Tin Road: Meluhha (Aratta) - Assur – Kanesh. What was traded and documented in writing in Bronze Age?

Tin Road: Meluhha (Aratta) - Assur – Kanesh.What was traded and documented in writing in

Bronze Age?Mirror: https://www.academia.edu/7783507/Bronze_Age_writing_by_artisans_and_traders_on_the_Tin_Road_Meluhha_Aratta_-_Assur_-_Kanesh_Doc_

http://www.docstoc.com/docs/171970981/Bronze%20Age%20Meluhha%20writing%20on%20the%20Tin%20Road%20by%20artisans%20and%20traders.docx

http://bharatkalyan97.blogspot.com/2014/07/bronze-age-meluhha-writing-on-tin-road.html

Artisans and traders who traversed the Tin Road created Meluhha writing of the Bronze Age using a cipher: hieroglyphs based on rebus readings of Meluhha language.

Meluhha language was called mleccha in ancient Sanskrit texts. 

http://www.scribd.com/doc/235084143/Nisha-Yadav-on-Sensitivity-of-Indus-Script-to-Site-and-Type-of-Object-from-Scripta-Volume-5-October-2013-pp-67-to-103

Bronze Age writing on the Tin Road: Meluhha (Aratta) - Assur –KaneshS. Kalyanaraman, July 25, 2014

Deposits of tin were found east of Tabriz in Kardagh mountains of northeastern Iran, in Uzbekistan and Afghanistan.

Possible ancient copper and tin sources

1

Ancient tin mines, with evidence of exploitation by contemporary Andronovo groups probably in the early-mid 2nd millenium, have been identified in the Zerafshan region, to the north-east (Parzinger and Boroffka 2003); and previous work suggested Afghanistan may have been a major source of tin in antiquity (Cleuziou and Berthoud 1982).http://www.archatlas.org/workshop09/works09-wilkinson.php

See map for the caption ‘tin’ close to Aratta:

The road between Assur and Kanesh is presented in http://bharatkalyan97.blogspot.com/2013/12/tin-road-between-ashur-kultepe-and.html

2

3

After Fig. 8.1 Map of the Near East in the time of the Old-Assyrian colonies (Aubet, Maria Eugenia, 2013, Commerce and colonization in the ancient near East, Cambridge University Press, p.269)

Profitable tin trade from Meluhha (Aratta) to Assur onto Kanesh, Anatolia

“In a letter from the time of Samshi-Adad I, it is stated that large quantities of tin could be got in Susarra in the plain of Rania in Iran, an important commercial centre on the road from Tabriz to Assur (Larsen, 1967: 4; 1976:87; 1987:50; Leemans, 1968: 202-206)…in the time of level Ib in Kanesh (ca. 1800-1776 BCE), the export of tin to Kanesh was interrupted, probably because of the closure of the Zagros route when Susarra was destroyed and abandoned. (In the fourteenth century BCE, in the Middle Assyrian period, King

4

Enlil-narari of Assur was still supplying tin to Babylon andwe know that Asurbanipal II (883-859 BCE) got tin from the country of Na’iri, which is usually located between lakes Van and Urmia, to th north of Assyria. In the Sumerian mythsthere are already allusions to the rich reserves of tin in that Armenian region on the Turco-Iranian frontier to the northeast of Iran (Leemans, 1968:209-211)…The Kanesh correspondene reveals a considerable volume of tin despatched to Anatolia during the second period of the karum. Veenhof has calculated that over a period of somesixty year, a total of 27,000 minas – that is some 450 talents – of tin, equivalent to 13.5 tons, was despatched toKanesh; this would be equivalent to some 80 tons during the whole of the colonial period and to some 200 caravans carrying tin on the backs of mules from Assur to Kanesh (Veenhof, 1972: 69-76 and 79-80; Larsen, 1976: 90). [Given that it takes 10 percent of tin and 90 percent of copper to produce bronze, the total bronze production over the whole period in Anatolia could amount to 800 tons.] However, a Old-Assyrian tablet preserved in Berlin would double that quantity because it mentions a load of 410 talents of tin transported in a single caravan, the property of the merchant Imdilum (Larsen, 1982: 230). Such a large volume ofmetal suggests that a fairly elaborate organization existed in the centres of origin. In Assur, the trade was managed bymerchants who controlled only the last stage of the road from the Zagros, but we do not know who transported it to Assur. In their correspondence, the Assyrian traders never speak of a need to go to the East to buy tin, they simply wait for it to arrive in the city. Thus, Assur left the provision of commodities in other hands, although it held onto the monopoly of their distribution in Anatolia (Larsen, 1987: 52). In an agreement signed between an Assyrian merchant in Kanesh and a prince in the south of Anatolia (Ktn/k 794), there is a protectionist clause aimed at preventing competition from the ‘Akkadian’ (Babylonian) traders in the tin trade. The clause makes it obligatory forBabylonian competitors to be extradited for execution (Veenhof, 2003: 86-87). The Assyrian tin trade was indeed

5

vital and also highly lucrative. In Assur, one shekel of silver could buy twelve to fourteen shekel of tin (12:1 – 14:1), whereas in Anatolia, one shekel of silver was quoted at six to eight shekel of tin (6:1 and 8:1). This price difference, combined with the high price of tin in Anatolia – double – permitted profits of 100 per cent, which could beinvested in fitting out new caravans in Assur (Michel, 1991:261). Moreover, there is evidence that traders decided on the composition of the caravan for Kanesh on the basis of the prices of tin. Thus, in two letters, the purchase of tinin Assur is temporarily postponed because of high prices (Veenhof, 1988: 253): ‘There is no tin, not even at a price of 13:1 for an adequate consignment (TC 2,7). Since tin is dear (= scarce), I shall not send any’ (VAT 9218). In this context, letter L29-579, sent by the merchant Imdilum to hisagent Assur-tab in Kanesh, is revealing (Veenhof, 1988: 262): ‘Adu is bringing you 2 talents and 2 minas of tin and 5 pieces of good quality kutanu cloth with my seal. If a price of 6:1 for my tin and 15 shekel a piece for my cloth is possible, then sell them for cash, the tin and the cloths. If not, keep the tin with its seal. At one time and another I have informed you that the arrival of the tin is delayed but you write to me in your leter: ‘I have sold the tin at a price of 7:1’. If the tin is still available and you have not yet sold it, let me know, I do not blame you. But if you have sold it, send me the silver under seal and sell my cloth for at least 15 shekel a piece.’ It is clear that the inadequate supply of tin in Assur caused a 6:1 price rise in Anatolia, which yielded considerable profit. Lastly, in a letter from Kanesh (VAT 9220, n. 27) Assur is informed of the departure of a consignment of thirty-three minas of silver, destined for the metropolis, with the express order to buy tin. The addressee in Assur is requested to forward the silver so that he may acquire tin before the arrival of the caravan so the carrier can load itimmediately back to Anatolia (Veenhof, 1988:255).” (Aubet, Maria Eugenia, 2013, Commerce and Colonization in the Ancient Near East, Cambridge University Press, pp.292-293).

6

A leading merchant of Kanesh, Imdilum used a seal with Meluhha hieroglyphs:

Furnace, bun ingot: kaND, muh (Meluhha)

Bull: barad 'ox' Rebus: bharata = casting metalsin moulds (Bengali)

 Tiger: kol 'tiger' Rebus: kolhe 'smelter'

Seal of Imdilum, a leading merchant of Kanesh (from Ichisar,Metin, 1981, Les Archives cappadociennes du marchand Imdilum (Recherche sur les grandes civilisations) (French Edition) by Metin Ichisar ,1981, Paris, Editions ADPF: fig. 2). “The firm had numerous collaborators, associates and scribes and it is known that it bought huge quantities of tin and textiles on Imdilum’s account. One case alludes to

7

the dispatch of a caravan consisting of seven mules carryingeight talents and forty minas of tin for the two partners, Imdilum and Pusu-ken…On two occasions, Imdilum sends a talent of silver (30 kg) to Assur to buy tin, when we know of Assyrian merchants who needed a whole lifetime to accumulate one talent of silver! There is likewise a mentionof a load of fifty-seven talents of tin for Imdilum, bought in Assur for four talents of silver and sold in the Anatolian market for eight talents of silver. These are undoubtedly huge sums, so we can consider Imdilum to be a genuine millionaire in his day.”(pp.353-355).

Assyrian traders wait for the valuable tin to arrive in Assur; who brought it to Assur from further east, close to Aratta of Meluhha?

The Meluhhans brought it to Assur. They were the Meluhha Asur closely related to the traders in Assur. The seal on the tin cargo was written with Meluhha hieroglyphs, read rebus.

Some examples of tablets impressed with a seal on the tin cargo:Karum could be from a substrate language:

e.g. कककककक [ kārakuna ] m ( P A factor, agent, or

business-man.) A clerk, scribe, writer. ककक ककक ककककककककक0 A term of ironical commendation for a

clerk. कककक [ kāru ] m (S) An artificer or artisan. 2 A

common term for the twelve कककककककक q. v. Also कककककककक m pl q. v. in कककककककक. (Marathi)

8

The streams of water flowing the naked, bearded person are the signature tune of the times in Ancient Near East. This glyptic or overflowing pot held by Gudea, appears on hundreds of cylinder seals and friezes of many sites.Overflowing water from a pot is a recurrent motif in Sumer-Elam-Mesopotamian contact areas – a motif demonstrated to beof semantic significance in the context of lapidary-metallurgy life activity of the artisans.

