PB) (Santali) A

jackal (Marathi) Rebus Ta kol working in iron blacksmith kollaṉ blacksmith Ma kollan

blacksmith artificer Ko kolemiddotl smithy temple in Kota village kolhali to forge (DEDR

2133)(Kuwi)

kūrda m ʻ jump ʼ gūrda -- m ʻ jump ʼ Kā h [ kūrd] S kuḍ u m ʻ leap ʼ N kud Or kuda degdā

kudā -- kudi ʻ jumping about ʼkūˊrdati ʻ leaps jumps ʼ MBh [gūˊrdati khūˊrdatē Dhātup prob

larr Drav (Tam kuti Kan gudi ʻ to spring ʼ) T Burrow BSOAS xii 375]S kuḍ aṇu ʻ to leap ʼ L

kuḍ aṇ ʻ to leap frisk play ʼ P kuddṇā ʻ to leap ʼ Ku kudṇo N kudnu B k dā kotildedā Or

kudibā ʻ to jump dance ʼ Mth kūdab ʻ to jump ʼ Aw lakh kūdab H kūdnā OMarw kūdaiuml G

(CDIAL 3411 3412) Rebus kunda lsquoturnerrsquo kundār turner (A) Vikalpa ēṟu Pouncing

upon as an eagle

( 43 5) Rebus eruvai lsquocopperrsquo (Ta) ere dark red (Ka)(DEDR 446) [

kōlhā ] [ kōlhēṃ ]

Pouncing tiger glyph is read rebus k dā kol turner smith

36

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

lapidariesmetalsmithmetalwork artisan guildmint Indus script cipher Hieroglyphs of Indian

linguistic area (2010)

Mleccha rebus decoding

ibha elephant (Skt) Rebus ib iron ibbho merchant (cfHemacandra Desinamamala vaṇika)

badhia rhino Rebus baḍhoe lsquoa carpenter worker in woodrsquo badhoria lsquoexpert in working in

woodrsquo(Santali) kol tiger kolla smith sal bos gaurus rebus sal workshop]kamaḍha

lsquopenancersquo (Pkt) Rebus kamma a = mint gold furnace (Te) tāttāru buffalo horns (Munda)

Rebus ha hero brassworker(Ku)cūḍā cūlā cūliyā tigerrsquos 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 (Glex) sodagor = a merchant trader sodāgor (PB) (Santali) A

jackal (Marathi) Rebus Ta kol working in iron blacksmith kollaṉ blacksmith Ma kollan

blacksmith artificer Ko kolemiddotl smithy temple in Kota village kolhali to forge (DEDR

2133)(Kuwi)

kūrda m ʻ jump ʼ gūrda -- m ʻ jump ʼ Kā h [ kūrd] S kuḍ u m ʻ leap ʼ N kud Or kuda degdā

kudā -- kudi ʻ jumping about ʼkūˊrdati ʻ leaps jumps ʼ MBh [gūˊrdati khūˊrdatē Dhātup prob

larr Drav (Tam kuti Kan gudi ʻ to spring ʼ) T Burrow BSOAS xii 375]S kuḍ aṇu ʻ to leap ʼ L

kuḍ aṇ ʻ to leap frisk play ʼ P kuddṇā ʻ to leap ʼ Ku kudṇo N kudnu B k dā kotildedā Or

kudibā ʻ to jump dance ʼ Mth kūdab ʻ to jump ʼ Aw lakh kūdab H kūdnā OMarw kūdaiuml G

(CDIAL 3411 3412) Rebus kunda lsquoturnerrsquo kundār turner (A) Vikalpa ēṟu Pouncing

upon as an eagle

( 43 5) Rebus eruvai lsquocopperrsquo (Ta) ere dark red (Ka)(DEDR 446) [

kōlhā ] [ kōlhēṃ ]

Pouncing tiger glyph is read rebus k dā kol turner smith

37

The four animal glyphs surrounding the seated person thus connote merchant (ibbho) carpenter

(baḍh e) turner-smith (kũdā k l) 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 lsquoironrsquo (MuHo) kunda hayrick rebus kundār turner (A)

This unique mold-made faience tablet or standard (H2000-44832342-01) 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 sailorrsquo ( kāṇa lsquoone-

eyedrsquo āra lsquosixrsquo lsquorings of hairrsquo symbolic forms) ka ār coppersmiths kan copper arye lion

