The Script of Harappa and Mohenjodaro and its Connection with Other Scripts c10.s26.1

c10.s26.1

The original pictogram would appear to have been heaven, plus a covering, plus the shadow of darkness? = Night? The earliest form would appear to be the second sign in Col. IV. Of this the first sign must be a cursive form, with the shadow detached (unless this is a phonetic modification of the second by the addition of ⌢). The third, fourth, and sixth signs are easily admissible as graphic modifications of the second. In the fifth the element ⊗ has almost completely disappeared. In the seventh it has been reduced to Ⅲ, in the eighth and ninth it has entirely disappeared. In the tenth and eleventh the shadow is reduced to one stroke and joined up with the rest of the sign. In the penultimate sign it is joined to the extremities of the body of the sign to form loops. In the two preceding (Texts 15, 16) the shadow has disappeared altogether and of all the original sign only the covering pall remains. Of course in No. 10 the occurrence of ⌢ after ⊽ may be a coincidence. If so the position of the sign in Nos. 11-14 would suggest that this particular sign ⌢ has no connection with the rest of the group. Regarding the remainder discussed above the evidence of the sequences seems inexorable despite the remarkable graphic modifications. The latter however are susceptible, as we have endeavoured to show, of a progressive explanation. The key to the identity of these signs is partly their position as finals, but particularly as finals after the ⊽. There are so few single signs suffixed to ⊽. Again we have the sequences R ⊞ and R ⊽.