The rebus readings are:

कककककक [ kāṇḍamu ] kānḍamu. [Skt.] n. Water. कककककक (Telugu) kaṇṭhá -- : (b) ʻ water -- channel ʼ: Paš. kaṭāˊ ʻ irrigation channel ʼ, Shum. xãṭṭä. (CDIAL 14349). kāṇḍa ‘flowing water’ Rebus: kāṇḍā‘metalware, tools, pots and pans’. lokhaṇḍ (overflowing pot) ‘metal tools, potsand pans, metalware’lokhãḍ ‘overflowing pot’ Rebus:  ʻtools,

iron, ironwareʼ (Gujarati) Rebus: ककककक lokhaṇḍ Iron tools,vessels, or articles in general. lo ‘pot to overflow’. Gu<loRa>(D)  {} ``^flowing strongly''.

ककककककक¹ koṭṭam  Flowing, pouring; कककक ककककककक ककककककक. कककककककककक कककककककककक ककककक कककककक பப (ककककककப. ककककककक. 43, 130)

ककककककक koṭṭam < gōṣṭha. Cattle- shed (Tamil) 

koṭṭam flowing, pouring (Tamil). Ma. koṭṭuka to shoot out, empty a sack. ? Te. koṭṭukonipōvu to be carried along by

9

stream or air current.(DEDR 2065).

Meluhha hieroglyphs on ancient Near East cylinder seals:

meḍ mūh̃ 'iron ingot'. [meḍha ‘polar star’ (Marathi). meḍ ‘iron’ (Ho.Mu.)]

Bull: barad 'ox' Rebus: bharata = casting metalsin moulds (Bengali)

 Hieroglyph 'Overflowing vase': lo ‘pot tooverflow’. Gu<loRa>(D)  {} ``^flowing strongly''.

lokhaṇḍ (overflowing pot) Rebus: ‘metal tools, pots andpans, metalware’

10

Impressions of seals on tablets from Kanesh (After Larsen,Mogens Trolle and Moller Eva, Five old Assyrian texts,

in: D. Charpin - Joannès F. (ed.), Marchands, Diplomates etEmpereurs. Études sur la civilization Mésopotamienneoffertes à Paul Garelli (Éditions research sur les

Civilisations), Paris, 1991, pp. 214-245: figs. 5,6 and 10.)

Karum meant literally ‘quay’ or ‘port’ for river trading or transport activities.

Sources:

Cleuziou and Berthoud 

Cleuziou, S., The early Bronze Age of the Oman Peninsula. From Chronology to the Dialectics of Tribe and State formation, in S. Cleuziou, M. Tosi and J. Zarins (Eds.), Essays on the late Prehistory of the Arabian Peninsula, Rome 2000,181-227.

Cleuziou, S. and T. Berthous, Early tin in the Near East. A Reassessment in the Light of New Evidence from Western Afghanistan, 25.1 (1982), 14-19.

Larsen

·      Larsen, MT, ed. (1979), Power and Propaganda: a symposium on Ancient Empires, Copenhagen·      Larsen, MT (1996), The Conquest of Assyria: Excavations in an Antique Land 1840-1860. London/New York

11

·      Larsen, MT (2008), ‘The old Assyrian Merchant Colonies’, in Aruz et  al., eds., Beyond Babylon: Art, trade, and diplomacy in the Second Millennium BC. New Haven and London. 70-81.

Leemans

·      Leemans, WF (1960), Foreign trade in the Old Babylonian Period as Revealed by Texts from Southern Mesopotamia. Leiden.

Veenhof·       Altassyrische Tontafeln aus Kultepe Berlin : Mann (1992)·       Geschichte des Alten Orients bis zur Zeit Alexanders des Grossen Göttingen: Vandenhoeck & Ruprecht (2001)·       The Old Assyrian list of year eponyms from Karum Kanish and its chronological implications Ankara : Turkish Historical Society (2003)Artisans and traders who traversed the Tin Road created Meluhha writing of the Bronze Age using a cipher: hieroglyphs based on rebus readings of Meluhha language.

Meluhha language was called mleccha in ancient Sanskrit texts which note that mleccha words were either incorrect pronunciations or grammatical variants. Mleccha was intelligible to a Sanskrit speaker as evident from the Meluhha conversation between Yudhishthira and Vidura/Kanaka reported in the Mahabharata. Mleccha (Meluhha) was lingua franca -- the spoken version of the language since many groups and regions were identified as Meluhha people or Meluhha regions; Sanskrit was the literary, grammatically correct version of the language in vogue in Bronze Age. It is possible to reconstruct many Meluhha glosses from the tadbhava (cognate glosses) and tatsama (phonetic variantsof glosses) detailed in Prakrit/Pali lexicons and in texts such as Deśīnāmamālā   of Hemacandra [1]   many glosses of such Prakrits or Deśī words are relatable to Sanskrit.

Some glosses are retained as received memories of the BronzeAge and recorded in many language lexicons of over 25 present-day languages of Indian sprachbund (speech union).

12

Studies in Proto-IE and IE linguistics have noted Sanskrit as an IE family of languages. It is not easy to trace the direction of borrowings between Sanskrit and other IE languages.  Glosses of many Indo-European and Proto-IE languages are cognate with Meluhha glosses.

Some examples may be cited: 1.ayas ‘metal’; in Old Indian ayas denoted ‘copper, iron’. Latin aes ‘bronze, copper’, OHG er ‘ore’, Goth aiz ‘money, metal, coin’, Av. ayah- ‘metal (probably bronze)’. 2. ams’u ‘Soma’ (Old Indian), amzu ‘iron’ (Tocharian)

The presence of Meluhha speakers is attested along archaeological sites of the Persian Gulf and in ancient NearEast, along the Tin Road of the Bronze Age by the evidence of Meluhha hieroglyphs related mainly to trade transactions of tin and other bronze age cire perdue bronze artifacts comparable to those discovered in Nahal Mishmar.

Artisans who had practiced the cire perdue or lost-wax castingtechniques in bronze or brass were calleddhokra kamar (Meluhha language). This word denoting the cire perdue artisans is depicted as a hieroglyph on two seals withMeluhha writing: one tablet written on two sides of Dholavira and one seal of Mohenjo-daro.

http://bharatkalyan97.blogspot.com/2014/01/meluhha-hieroglyphs-1-dhokra-lost-wax.html

13

Dholavira molded terracotta tablet with Meluhha hieroglyphs written on two sides. http://bharatkalyan97.blogspot.in/2014/01/meluhha-metallurgical-roots-and-spread.html?q=dhokraMeluhha: spread of lost-wax casting in the Fertile Crescent. Smithy is the temple. Veneration of ancestors.

Mohenodaro seal. Pict-103 Horned (female with breasts hanging down?) person with a tail and bovine legs standing near a tree fisting a horned tiger rearing on its hindlegs.

http://bharatkalyan97.blogspot.in/2014/04/philosophy-of-symbolic-forms-in-meluhha.html  In this link, discovery of two seals/tablets is reported: one seal from Mohenjo-daro and a tablet from Dholavira. Both report on the profession of the smelter-metallurgist involved in the cire perdue technology.The professional is dhokra rendered rebus in Meluhha hieroglyphs -- perhaps by the ancestors of assur of present-day India, since they continue the smelting and casting traditions venerated by Tukulti-Ninurta I at an

14

altar to the fire-god, karandi. The safflower which adorns Ashur artifacts is karadi. 

Start with the decrepit, hunched up old woman depicted and use rebus readings in Meluhha cipher:

Hieroglyph: Ku. ḍokro, ḍokhro ʻ old man ʼ; B. ḍokrā ʻ old, decrepit ʼ, Or. ḍokarā; H. ḍokrā ʻ decrepit ʼ; G.ḍokɔ m. ʻ penis ʼ, ḍokrɔ m. ʻ old man ʼ, M. ḍokrā m. -- Kho. (Lor.) duk ʻ hunched up, hump of camel ʼ; K.ḍọ̆ku ʻ humpbacked ʼ perh. < *ḍōkka -- 2. Or. dhokaṛa ʻ decrepit, hanging down (of breasts) ʼ.(CDIAL 5567)Rebus: dhokra ‘cire perdue’ casting metalsmith.

Glyph: Br. kōnḍō on all fours, bent double. (DEDR 204a) Rebus: kunda ‘turner’ kundār turner (A.); kũdār, kũdāri (B.); kundāru (Or.); kundau to turn on a lathe, to carve, tochase; kundau dhiri = a hewn stone; kundau murhut = a gravenimage (Santali) kunda a turner’s lathe (Skt.)(CDIAL 3295)

Tiger has head turned backwards.  ककककककक krammara. adv. कककककककककककक or कककककककक Same as कककककककक (Telugu). krəm backʼ(Kho.)(CDIAL 3145) Rebus: karmāra ‘smith, artisan’ (Skt.) kamar ‘smith’ (Santali)  The hieroglyph of an old female with breasts hanging down and ligatured to the buttock of a bovine is also deployed on a Mohenjo-daro seal together with the hieroglyph: tiger has head turned backwards. Thus, on the Mohenjo-daro seal, the hieroglyphs read rebus: dhokra kamar.