Rebus āra brass

One-Eyed Hero with Lions Flanked by Enclosures Iran () (ca 3100 BCE) 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

38

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

3httpwwwthemorganorgcollectionscollectionsaspid=789

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

bull-man bull ḍangar bull read rebus ḍhangar blacksmith agara ram Rebus damgar

merchant (Akkadian) hakkura lsquoidolrsquo hākur ʻ blacksmith ʼ hākur m ʻmasterrsquoḍhangar

lsquoblacksmithrsquo

tiger kol tiger Rebus kol working in iron

lion arye lion āra brass

aquatic bird karaḍa lsquoaquatic bird duckrsquo Rebus karaḍa hard alloy

eagle eraka eagle Rebus erako moltencast copper

buffalo kaṇ i n 1 Buffalo bull Rebus Pk gaḍa -- n ʻlarge stoneʼ (CDIAL 3 6 )

six hair-curls āra six curls Rebus āra brass

face m h lsquofacersquo Rebus m h lsquoingotrsquo

stag karuman stag karmara artisan

antelope melh goat Rebus milakkhu copper

calf khoṇḍ young bull-calf Rebus khuṇḍ (metal) turner

scorpion bica lsquoscorpionrsquo (Assamese) Rebus bica lsquostone orersquo

stalk da hi da i stalks of certain plants Rebus dhatu lsquomineralkāṇḍa m the stalk or

stem of a reed Rebus kāṇḍa lsquotools pots and pans and metal-warersquo

twig kūdī lsquotwigrsquo Rebus ku hi lsquosmelterrsquo

fish ayo fish Rebus ayo ayas metal

overflowing pot lo lsquopot to overflowrsquo kāṇḍa lsquowaterrsquo Rebus lokhaṇḍ Iron tools vessels

or articles in general

spear [ mēḍemu ] or mēḍemu [Tel] n A spear or dagger Rebus meḍ

38

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

3httpwwwthemorganorgcollectionscollectionsaspid=789

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

bull-man bull ḍangar bull read rebus ḍhangar blacksmith agara ram Rebus damgar

merchant (Akkadian) hakkura lsquoidolrsquo hākur ʻ blacksmith ʼ hākur m ʻmasterrsquoḍhangar

lsquoblacksmithrsquo

tiger kol tiger Rebus kol working in iron

lion arye lion āra brass

aquatic bird karaḍa lsquoaquatic bird duckrsquo Rebus karaḍa hard alloy

eagle eraka eagle Rebus erako moltencast copper

buffalo kaṇ i n 1 Buffalo bull Rebus Pk gaḍa -- n ʻlarge stoneʼ (CDIAL 3 6 )

six hair-curls āra six curls Rebus āra brass

face m h lsquofacersquo Rebus m h lsquoingotrsquo

stag karuman stag karmara artisan

antelope melh goat Rebus milakkhu copper

calf khoṇḍ young bull-calf Rebus khuṇḍ (metal) turner

scorpion bica lsquoscorpionrsquo (Assamese) Rebus bica lsquostone orersquo

stalk da hi da i stalks of certain plants Rebus dhatu lsquomineralkāṇḍa m the stalk or

stem of a reed Rebus kāṇḍa lsquotools pots and pans and metal-warersquo

twig kūdī lsquotwigrsquo Rebus ku hi lsquosmelterrsquo

fish ayo fish Rebus ayo ayas metal

overflowing pot lo lsquopot to overflowrsquo kāṇḍa lsquowaterrsquo Rebus lokhaṇḍ Iron tools vessels

or articles in general

spear [ mēḍemu ] or mēḍemu [Tel] n A spear or dagger Rebus meḍ

39

lsquoironrsquo

ring bracelet kaḍum a bracelet a ring (G) Rebus kaḍiyo [Hem Des kaḍaio = Skt sthapati a

mason] a bricklayer a mason

star [ mēḍha ] The polar star (Marathi) [cfThe eight-pointed star Rebus meḍ iron

(Mundari Remo)

safflower karaḍa -- m ʻsafflowerʼ Rebus [karaḍā] Hard from alloy--iron silver ampc

