Decoding Indus script epigraphs of small sites
--
(1) Gumla, Jhukar, Pirak, Qala’at el-Bahrain,
Pabumath, Nippur, Lohumjo-daro, Luristan, Hulas, Hajar
(2) Gharo Bhiro (Nuhato), Djoka (Umma), Rojdi, Tepe
Yahya, Amri, Altyn Tepe, Tello, Tarkhanewala-dera,
Shortugai, Bakkar Buthi, Failaka, Hissam-dheri
The pictures of epigraphs are from Epigraphia Sarasvati. The texts are from
Mahadevan corpus followed by readings of texts taken from ICIT corpus which
analyses 3831 epigraphs: http://caddy.bv.tu-berlin.de/indus/welcome.htm Qala’at
el-Bahrain and Hajar epigraphs are not listed in Mahadevan corpus.
Each of these twnty-two sites have yielded one epigraph each. Jhukar has yielded an
additional epigraph showing only a pictorial glyph (elephant).
The epigraphs are inscribed on pots or seals. Some seals also have an animal glyph
(for e.g. bull). Jhukar shows a seal with just the elephant glyph as an epigraph
(without any signs).
Bull glyph in the following epigraphs may be decoded as: d.hangar ‘bull’; rebus:
d.hangar ‘blacksmith’ (H.)
Heifer glyph in the following epigraphs may be decoded as: damr.a ‘heifer’; rebus:
tam(b)ra ‘copper’ (Skt.)
[ID Text and symbol/sign refereences are to http://caddy.bv.tu-
berlin.de/indus/welcome.htm]
Gumla8a
Gumla pot ID 3726 Guild: Sanghaṭṭa2 (?) bangle Sn 48
(˚yanta): thus Nd2 reading for ˚māna (ppr. med. of sanghaṭṭeti). Sanghaṭṭeti
[saŋ+ghaṭṭeti] 1. to knock against Vin ii.208. -- 2. to sound, to ring Mhvs 21, 29
(˚aghaṭṭayi). -- 3 to knock together, to rub against each other J iv.98 (aŋsena aŋsaŋ
samaghaṭṭayimha); Dāvs iii.87. -- 4. to provoke by scoffing, to make angry J vi.295
(paraŋ asanghaṭṭento, C. on asanghaṭṭa); VvA 139 (pres. pass. ˚ghaṭṭiyati). --
pp. sanghaṭ(ṭ)ita. Rebus: CDIAL 12858 *saṁghara ʻ living in the same house ʻ.
[Cf. ságr̥ha<-> ĀpŚr. -- ghara -- ]
Pa. saṅghara -- ʻ with one's own family (?) ʻ; L. sagghrā ʻ accompanied by one's own
family ʻ; H. sã
̄ghar m. ʻ wife's son by former husband ʻ.
jhukar1 Iron ibha ‘elephant’ (Sk