See: Philosophy of symbolic forms in Meluhha cipher - A new book by S.Kalyanaraman 

See: http://bharatkalyan97.blogspot.com/2014/04/meluhha-metallurgy-to-bronze-age.html?q=dhokrahttp://bharatkalyan97.blogspot.com/2014/07/variations-in-indus-script-mihika-basu.html

15

Coiner’s mint

The following are examples of Meluhha writing on copper plates (obverse and reverse):

Text ofinscription on B19 copper plate with that on C6 copper

plate.

Obverse has two allographs: 1. Archer; 2. Ligatured ‘crab’ ‘leaf’ hieroglyph.

Meluhha provides the glosses for the rebus readings of theseallograph hieroglyphs:

Obverse 1:kamāṭhiyo = archer; kāmaṭhum = a bow; kāmaḍ, kāmaḍum = a chip of bamboo (G.) kāmaṭhiyo a bowman; an archer (Skt.lex.)Rebus: kammaṭi a coiner (Ka.); kampaṭṭam coinage, coin, mint(Tamil) kammaṭa = mint, gold furnace (Telugu)

Obverse 2:

16

kamaDha ‘crab’; Rebus: kammaṭa = mint, gold furnace (Telugu)

ḍato = claws of crab (Santali) Rebus: dhātu ‘mineral ore’.

kamaDha = ficus religiosa (Skt.); kamar.kom ‘ficus’ (Santali) rebus: kamaṭa = portable furnace for melting precious metals(Te.); kampaṭṭam = mint (Ta.) Vikalpa: Fig leaf ‘loa’; rebus: loh ‘(copper) metal’. loha-kāra ‘metalsmith’ (Sanskrit).

Thus, the message conveyed by the pictorial hieroglyphs and ligatured ‘sign’ hieroglyphs is IDENTICAL: coiner’s mint.

Copper plate showing hare fronting a bush.

Other ‘hare’ hieroglyphs on tablets of Harappa:

17

ganda 'four' Rebus: kaṇḍa 'furnace, fire-altar'(Santali) kolmo 'plant' Rebus: kolami 'forge, smithy'

kulai, 'hare' (Santali), Meluhha Rebus:kolhe ‘smelter’. kolhe, ‘the koles, are an aboriginal tribe of iron smelters speaking a language akin to that of Santals’ (Santali) kōla m. name of a tribe Hariv. Pk.  kōla — m.; B.kol  name of a Muṇḍā tribe (CDIAL 3532). A Bengali lexeme confirms

this: ककक 1 [ kōla1] an aboriginal tribe of India; a member of this tribe. (Bengali) That in an early form of Indian

18

linguistic area, kol means ‘man’ gets substantiated by a Nahali and Assamese glosses: kola ‘woman’. See also: Wpah. Khaś.kuṛi, cur. kuḷī, cam. kǒḷā ʻ boy ʼ, Sant. Muṇḍari koṛa ʻ boy ʼ, kuṛi ʻ girl ʼ, Ho koa, kui, Kūrkū kōn, kōnjē). Prob. separate from RV. kŕ̊tā -- ʻ girl ʼ H. W. Bailey TPS 1955, 65; K. kūrü f. ʻ young girl ʼ, kash.kōṛī, ram. kuṛhī; L. kuṛā m. ʻ bridegroom ʼ, kuṛī f. ʻ girl, virgin, bride ʼ, awāṇ. kuṛī f. ʻ woman ʼ; P. kuṛī f. ʻgirl, daughter ʼ, (CDIAL

3295). ककककककक or कककक [ kārakōḷī or ḷyā ] aRelating to the country ककक- ककक--a tribe of Bráhmans (Marathi).

Same ‘hare’ hieroglyph occurs on cylinder seal of ancient Near East:

 Hieroglyph: 'polar star': meḍha ‘polar star’(Marathi). meḍ ‘iron’ (Ho.Mu.)

kola 'woman' (Santali) Rebus: kolhe 'smelter'

ayo 'fish' Rebus: ayo 'metal'.

 Hieroglyph: 'look back': krammara Rebus: kamar'blacksmith'. melh 'goat' Rebus: milakku 'copper'

 Cylinder seal and impression Syria (ca. 1720–1650 B.C.E) Hematite 21 x 10 mm Seal no. 937 http://www.themorgan.org/collections/collectionsList.asp?id=Seals

19

20

On these copper plates of Mohenjo-daro, the pictorial motif hieroglyphs are read rebus:

pattar ‘trough’ rebus: pattar ‘guild’.

sangada 'lathe', 'portable furnace' G. sãghāṛɔ m. ʻlathe’ ; sã̄gāḍā m. ʻ frame of a building ʼ, °ḍī f. ʻ lathe ʼ(CDIAL 12859) Rebus:

sangataras. ककककककक lit. ‘to collect stones, stone-cutter, mason.’ ककककककक कककककक ककक ० [ककक० ] ककककक ककककक कक ककककककककक ककककक ककककककक । । २ . कक कककक कक ककककक ककककक कक ककक ककक ककक कक । (Dasa, Syamasundara. Hindi sabdasagara. Navina samskarana. 2nd ed. Kasi : Nagari

Pracarini Sabha, 1965-1975.) ककककक कक कककक कक ककककक कककककककक, ककककककक, ‘mason’.

21

Ku. balad m. ʻ ox ʼ, gng. bald, N. (Tarai) barad, id. Rebus: L. bhāraṇ ʻ to spread or bring out from a kiln ʼ; M. bhārṇẽ, bhāḷṇẽ ʻ to make strong by charms (weapons, rice,water), enchant, fascinate (CDIAL 9463)  Ash. barī ʻ blacksmith, artisan (CDIAL 9464). Baran, bharat ‘mixed alloys’ (5 copper, 4 zinc and 1 tin) (Punjabi) bharana id. (Bengali) bharan or toul was created by adding some brass orzinc into pure bronze. bharata = casting metals in moulds (Bengali)

ककककक [ khōṇḍī ] f An outspread shovelform sack (as formed

temporarily out of a कककककक, to hold or fend off grain, chaff &c.) (Marathi) koḍiyum 'rings on neck' (Gujarati) kondh ‘heifer’. kōḍu horn (Kannada. Tulu.

Tamil) कककक [khōṇḍa] m A young bull, a bullcalf. (Marathi) Rebus: kõdār 'turner' (Bengali); kõdā ‘to turn in a

lathe’ (Bengali).कककक kōnda ‘engraver, lapidary  setting orinfixing gems’ (Marathi) kõdā ‘lathe-turner’. kũdār ‘turner,

brass worker’. कककक kōnda ‘engraver, lapidary setting or infixing gems’ (Marathi) kũdār, kũdāri (B.); kundāru

(Or.) ककककक [kōṇḍaṇa] f A fold or pen. (Marathi) ककक [khōṭa] Alloyed--a metal (Marathi). 

kul 'tiger' (Santali); kōlu id. (Te.) kōlupuli = Bengal tiger (Te.)Pk. kolhuya -- , kulha -- m. ʻ jackal ʼ < *kōḍhu -- ; H.kolhā, °lā m. ʻ jackal ʼ, adj. ʻ crafty ʼ; G. kohlũ, °lũ n. ʻ jackal ʼ, M. kolhā, °lā m. krōṣṭŕ̊ ʻ crying ʼ BhP., m. ʻ jackal ʼ RV. = krṓṣṭu -- m. Pāṇ. [√kruś] Pa. koṭṭhu -- , °uka -- and kotthu -- , °uka -- m. ʻ jackal ʼ, Pk. koṭṭhu -- m.; Si. koṭa ʻ jackal ʼ, koṭiya ʻ leopard ʼ GS 42

(CDIAL 3615). कककककक [ kōlhā ] ककककककक [ kōlhēṃ ] A jackal (Marathi) kol ‘tiger, jackal’ (Konkani.) Rebus: kol

22

‘iron’ (Tamil.) Rebus: kol ‘furnace, forge’ (Kuwi) kol ‘alloy of five metals, pañcaloha’ (Tamil)  kolhe ‘smelters’ (See rebus readings of ‘hare’ hieroglyph’).

gaṇḍá4 m. ʻ rhinoceros ʼ lex., °aka -- m. lex. 2. *ga- yaṇḍa-- . [Prob. of same non -- Aryan origin as khaḍgá --1: cf. gaṇōtsāha -- m. lex. as a Sanskritized form ← Mu. PMWS 138]1. Pa. gaṇḍaka -- m., Pk. gaṁḍaya -- m., A. gãr, Or. gaṇḍā. 2. K. göḍ̃ m., S. geṇḍo m. (lw. with g -- ), P. gaĩḍā m., °ḍī f., N. gaĩṛo, H. gaĩṛā m., G. gẽḍɔ m., °ḍī f., M. gẽḍā m.Addenda: gaṇḍa -- 4. 2. *gayaṇḍa -- : WPah.kṭg. geṇḍɔ mirg m. ʻ rhinoceros ʼ, Md. genḍā ←