(Marathi)

twig kūdī lsquotwigrsquo Rebus ku hi lsquosmelterrsquo

frond (of palm) palm tamar lsquopalm tree date palmrsquo Rebus tam(b)ra lsquocopperrsquo (Prakrit)

tree ku hāru tree Rebus ku hāru lsquoarmourer or weapons makerrsquo(metal-worker)

ram ibex markhor 1 ram [ mēṇḍhā ] m ( S through H) A male sheep a ram or

tup(Marathi) meḍ iron (Mundari Remo)

goat melh goat Rebus milakkhu copper

knot (twist) meḍ lsquoknot Rebus ironrsquo

reed scarf dha u m (also dha hu) m lsquoscarfrsquo (WPah) (CDIAL 6707) Rebus dhatu lsquomineralsrsquo

(Santali) dhātu lsquomineralrsquo (Pali) kāṇḍa m stem of a reed Rebus kāṇḍa lsquotools pots

and pans and metal-warersquo

mountain [ ḍōṅgara ] m A

hill or [ ḍōṅgarakaṇagara or ḍōṅgarakaṅgara ] m

( amp कणगर form of redup) Hill and mountain hills comprehensively or

indefinitely [ ḍōṅgarakōḷī ] m A caste of hill people or an individual of it

(Marathi) ḍāngā = hill dry upland (B) ḍ g mountain-ridge (H)(CDIAL 5476) Rebus dhangar

lsquoblacksmithrsquo (Maithili) dhokra cire perdue metallurgist

wing eraka wing eṟaka ṟekka rekka neṟaka neṟi lsquowingrsquo (Telugu)(DEDR 25 1) Rebus erako

moltencast copper

snake nāga snake nāga lead

frame of building s gāḍā m ʻ frame of a building ʼ (M)(CDIAL 1285 ) Rebus sangā h

m (sg dat sangā as ) 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 ku hāru = a monkey (Sanskrit) Rebus ku hāru lsquoarmourer or weapons makerrsquo(metal-

worker) also an inscriber or writer

kick kolsa to kick Rebus kol working in iron blacksmith

foot khu o ʻ leg foot ʼ Rebus kh lsquocommunity guildrsquo (Santali)

copulation (mating) kamḍa khamḍa copulation (Santali) Rebus kampa a lsquomint coinerrsquo

adultery ṛanku ranku = fornication adultery (Telugu) ranku tin

William Hayes Ward Seal No 26

Source httpsarchiveorgdetailssealcylindersofw00warduoft

40

httpwwwscribdcomdoc221054125The-cylinder-seals-of-western-Asia-Carnegie-Institute-

of-Washington-Publication-No-100-Ward-William-Hayes-1910

Rakhigarhi seals

Hieroglyph one-horned young bull

kotildedā ख ाड [ khōṇḍa ] m A young bull a bullcalf (Marathi) Rebus 1 k nḍu or konḍu

m a hole dug in the ground for receiving consecrated fire (Kashmiri) Rebus

2 A ku dār B kũdār degri Or ku dāru H kũderā m ʻ one who works a lathe one who scrapes

ʼ degrī f kũder ā ʻ to scrape plane round on a lathe ʼ(CDIAL 32 7)

Hieroglyph rim-of-jar Phonetic forms kan-ka (Santali) karṇika (Sanskrit)

Rebus karṇī supercargo for a boat shipment karṇīka lsquoaccount (scribe)rsquo

Hieroglyph sprout ligatured to rimless pot ba a = rimless pot (Kannada) Rebus ba a = a kind of

iron bha a furnace dul pair Rebus dula cast (metal) kolmo sprout Rebus kolami

smithyforge Thus the composite hieroglyph furnace metalcaster smithy-forge

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

41

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

m305 A person with a plaited pigtail banglesarmlets 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

42

adari small branches (Kannada) adaru twig (Tulu)(DEDR 67) adaruni = to crack (Malayalam)

adar = splinter (Santali) 8657 pradaraacutemdash m lsquocleft in earthrsquo VS lsquorout (of an army)rsquo MBh [ dr ]

Pa padaramdash n lsquocleft fissure board plankrsquo (patara- with t as Si spelling for d as frequently in

Si inscr otherwise Trenckner Notes 6216 Geiger PLS 39) Pk payaramdash m lsquosplitting

breakingrsquo K paira poumlr degra m lsquofear agitationrsquo

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

Animals in procession Two gazelles (antelopes) stalks two tigers

Two eagles sprout between

43

43

44

Base for a ritual offering carved with animals Elamite period mid-

3rd millennium BC Tell of the Acropolis Susa Iran Bituminous rock H 19 cm Diam 11 cm