H. (CDIAL 4000). ककककककककककककक kāṇṭā-mirukam , n. [M. kāṇṭāmṛgam.] Rebus: kāṇḍa ‘tools, pots and pans and metal-ware’ (Gujarati) Rebus: khāṇḍa ‘tools, pots and pans and metal-ware’ (Marathi)

ibha ‘elephant;’ (Sanskrit) Rebus: ib ‘iron’ (Santali); ibbo‘merchant’ (Des’i)

Seal H-166 a & b

The hieroglyphs are:1.   Peacock with its tail down2.   snakes above the wings3.   three mountain peaks below the wings

23

4.   fire-altar shaped like +

kaṇḍa 'furnace, fire-altar' (Santali) 

maraka ‘peacock’ (Santali) mora peacock; morā ‘peafowl’ (Hindi); rebus: morakkhaka loha, a kind of copper, grouped with pisācaloha (Pali). [Perhaps an intimation of the color of the metal produced which shines like a peacock blue feather.] moraka "a kind of steel" (Sanskrit) 

See bronze peacocks in Vatican: http://bharatkalyan97.blogspot.com/2013/11/pine-cone-vatican-and-peacocks-samarra.html

Allograph:  ककककक [ nāgamu ] nāgamu. [Skt. from कक a hill.]

Hieroglyph: nāgá1 m. ʻ snake ʼ ŚBr. 2. ʻ elephant ʼ BhP. [Asʻ ele- phant ʼ shortened form of *nāga -- hasta -- EWA ii 150 with lit. or extracted from nāga -- danta -- ʻ elephant tusk, ivory ʼ < ʻ snake -- shaped tusk ʼ]. 1. Pa. nāga -- m. ʻ snake ʼ, NiDoc. nāǵa F. W. Thomas AO xii 40, Pk. ṇāya -- m.,Gy. as. nâ JGLS new ser. ii 259; Or. naa ʻ euphem. term for snake ʼ; Si. nay, nā, nayā ʻ snake ʼ. -- With early nasalization *nāṅga -- : Bshk. nāṅg ʻ snake ʼ. -- Kt. Pr. noṅ, Kal. nhoṅ ʻ name of a god < nāˊga -- or ← Pers. nahang NTS xv 283. 2. Pa. nāga -- m. ʻ elephant ʼ, Pk. ṇāya -- m., Si. nā. śiśunāka -- .(CDIAL

7039). ककककक [ nāgamu ] nāgamu. [Skt. from कक a hill.] n.Lit: That which pertains to a mountain. A serpent, कककक. Particularly, a cobra. An elephant, 

ककककक. कककककक a female supernatural being, a goddess, ककककककककककक. कककककक nākulu. n. The

celestials, the gods. R. v. 35. 176. कककककककक nāk-ēsuḍu.

24

n. A name of Indra. ककककक¹ nākar, n. < nāka. Celestials;

कक ककவ . ककककक कककककककककककक ककककक வவபப (ककककककक. 62).(Tamil) कककक,

कककककक, कककककक or कककककककक nāgu. n. A

cobra. ककककक.(Telugu) 

ककककक² nākam, n. < nāga. 1. Cobra. See ककककककककककபப. कककककककककककक ककककक कककककक ப(ककक. 25, 195). 2. Serpent; ककककककபப. (ककककப.) कककककक ककक (कककककப. कककककककक.

37).Rebus: ककककक² nākam , n. < nāga.  A prepared arsenic;

ककककक ककபவ ;  Black lead; ककककककक. (Tamil) nāga2 n. ʻ lead ʼ Bhpr. [Cf. raṅga -- 3] Sh. naṅ m. ʻ lead ʼ (< *nāṅga -- ?), K. nāg m. (< *nāgga -- ?).(CDIAL

7040). ककककककककककक [ nāgasindhūramu ] nāga-sindhūramu. [Skt.] n. A red calx of lead. (Telugu) cf. anakku 'tin' (Akkadian), an alloying ore to create tin-bronzes.

Stamp seal with unicorn and ritual offering stand, ca. 2000-1900 B.C.; Harappan. Indus Valley, Harappa, 8796-01. Indus inscription. Steatite; L. 5.2 cm (2 in.); W. 5.2 cm (2 in.).Harappa Museum, Harappa H99-4064. Courtesy of the Departmentof Archaeology and Museums, Ministry of Minorities, Culture,Sports, Tourism, and Youth Affairs, Government of Pakistan.

25

Photograph © www.metmuseum.org

m 278

m 127B From r. to l. comb, bird in brackets, rim-of-jar

26

m 1319

Copper tablet m 516 B ranku ‘antelope’ Rebus: ranku ‘tin’ (Santali)Vikalpa: tagara 'antelope'; rebus 1: tagara 'tin'; rebus 2: tamkāru, damgar 'merchant' (Akkadian)

27

kāṇa 'one-eyed' Rebus: kaṇṇahāra -- m. ʻhelmsman, sailor’. kannār 'coppersmiths'.

m1341First sign: Numeral six as hieroglyph: āra ‘six’, ‘rings of hair’ Rebus: āra 'brass'.Second sign: ‘double-quote’ hieroglyph: sal 'splinter'; rebus: sal 'workshop' (Santali) Vikalpa: aṭar ‘splinter’ (Ma.); aḍaruni ‘to crack’ (Tu.)  aduru ‘native metal (Ka.)

Third sign from the sign as ‘liquid measure’ hieroglyph: ranku ‘liquid measure’ Rebus: ranku ‘tin’ (Santali)

28

m 314Sign pictographs as hieroglyphs read rebus:

m 314 Top line, first sign hieroglyph: Rebus reading of wheel with six spokes:

A view of the fire-altar pedestal of Tukulti-Ninurta I, Ishtar temple, Assur. Shows the king standing flanked by twostandard-bearers; the standard has a spoked-wheel hieroglyphon the top of the staffs and also on the volutes of the altar frieze.The mediation with deities by king is adopted by Assurnasirpal II.

The two standards (staffs)  are topped by a spoked wheel. āra 'spokes' Rebus: āra 'bronze'. 

The two standards (staffs)  are topped by a spoked wheel. āra 'spokes' Rebus: āra 'bronze'. cf. erka = ekke (Tbh. of arka) aka (Tbh. of arka) copper (metal); crystal (Kannada) Glyph: eraka’nave of wheel’ Rebus: eraka ‘copper’;

29

cf. erka = ekke (Tbh. of arka) aka (Tbh. of arka) copper (metal); crystal (Kannada)

Another side of Tukulti-Ninurta fire-altar.

ककककक [karaṇḍā] A clump, chump, or block of wood. 4 The stock or fixed portion of the staff of the large leaf-

covered summerhead or umbrella. कककककक [ karāṇḍā ] m C A cylindrical piece as sawn or chopped off the trunk or a bough of a tree; a clump, chump, or block.

Rebus: fire-god: @B27990.  #16671. Remo <karandi>E155  {N} ``^fire-^god''.(Munda)

कककक [ karaḍī ] f (See कककक) Safflower: also its seed.

Rebus: karaḍa 'hard alloy' of arka 'copper'. 

30

m314 Last line, fourth glyph: person holding bow and arrow: kamaTha ‘bow’ + meD ‘body’ Rebus: kammaTa ‘mint, coiner’

ayo, hako 'fish'; a~s = scales of fish (Santali); rebus: aya= iron (G.); ayah, ayas = metal (Skt.)

kundau, kundhi corner (Santali) kuṇḍa corner (S.): khoṇḍ square(Santali)  *khuṇṭa2 ʻ corner ʼ. 2. *kuṇṭa -- 2. [Cf. *khōñca -- ] 1. Phal. khun ʻ corner ʼ; H. khūṭ̃ m. ʻ corner, direction ʼ (→ P. khũṭ f. ʻ corner, side ʼ); G. khūṭ̃ṛī f. ʻ angle ʼ. <-> X kōṇa -- : G. khuṇ f., khū˘ṇɔ m. ʻ corner ʼ. 2.S. kuṇḍa f. ʻ corner ʼ; P. kūṭ̃ f. ʻ corner, side ʼ (← H.).(CDIAL 3898).

kundau, kundhi corner (Santali) kuṇḍa corner (S.): khoṇḍ square(Santali)  *khuṇṭa2 ʻ corner ʼ. 2. *kuṇṭa -- 2. [Cf. *khōñca -- ] 1. Phal. khun ʻ corner ʼ; H. khūṭ̃ m. ʻ corner, direction ʼ (→ P. khũṭ f. ʻ corner, side ʼ); G. khūṭ̃ṛī f. ʻ angle ʼ. <-> X kōṇa -- : G. khuṇ f., khū˘ṇɔ m. ʻ corner ʼ. 2.S. kuṇḍa f. ʻ corner ʼ; P. kūṭ̃ f. ʻ corner, side ʼ (← H.).(CDIAL 3898).

Rebus: konda ‘pit festival’, See detailed lexical entry:

Rebus vikalpa: Rebus: kunda1 m. ʻ a turner's lathe ʼ lex. [Cf. *cunda -- 1] N. kũdnu ʻ to shape smoothly, smoothe, carve, hew ʼ, kũduwā ʻ smoothly shaped ʼ; A. kund ʻ lathe ʼ, kundiba ʻ to turn and smooth in a lathe ʼ, kundowā ʻ smoothed and rounded ʼ; B. kũd ʻ lathe ʼ, kũdā, kõdā ʻ to

31

turn in a lathe ʼ; Or. kū˘nda ʻ lathe ʼ, kũdibā, kūd̃° ʻ to turn ʼ (→ Drav. Kur. kūd̃ ʻ lathe ʼ); Bi.kund ʻ brassfounder's lathe ʼ; H. kunnā ʻ to shape on a lathe ʼ, kuniyā m. ʻ turner ʼ, kunwā m. (CDIAL 3295). kundakara m. ʻ turner ʼ W. [Cf. *cundakāra -- : kunda -- 1, kará -- 1] A. kundār, B. kũdār, °ri, Or. kundāru; H. kũderā m. ʻ one who works a lathe, one who scrapes ʼ, °rī f., kũdernā ʻ to scrape, plane, round on a lathe ʼ.(CDIAL 3297). Ta. kuntaṉam interspace for setting gems in a jewel; fine gold (< Te.). Ka. kundaṇa setting a precious stone in fine gold; fine gold; kundana fine gold.Tu. kundaṇa pure gold. Te. kundanamu fine gold used in very thin foils in setting precious stones; setting precious stones with fine gold. (DEDR 1725).

baṭa = a kind of iron (G .) baṭa = rimless pot (Kannada)S. baṭhu m. ‘large pot in which grain is parched, large cooking fire’, baṭhī f. ‘distilling furnace’; L. bhaṭṭh m. ‘grain—parcher's oven’, bhaṭṭhī f. ‘kiln, distillery’, awāṇ.bhaṭh; P. bhaṭṭh m., °ṭhī f. ‘furnace’, bhaṭṭhā m. ‘kiln’; S. bhaṭṭhī keṇī ‘distil (spirits)’.  (CDIAL 9656)

ककक [ mōkha ] . Add:--3 Sprout or shoot. (Marathi) Kuwi (Su.) mṛogla shoot of bamboo; (P.) moko sprout (DEDR 4997) Tu. mugiyuni to close, contract, shut up; muguru sprout, shoot, bud; tender, delicate; muguruni, mukuruni to bud, sprout; muggè, moggè flower-bud, germ; (BRR; Bhattacharya, non-brahmin informant) mukkè bud. Kor. (O.) mūke flower-bud. (DEDR 4893)Rebus: mũh ‘(copper) ingot’ (Santali) mũhã̄ = the quantity ofiron produced at one time in a native smelting furnace of the Kolhes; iron produced by the Kolhes and formed like a four-cornered piece a little pointed at each end (Santali) 

Vikalpa: pajhar. = to sprout from a root (Santali) Rebus: pasra ‘smithy’ (Santali)

32

कककक [ kaṇḍe ] kaṇḍe. [Tel.] n. A head or ear of millet or

maize. ककककककककक (Telugu) kã̄ṛ ʻstack of stalks of

large milletʼ(Maithili) kã̄ḍ 2 ककककक m. a section, part in general; a cluster, bundle, multitude (Śiv. 32). kã̄ḍ 1 ककककक क कककककक m. the stalk or stem of a reed, grass, or the like, straw. In the compound with dan 5 (p. 221a, l. 13) theword is spelt kāḍ. Rebus : khānḍa  ‘tools, pots and pans, metal-ware’. Rebus 2: kaṇḍ 'fire-altar' (Santali)

khaṇḍ ‘field, division’ (Skt.) Rebus 1: Ga. (Oll.) kanḍ, (S.) kanḍu (pl. kanḍkil) stone (ore). Rebus 2: kaṇḍ 'fire-altar' (Santali) Thus, the two divided squares connote furnace for stone (ore).

kūdī ‘bunch of twigs’ (Sanskrit) Rebus: kuṭi= smelter furnace (Santali)

ḍumgara ‘mountain’ (Pkt.)(CDIAL 5423). Rebus: damgar ‘merchant’. Phonetic variant: ḍangā = small country boat, dug-out canoe (Or.); ḍõgā trough, canoe, ladle (H.)(CDIAL 5568). Rebus: ḍānro  term of contempt for a blacksmith (N.); ḍangar (H.) (CDIAL 5524)

Meluhha hieroglyph1: Ku.balad m. ʻ ox ʼ, gng. bald , N. (Tarai) barad, id. 

Meluhha hieroglyph, allograph 2: bharaDo ‘spine’ (Gujarati);spine, backbone (Punjabi); baraDo thADavo lit. to strike on the backbone or back (Gujarati).  baraDo -barad BHANGI NAKHI- Brocken) - means KED/KAMAR Backbone specifically of LUMBAR REGION (Kutchi. Gujarati). Rebus: L. bhāraṇ ʻ to spread or bring out from a kiln ʼ; M. bhārṇẽ, bhāḷṇẽ ʻ to make strong by charms (weapons, rice, water), enchant, fascinate (CDIAL 9463)  Ash. barī ʻ blacksmith, artisan (CDIAL 9464). Baran, bharat ‘mixed alloys’ (5 copper, 4 zinc

33

and 1 tin) (Punjabi) bharana id. (Bengali) bharan or toul was created by adding some brass or zinc into pure bronze. bharata = casting metals in moulds (Bengali)

Meluhha hieroglyph: 'rim-of-jar': Phonetic forms: kan-ka (Santali) karṇika (Sanskrit) Rebus: karṇī, supercargo for a

boat shipment. karṇīka ‘account (scribe)’.ककककक kāraṇī ‘the supercargo of a ship’ (Marathi)

ककककककक [ karṇadhāra ] m S (A holder of the ear.) A

helmsman or steersman कककककककककक  [dēśakuḷakaraṇī]  m Anhereditary officer of a Mahál. He frames the general accountfrom the accounts of the several Khots and Kulkarn̤ís of the villages within the Mahál; the district-accountant.

Stamp seal with a boat scene. Steatite. L. 2 cm. Gulf regio,Failaka, F6 758. Early Dilmun, ca. 2000-1800 BCE. Ntional Council for Culture, Arts and Letters, Kuwait National Museum, 1129 ADY. The subject is a nude male figure standingin the middle of a flat-bottomed boat, facing right. The man's arms are bent at the elbow, perpendicular to his torso. Beside him are two jars stand on the deck of the boat, each containing a long pole to which is attached a hatched square that perhaps represents a banner. Six square stamp seals from Failaka have been published...It is

34

unlikely that the hatched squares represent sails, since thepoles to which they are attached emerge from vases. The two diagonal lines on the body of the boat may represent the reed bundles from which these craft were buit. See Kjaerum 1983, seal nos. 192, 234, 254, 266, 335, 367. 

Source: Source: Joan Aruz et al., 2003, Art of the First cities: the third millennium BCE from the Mediterranean to the Indus, New York, Metropolitan Museum of Art (Pages 320, 322). See also: http://ancientworldonline.blogspot.in/2012/10/kuwaiti-slovak-archaeological-mission.html

What is shown like the phase of a moon may not denote a moonbut the shape of a bun-ingot. ḍabu ‘an iron spoon’ (Santali)Rebus: ḍab, ḍhimba, ḍhompo ‘lump (ingot?)’. Alternative reading: mūh̃ 'ingot'. Read together with the polar star, the rebus reading is: meḍ mūh̃ 'iron ingot'. [meḍha ‘polar star’ (Marathi). meḍ ‘iron’ (Ho.Mu.)] The antelope + dividedsquare is read rebus: eraka tagara kaṇḍ 'tin furnace' (merchant, damgar). The upraised arm indicates eraka 'copper': eraka ‘upraised arm’ (Telugu); eraka ‘copper’ (Telugu) Thus, the seal denotes a merchant dealing in iron, tin and copper ingots.

कककककक tamar-ūci, n. < कककक² +. 1. See कककक², 2. 2. Bits of a

brace; कककककक कककककककक ककक. कककक² tamar , n. [M. tamar.] 1. Hole, as in a plank, commonly bored or

cut; कककक ककककक कककककक ककककவ . कककककक कककक ककककक வ (ककककक कककவ.