Jacques de Morgan excavations 1908 Lions and gazelles passant eagles protecting their young

Sb 2725

This base for a ritual offering is made of bitumen This material was plentiful throughout the

Middle East but only in Susa was it used in sculpture The object is carved with big cats

gazelles and eagles The theme of the eagle spreading its wings to protect its young was found

only in Iran and also features on painted ceramics of the same period

Bitumen a plentiful material used in an unusual manner

This object in the form of a truncated cone is a base for a ritual offering It is carved from

bituminous rock found throughout the region but used in sculpture only in Susa It was used to

make vases similar to this object (Louvre Sb2726) and later in the early years of the 2nd

millennium BC vases carved with bas-relief decorations and an animals head in high relief

(Louvre Sb2740) The shape of this object - a truncated cone - is similar to other pieces made of

chlorite and dating from the same period The mortise at the top of the cone and the unfinished

lip suggest that the object originally had a second part that fitted on top of the cone However

the precise purpose of the object remains a mystery

The animal carvings

The cone is carved with two registers separated by a narrow strip The upper register is decorated

with two gazelles calmly grazing on vegetation represented by stalks between each animal

Alongside the two gazelles are two big cats almost certainly lions with their backs to each

other Their stylized manes are shown as vertical strips reminiscent of those of the woolen

Mesopotamian garments known as kaunakes Their tails are raised horizontally over their backs

similar to depictions of lions on cylinders from Uruk or Susa Their heads are depicted in

45

geometrical form All four animals are shown in profile The artistic desire to create a scene and

a landscape imbued with life is also evident in two cylinders from Uruk and Khafaje

The lower register shows two highly stylized eagles upright as if resting on their tail feathers

Their wings and talons are spread to protect the chicks beneath them These eagles differ

somewhat from the usual representation of eagles as the attribute of the Sumerian god Ningirsu

where the birds are depicted with a lions head holding two lion cubs which are shown face on

Mythological creatures or carvings of local wildlife

Eagles were a major theme in Susian and Mesopotamian art This depiction of an eagle resting

on its tail feathers is also found in ceramics glyptics and perforated plaques dating from the 3rd

millennium BC However unlike Mesopotamian eagles Susian eagles never resembled

composite animals Likewise Mesopotamian eagles had a mythological dimension which was

absent from Susian portrayals of the bird In Susa eagles were simply considered ordinary birds

of prey

Bibliography

Amiet Pierre Eacutelam Auvers-sur-Oise Archeacutee 1966 p 166 fig 119

Les quatre grandes civilisations mondiales La Meacutesopotamie entre le Tigre

et lEuphrate cat exp Setagaya museacutee dArt 5 aoucirct-3 deacutecembre 2000 Fukuoka museacutee dArt

asiatique 16 deacutecembre 2000-4 mars 2001 Tokyo NHK 2000 pp 214-215 Author Herbin

Nancie httpwwwlouvrefrenoeuvre-noticesbase-ritual-offering-carved-animals

m417 Does the hierolyph-multiplex also deploy a buffalo

hieroglyph baTa warrior Rebus baTha furnace barad ox Rebus bharat alloy of copper

pewter tinkondh young bull Rebus kondh turner koD horn Rebus koTa fortified

settlement workshop srESTi ladder Rebus srESTi merchant

46

Does this seal include hieroglyph of a zebu kuThAru

monkey Rebus kuThAru armourer bicha scorpion Rebus bica hematite sandstone ore dula

pair Rebus dul cast metal barad ox Rebus bharat alloy of copper pewter tin meD body

Rebus meD iron (HoMunda) karabha trunk of elephant ibha elephant Rebus karba iron ib

iron

47

Marblelimestone seal

After Fig 43 One of three Dholavira reservoirs 734 m l 293m wide 106 m deep with flights

of thirty steps in three corners

48

S Kalyanaraman

Sarasvati Research Center

August 12 2015

httpswwwscribdcomdoc274248738Two-millennia-of-sea-borne-metals-trade-with-

India Craddock PT IJHS 481 (2013)

Two millennia of sea-borne metals trade with India