35

ककककककक. 61). 2. Gimlet, spring awl, boring

instrument; कककककककककक कककक कவ . Ta. tamar hole in a plank, commonly bored or cut; gimlet, spring awl, boring instrument; tavar (-v-, -nt-) to bore a hole; n. hole in a board. Ma. tamar hole made by a gimlet; a borer, gimlet, drill. ? Ko. tav- (tavd-) to butt with both horns, gore. Tu. tamirů gimlet. Te. tamire, (VPK) tagire the pin in the middle of a yoke. (DEDR 3078) āˊrā f. ʻ shoemaker's awl ʼ RV. Pa. Pk. ārā -- f. ʻ awl ʼ; Ash. arċūˊċ ʻ needle ʼ; K. örü f. ʻ shoemaker's awl ʼ, S. āra f., L. ār f.; P. ār f. ʻ awl, point of a goad ʼ; N. āro ʻ awl ʼ; A. āl ʻ sharp point, spur ʼ; B. ārā ʻ awl ʼ, Or. āra, āri, Bi. ār, araī, aruā, (Patna) arauā ʻ spike at the end of a driving stick ʼ, Mth. aruā, (SETirhut) ār ʻ cobbler's awl ʼ;H. ār f. ʻ awl, goad ʼ, ārī f. ʻ awl ʼ, araī ʻ goad ʼ, ārā m. ʻ shoemaker's awl or knife ʼ; G. M. ār f. ʻ pointed iron spike ʼ; M. ārī, arī ʻ cobbler's awl ʼ.Addenda: āˊrā -- : S.kcch. ār f. ʻpointed iron spikeʼ.(CDIAL 1313)

Rebus: कककककककक  A brazier coppersmith (Sanskrit)ayo ‘fish’(Mu.); ayas ‘iron’ (Skt.) Rebus: ayas ‘metal’

Ta. kaṇ eye, aperture, orifice, star of a peacock's tail. (DEDR 1159a) Rebus ‘brazier, bell-

metal worker’: ककककककक kaṉṉāṉ , n. < ककक¹. [M. kannān.] Brazier, bell-metal worker, one of the divisions of the

Kammāḷa caste; ककककककककककककப. (ककक कவ.) 

कककक [ gōdā ] m A circular brand or mark made by actual cautery (Marathi) कककक [ gōṭā ] m A roundish stone or pebble. 2 A marble (of stone, lac, wood &c.) 2 A marble. 3 Alarge lifting stone. Used in trials of strength among the Athletæ. 4 A stone in temples described at length

36

under कककक 5 fig. A term for a round, fleshy, well-filled body. 6 A lump of silver: as obtained by melting down lace

or fringe. कककककक or कककककक [ gōṭuḷā or gōṭōḷā ] a (कककक) Spherical or spheroidal, pebble-form. (Marathi) Allographs: Ta. kōṭu (in cpds. kōṭṭu-) horn, tusk, branch of tree, cluster, bunch, coil of hair, line, diagram, bank of stream or pool (DEDR 2200) Koḍ. ko·ḷi fowl. Tu. kōri, (B-K) also) kōḷi id.  Te. kōḍi id. Nk. (Ch.)  gogoḍi, gogoṛi cock (< Go.). Go. (Tr.) gōgōṛi, (Ph.)gugoṛī, (Y.) ghogṛi, (Mu. Ma. S. Ko.) gogoṛ id. (Voc. 1184).  Cf. Apabhraṃśa (Jasaharacariu) koḍi- id., fowl. (DEDR

2248). Rebus: khoṭ ‘alloy’ (Marathi). ककक [ khōṭa ] f A mass of metal (unwrought or of old metal melted down); an ingot or wedge (Marathi). P. khoṭ m. ʻalloyʼ  M.khoṭā ʻalloyedʼ, (CDIAL 3931)    Rebus: khoṭ

‘alloy’ (Marathi). ककक [ khōṭa ] f A mass of metal (unwrought or of old metal melted down); an ingot or wedge (Marathi). P. khoṭ m. ʻalloyʼ M.khoṭā ʻalloyedʼ, (CDIAL 3931)

ḍato ‘claws or pincers (chelae) of crabs’; ḍaṭom, ḍiṭom to seize with the claws or pincers, as crabs, scorpions; ḍaṭkop= to pinch, nip (only of crabs) (Santali) Rebus: dhātu ‘mineral’ (Vedic); dhatu ‘a mineral, metal’ (Santali)

X as Hieroglyph: dāṭu ‘cross’(Telugu) Rebus: dhatu ‘mineral’(Santali). Vikalpa: bāṭa ‘road’ (Telugu). Rebus: bhaṭa ‘furnace’ (Santali)

Allographs:1.    aru m. ʻ sun ʼ lex. Kho. yor Morgenstierne NTS ii 276 with ? <-> Whence y -- ? (CDIAL 612)2.    aru(m), eru(m), harum "branch, frond " of date palm (Akkadian) Akkadian aru/eru may be equivalent of the Hebrew

37

'rh 'eagle'. The concise dictionary of Akkadian (Jeremy A. Black, 2000) notes: eru, aru, also ru 'eagle'. aru 'granary,storehouse' OA, jB lex.  aru(m) 'warrior'.

Rebus: eraka, era, er-a = syn. erka, copper, weapons (Ka.) eruvai ‘copper’ (Ta.); ere dark red (Ka.)(DEDR 446). eraka, er-aka = any metal infusion (Ka.Tu.) Tu. eraka molten, cast (as metal); eraguni to melt (DEDR 866)

gaṇḍ 'four'. kaṇḍ 'bit'. Rebus: kaṇḍ 'fire-altar'.

khaṇḍ ‘field, division’ (Skt.) Rebus: Ga. (Oll.) kanḍ, (S.)

kanḍu (pl. kanḍkil) stone (DEDR 1298). ककक  (Marathi) is ‘metal, nodule, stone, lump’. kaṇi ‘stone’ (Kannada) with Tadbhava khaḍu.  khaḍu, kaṇ ‘stone/nodule (metal)’. Rebus: khaṇḍaran,  khaṇḍrun ‘pit furnace’ (Santali) kaṇḍ ‘furnace’

(Skt.) कककककककककककक f. a blacksmith's smelting furnace(Grierson Kashmiri lex.) [khaṇḍa] A piece, bit, fragment, portion.(Marathi) Rebus 2: kandi (pl. -l) beads, necklace (Pa.); kanti (pl. -l) bead, (pl.) necklace; kandit. bead (Ga.)(DEDR 1215). 

kolmo 'three'. Rebus: kolami 'smithy, forge'.

kolmo ‘paddy plant’ (Santali); kolom = cutting, graft; to graft, engraft, prune; kolma hoṛo = a variety of the paddy plant (Desi)(Santali.) kolom ‘three’ (Mu.) Rebus: kolami ‘furnace, smithy’ (Telugu)

satthiya ‘svastika glyph’; rebus: satthiya ‘pewter’.

meḍha ‘polar star’ (Marathi). meḍ ‘iron’ (Ho.Mu.) Allograph: meḍh ‘ram’.

Ka. (Hav.) aḍaru twig; (Bark.) aḍïrï small and thin branch of a tree; (Gowda) aḍəri small branches. Tu. aḍaru twig.(DEDR 67) Rebus: aduru gan.iyinda

38

tegadu karagade iruva aduru = ore taken from the mine and not subjected to melting in a furnace (Ka. Siddhānti Subrahmaṇya’ Śastri’s new interpretation of the AmarakoŚa, Bangalore, Vicaradarpana Press, 1872, p.330).

Text 4304 First three glyphs from left: 1. kuṭi ‘water-carrier’ (Te.); rebus:kuṭhi 'smelter furnace' (Munda). 2. kolom (rice plant). Rebus: kolami ‘smithy, forge’, ‘smelter,furnace’. 3. ranku 'liquid measure' rebus: ranku 'tin' (Santali) 

Next three glyphs from left: 4. kanka 'rim of jar' rebus: khanaka 'miner' (Skt.) 5. Ligure to rim of

jar: ककककक [khāṇḍā] m  a jag, notch, or indentation (as upon the edge of a tool or weapon); rebus: khāṇḍā‘metal tools,  pots and pans’. 6. koḍi ‘flag’ (Ta.)(DEDR 2049). Rebus: koḍ ‘workshop’ (Kuwi)

A person carrying a sickle-shaped weapon and a wheel on his bands faces a woman with disheveled hair and upraised arm. kuṭhāru ‘armourer’ (Sanskrit) salae sapae = untangled, combed out, hair hanging loose (Santali.lex.) Rebus: sal workshop (Santali) The glyptic composition is decoded as kuṭhāru sal ‘armourer workshop.’ eṛaka 'upraised arm' (Tamil). Rebus: eraka = copper (Kannada) Thus, the entire composition of these glyphic elements relate to an

armourer’s copper workshop. Vikalpa: कककक A twist or 39

tangle arising in thread or cord, a curl or snarl (Marathi).Rebus: mēḍ 'iron' (Munda)

Harappa tablet h180 (section). One glyph composition enlarged to show the crocodile ligature close to pudendum muliebre of the female with thighs apart and shown lying upside down.

The glyph showing the image of a crocodile issuing forth from a female with thighs drawn apart is one side of a tablet h180. Same text is repeated on both sides.

kuṭhi ‘pudendum muliebre’ (Mu.) khoḍu m. ‘vulva’ (CDIAL 3947). Rebus: kuṭhi ‘smelter furnace’ (Mu.)khŏḍ m. ‘pit’, khö̆ḍü f. ‘small pit’ (Kashmiri. CDIAL 3947).

Crocodile issuing forth from the womb: karā 'crocodile' (Telugu) khār 'blacksmith' (Kashmiri) dula 'pair' rebus: dul 'cast (metal)' (Santali). Pair of tigers: kola 'tiger' rebus:

Crocodile issuing forth from the womb: karā 'crocodile' (Telugu) khār 'blacksmith' (Kashmiri) Pair of tigers: dula 'pair' rebus: dul 'cast (metal)' (Santali). kola'tiger' rebus: kol 'working in iron' (Tamil) kolhe ‘smelters’ (Santali) The pair of tigers connote dul 'cast (metal)'  Thus together the pair of tigers as hieroglyphs connote: dul ‘cast’ kol ‘iron’ from kolhe ‘smelters’.

http://bharatkalyan97.blogspot.in/2013/12/tin-road-from-meluhha-to-ancient-near.htmlTin Road from Meluhha to ancient Near East which explains the presence of pure tin ingots from Meluhha in a shipwreck at Haifa (Levant or Fertile Crescent).

40

The route: via Elam, Susa, Persian Gulf, Ashur to Kanesh/Nesh (Kultepe, Anatolia or modern Turkey), close to Mitanni with evidence of Indo-Aryan superstrate which evidences the presence of Meluhha, Indian sprachbund.Bronze Age of tin-bronzes defined.

Breath-taking splendour of the Bronze Age tin-bronzes from Meluhha documented in over c. 20,000 Cappadocia/Kultepe tablets and c. 7,000 Indus script artifacts and c. 2000 Persian Gulf seals.

Meluhha hieroglyphs and Meluhha professions of Bronze Age. 

Pictorial gallery of Munda/Ashur at work for placer-mining of tin/cassiterite ores  http://bharatkalyan97.blogspot.in/2013/12/assur-daiva-samudra-manthan-meluhha.html

Seal showing a Meluhha merchant.

Akkadian cylinder seal of scribe, ‘S’u-ilis’u, Meluhha interpreter’, i.e., translator of the Meluhhan language.  The person carrying an antelope on his left hand is a Meluhha merchant.

41

Meluhha hieroglyph: ṭagara ‘antelope’;कककक takar, n. [T. tagaru, K. tagar.] sheep; ram. Rebus: tagara ‘tin’.  damgar, tamkāru ‘merchant’.

See: http://bharatkalyan97.blogspot.in/2013/12/ashur-temple-golden-tablet-of-ishtar.html

http://bharatkalyan97.blogspot.com/2013/12/ashur-temple-golden-tablet-of-ishtar.html  Ashur temple. Golden tablet ofIshtar temple in Ashur (1243-1207 BCE). Meluhha hieroglyphs on Ashur altar, Dholavira gateway 

Stone-smithy guild on a Meluhha standard

42

43

Harappa Tablet. Pict-91 (Mahadevan) m0490At m0490B Mohenjodaro Tablet showing Meluhha combined standard of three standards carried in a procession, comparable to Tablet m0491.

‘Raised hand’ hieroglyph on Pict-91 Harappa tablet: er-aka ‘upraised hand’ (Tamil) Rebus: eraka ‘copper’.

m0491 Tablet. Line drawing (right). This tablet showing three hieroglyphs may be called the Meluhha standard.Combined reading for the joined or ligatured glyphs 

Rebus reading is: dhatu kõdā sangaḍa  ‘mineral, turner, stone-smithy guild’.

Dawn of the bronze age is best exemplified by this Mohenjo-daro tablet which shows a procession of three hieroglyphs carried on the shoulders of three persons. The hieroglyphs are: 1. Scarf carried on a pole (dhatu Rebus: mineral ore); 2. A young bull carried on a stand kõdā Rebus: turner; 3. Portable standard device (Top part: lathe-gimlet; Bottom part: portable furnace sã̄gāḍ Rebus: stone-cutter sangatarāśū ). sanghāḍo (Gujarati) cutting stone, gilding(Gujarati); sangsāru karaṇu = to stone (Sindhi) sanghāḍiyo, a

worker on a lathe (Gujarati)  sangataras. ककककककक lit. ‘to collect stones, stone-cutter, mason.’ ककककककक कककककक ककक ०[ककक०] ककककक ककककक कक ककककककककक ककककक ककककककक । । २.

कक कककक कक ककककक ककककक कक ककक ककक ककक कक । (Dasa, Syamasundara. Hindi sabdasagara. Navina samskarana. 2nd ed.

Kasi : Nagari Pracarini Sabha, 1965-1975.) ककककक कक कककककक ककककक कककककककक, ककककककक, ‘mason’.

44

The procession is a celebration of the graduation of a stone-cutter as a metal-turner in a smithy/forge. A sangatarāśū ‘stone-cutter’ or lapidary of neolithic/chalolithic age had graduated into a metal turner’s workshop (koḍ), working with metallic minerals (dhatu) of the bronze age.

Three professions are described by four standards; three of these standards are three hieroglyphs: scarf, young bull, standard device dhatu kõdāsã̄gāḍī  Rebus words denote: ‘ mineral worker; metals turner-joiner (forge); worker on a lathe’ – associates (guild).

On this tablet, the standard which is also a hieroglyph on the very front is not clear. It is surmised that this standard, the first hieroglyph of four hieroglyphs carried on the procession may be comparable to the standard shown onTukulti-Ninurta I altar discovered in the Ashur temple.

This fourth standard  could be compared with this hieroglyph of the Tukulti-Ninurta altar:

A spoked wheel is shown atop on the standard and the hieroglyph is also reinforced by depicting the hieroglyph onthe top of the standard-bearer's head. This Meluhha hieroglyph is read rebus: eraka'knave of wheel' Rebus: 'moltencast copper'; āra 'spokes' Rebus:  āra 'brass'.

Thus, the fourth profession is depicted as the smith workingwith metal alloys.

45

Thus, together the four professions depicted on the Mohenjodaro-standard showing four hieroglyphs in procession are read rebus:

Hieroglyph: dhatu 'scarf' Rebus: dhatu 'mineral'

Hieroglyph: kõdā 'young bull calf' Rebus: kõdā 'turner-joiner' (forge), worker on a lathe

Hieroglyph: sã̄gāḍī  'lathe (gimlet), portable furnace' Rebus: sã̄gāḍī  'metalsmith associates (guild)'

Hieroglyph eraka āra  'knave of wheel', 'spokes of wheel' Rebus:eraka  āra  'copper alloy brass'

Thus Rebus readings of the four hieroglyphs denote: ‘ mineral worker; metals turner-joiner (forge); worker on a lathe’ – associates (guild), copper alloy brass. 

dhatu kõdā sã̄gāḍī eraka āra   

Safflower hieroglyph adorns one side of Tukulti-Ninurta I

altar: कककक [ karaḍī ] f (See कककक) Safflower: also its seed. Rebus: karaḍa 'hard alloy' of arka 'copper'. Rebus: fire-god: @B27990.  #16671. Remo <karandi>E155  {N} ``^fire-^god''.(Munda).

46

Rebus Meluhha reading of safflower karaḍī  as fire-god karandi renders the hieroglyph sacred and could well havedenoted sacredness of the effulgent sun divinity.

A bracelet with the face of a bull. ḍangar 'bull' Rebus: ḍangar ‘blacksmith’ (Hindi) 

47

From the stone reliefs of Ashurnasirpal II. Wrist with a safflower bracelet: safflower karaḍī  as fire-god karandi 

Hands carry metal weapons.

From the stone reliefs of Ashurnasirpal II. Daggers tucked in belt. The handle of a dagger has the safflower hieroglyph. 

48

From the stone reliefs of Ashurnasirpal II. Ear-ring with anarrowhead pendant. uṭu ‘arrowhead’, Rebus: uḍu ‘boat.

Indian-standard coinage of Menanderr I with an eight-spoked wheel and a palm of victory on the reverse (British Museum).The 'palm' evokes the spike shown on Tukulti-Ninurta fire-altar frieze (which is a rebus) of his ancestor's worship offire-god karaṇḍa, 'fire-god' (Remo spoken by Bonda people ofOdisha).

We are fortunate indeed that the rebus memories are retainedin spoken languages of Ancient Near East from ca.5th millennium BCE, dawn of bronze-age, as shown by examples of hieroglyhs and related glosses from Indian sprachbund.

49

The safflower hieroglyph shown on Tukulti-Ninurta altar is also found on flower ornament of jewellery :

Kunal, silver ornaments. Safflower-shaped hieroglyph is shown on the top left. safflower karaḍī  as fire-god karandi 

The Sumerian Princess

Pu'abi or Shab'ad "The Sumerian princess" : Jewelry and headdress of gold and imported precious stones such as carnelian and lapis lazuli from India and Afghanistan. From the Royal Cemetery of Ur. Early Dynastic, ca. 2400 BC. The National Museum of Iraq – Baghdad

50

Head-dress found in the tomb of Puabi: safflower karaḍī  as fire-god karandi 

Uruk seal impression showing safflower hieroglyph: safflower karaḍī  as fire-god karandi 

51

A goat standing on its hind legs eating the leaves of a tree. safflower karaḍī  as fire-god karandi 

The statuette is composed of gold, silver, lapis lazuli, copper, shell, red limestone and bitumen. Notice the shape of the "flowers" or "rosettes" and that they each have eightpoints.

52

The two terracotta toys show sindhur (red vermilion powder) at the central parting of the hair of these women statuettes. The same practice is followed even today by Bodoand Ashur married women.

Iron lump. Discovered at Tell Atchana/Alalakh (Low Bronze Age context)

53

Scheme of long distance trade -- Middle Bronze Age 2000-1600BCE (Larsen 1987, figure 5.2)

Ancient near Eastern cylinder seal, Marcopoli Collection (Beatrice Teissier, 1985, Univ. of California Press).

Meluhha hieroglyphs:Ta. kōṭaram monkey. Ir. kōḍa (small) monkey;  kūḍag  monkey.  Ko. ko·ṛṇ small monkey. To. kwṛṇ  monkey. Ka. kōḍaga monkey, ape. Koḍ. ko·ḍë monkey. Tu.  koḍañji, koḍañja, koḍaṅgů baboon. (DEDR 2196). kuṭhāru = a monkey (Sanskrit) Rebus: kuṭhāru ‘armourer or weapons maker’(metal-worker), also an inscriberor writer.  Rebus: koḍ = the place where artisans work (Gujarati)

tagara ‘ram’ Rebus: tagaram ‘tin’. aryeh ‘lion’ Rebus: āra ‘brass’. Antelope has head turned

54

backwards. ककककककक krammara. adv.

Again. कककककककककककक or कककककककक Same as कककककककक. krəm backʼ(Kho.) karmāra ‘smith, artisan’ (Skt.) kamar ‘smith’ (Santali)

Saar. 6580:05. Dia 2.4 ht 1.0. Male figure. A horned animal with ruffed neck looks back. To the left the man holds a seated monkey-like creature, jar motif

Pale-grey steatite. Dia 1.9 ht 0.85. Horned animal with ruffed neck faces palm-frond. On left, a monkey-like creature.Saar. 1042:23. Upper right quadrant of a circular seal impression, a seated monkey-like creature on the right,

55

facing left towards a short-horned animal. Below them is thehead and neck of a possible bull.

Mohenjo-daro tablet with graphics of animals including monkey m0439t

56

Clay find with impression of a cylinder seal and containing a tablet from Kanesh and a bulla from Acemhoyuk with impression of a seal (from Ozguc, 1969: 253). The circular seal impression shows a pair of seated monkeys and a fish. Meluhha rebus readings: ayo 'fish' Rebus: ayas 'metal (alloy)'.  kuṭhāru = a monkey (Sanskrit) Rebus: kuṭhāru ‘armourer or weapons maker’(metal-worker), also an inscriberor writer.  

57

“In the time of King Ziri-Lin of Mari (ca. 1780-1760BCE), the chief centres for the transit of tin to the West were the cities of Sippar, Eshnunna and Susa. Before that, however, the city of Assur was responsible for the supply ofmetal to the regions in the West and south. In the days of Hammurabi, the Babylonin merchants were still going north tobuy tin. It is known that there were rich deposits of tin inthe Kardagh Mountains in northeastern Iran, east of Tabriz, and also in Uzbekistan and Afghanistan. In a letter from thetime of Samshi-Adad I, it is stated that large quantities oftin could be got in Susarra in the plain of Rania in Iran, an important commercial centre on the road from Tabriz to Assur…We only know that in the time of level Ib in Kanesh (ca. 1800-1776BCE), the export of tin to Kanesh was interrupted, probably because of the closure of the Zagros route when Susarra was destroyed and abandoned. The Kanesh correspondence reveals a considerable volume of tin dispatched to Anatolia during the second period of the karum. Veenhof has calculated that over a period of somesixty years, a total of 27,000 minas – that is some 450 talents – of tin, equivalent to 13.5 tons, was dispatched toKanesh; this would be equivalent to some 80 tons during the whole of the colonial period and to some 200 caravans carrying tin on the backs of mules from Assur to Kanesh. However, a Old-Assyrian tablet preserved in Berlin would double that quantity because it mentions a lod of 410 talents of tin transported in a single caravan, the propertyof the merchant Imdilum.” (Aubet, Maria Eugenia, 2013, Commerce and colonization in the ancient near East, Cambridge University Press, p.292).

Meluhha colonies in Ancient Near East

“...the point of intersection between the two great trading networks of Mesopotamia and the Indus, along which the lapislazuli and the chlorite vessels passed and which no doubt operated through various intermediary centres like Aratta and Tepe Yahya. This would explain the appearance at the same dates in central Asia of a host of fortified centres

58

engaged in lapis lazuli and turquoise production, as in Dashly, where a palace showing traces of metal production and of contacts with Harappa and Mesopotamia through Iran was discovered. Leaving aside Tepe Yahya, Susa, the Indus and the Persian Gulf, it is certain that all this wealth flowed into Sumer and, in particular, to the city of Ur. Theprosperous urban centre of Shar-i-Sokhta (or Shahr-Sokteh) sitting on the caravan route between Elam and Sumer bears witness to a high degree of specialisation in the working ofsemi-precious stones. The craftsmen of the place imported the stone raw – lapis lazuli, turquoise and cornelian – and worked and polished it for export.  Some Sumerian texts allude to the acquisition of lapis lazuli and gold in Meluhha (the Indus valley), which suggests simultaneous use of the sea route through the Persian Gulf. Many of these trans-regional routes must have been very ancient and left traces in the collective memory of Sumer and Akkad in the form of heroic myths with couriers who come and go and ‘carry lapis lazuli and silver from the mountains. In another Sumerian myth about Enki and Ninhursag, the country of Dilmun (the modern island of Bahrein) figures as the maintransit point for merchandise from the Gulf and as a clear alternative to the overland route through Yahya and Susa. Dilmun-style seals have been discovered in Tepe Yahya, as have weights from the Indus in Bahrein. The Sumerian texts are unanimous in stressing timber as one of the principal commodities from Meluhha/Harappa and they allude to the existence of a ‘colony’ of merchants from Meluhha in the territory of Lagash. In Qala’at al Bahrein, a fortified townon the north coast of Bahrein with temples and a surroundingnecropolis with tumuli, evidence of contacts with the Indus is seen in the presence of seals, systems of weights and pottery from Meluhha, with signs of the presence of a community of merchants from the Indus in Dilmun. Elsewhere, on the fortified site of Al-Maysar, local production of copper is combined with a local chlorite vessel industry andthe importing of Mohenjo Daro-style seals. In exchange, Dilmun imported Mesopotamian cereals and textiles...karum atKanesh in Cappadocia. The long stay of these colonists and

59

merchants in Anatolia stimulated great creativity in the business sphere, in the drawing up of contracts and mercantile protocols...the Assyrian karu in Anatolia formed part of the provinces of the Assyrian empire, and in Landsberger’s opinion, they had functioned as colonies of merchants dependent on Assur.” (Aubet, Maria Eugenia, 2013, Commerce and colonization in the ancient near East, Cambridge University Press, p.191, 266, 268).

Harappa Potsherd. Rebus reading: tagaraka 'tabernae montant'fragrant tulip (Sanskrit) Rebus: tagaram 'tin (metal)' (Malayalam). This is dated to c. 3500 BCE and represents perhaps the earliest writing system of the globe.

Tin ingots with Meluhha hieroglyphs (Indus writing) discovered in a shipwreck at Haifa. Rebus reading: ranku

60

'liquid measure'; 'antelope' Rebus: ranku 'tin (cassiterite)ore'.

X glyph which is common to epigraphs on both the tin ingots may refer to kulhi ‘the village street’ (Santali) Rebus: kolalloy metal of five minerals (Tamil) See:http://www.newsnfo.co.uk/pages/Sarasvati%20hieroglyphs.pdf Glyphs on tin ingots compared with Sarasvati or Meluhha hieroglyphs.

Sensitivity of Indus Script to Site and Type of Object

Nisha YadavAn important new article by pioneering research Nisha Yadav on "Sensitivity of Indus Script to Site and Type of Object".from Scripta, Volume 5 (October 2013), pp. 67 to 103. It compares the occurrence of seals in Mohenjo-daro, Harappa, Lothal, Kalibangan, Chanhudaro. The article is full of well-constructed analysis and interesting facts, a new lens through which to look at writing in ancient Indus times.

61

Mohenjo-daro alone accounts for more than half of all seals found, and Harappa about a third, and both seem to have beenpart of an axis of writing styles.

 Nisha Yadav_Scripta 2013.pdfhttp://a.harappa.com/sites/g/files/g65461/f/201311/Nisha%20Yadav_Scripta%202013.pdf

[1] Hemacandra; Richard Pischel; Paravastu Venkata Ramanujaswamy, The Deśīnāmamālā, Bombay Bhandarkar Oriental Research Inst.1989.

http://www.scribd.com/doc/235084143/Nisha-Yadav-on-Sensitivity-of-Indus-Script-to-Site-and-Type-of-Object-from-Scripta-Volume-5-October-2013-pp-67-to-103

62