The Script of Harappa and Mohenjodaro and its Connection with Other Scripts c10.s81: Analysis of Table CII
The Script of Harappa and Mohenjodaro and its Connection with Other Scripts c10.s81
- Language
- English
Analysis of Table CII
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NIL. This is a table of miscellaneous signs grouped here because they seem to have no connection with the signs of the other Tables.
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SUMMARY. The analysis of the foregoing Tables enables us to recognize the vowels both independent and in composition. We also see which signs are simple variants. And we see which signs form regular groups and constitute words or phrases. We have identified the sign for 'God', 'to', 'from', 'son', 'slave', and guessed at several more. We have established the connection between Brahmi and Proto-Indian, and shown grounds for infering causal connections with Sumerian, Egyptian, Safa, Ethiopic, and Proto-Elamite. We may now explore these affinities with other scripts further in a Comparative Morphographic Table.
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We have also shown that the script contains compound ideograms, and compound phonograms, and that the method of compounding is threefold - by bisection and enclosure, by simple enclosure, and by ligature (both vertical and lateral).
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A word may now be said regarding cases where the same sign is repeated. The signs found repeated are 𐀀, 0, 𐀁, U, 𐀂, 𐀃, 𐀄, 𐀅, 𐀆, 𐀇, 𐀈, 𐀉, 𐀊, 𐀋, and 𐀍 (with its variants). If read phonetically we must assume that we have here cases of the repetition of the same syllable. Now to this there seems to be a marked objection in Proto-Indian on euphonic grounds (see Analysis of Table XIII). Another objection to a phonetic reading is the anomalies in sequence that this would produce, e.g. we should have to read 𐀅 as initial, and it is never initial. It is probable then that these repetitions are to be read ideographically. This conclusion is supported by 𐀎 which is clearly 𐀏 𐀏 written as a compound. Now the most naturally ideographic explanation of this repetition is to read them as the plural of the simple sign when they are repeated three times, as in the case with 𐀀 and 𐀋, and as the dual when only two come together, as is the case with the remainder. Of course it does not follow that a plural or dual meaning is necessarily implied. In many cases the word or syllable for which the doubled or trebled sign stands may be merely a homophone of the dual or plural of the sign.
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The analysis of these Tables also puts us in a position to determine in what cases two or more successive signs constitute a single word. There are many cases when at first sight one is tempted to consider as a single word signs which upon further analysis are seen to be separate words, their occurrence together being due to the fact that they form a single phrase or formula oft repeated: e.g. 𐀁𐀂. Since we know that 𐀁 is suffixed to a very large number of signs there is no reason to suppose that it is other than a suffix in this case. In deciding that two or more signs form a single word I have rigidly observed the following principles: (1) that the combination is found in a number of cases relatively larger in proportion to the total occurrences of one of its members. (2) That the first member of the combination is demonstrably independent of any signs found preceding the combination, (3) that the last member is demonstrably independent of any signs found following the combination. Observing these principles we find that the following are probably single words. I say probably, since it is always possible that what we take for a single word may really be two separate words forming a common phrase or formula.
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𐀃𐀄, 𐀃𐀄, 𐀅𐀄, 𐀆𐀄, 𐀇𐀈, 𐀉𐀊 𐀋 (10 variant spellings), 𐀍 𐀎 (2 variant spellings)
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𐀏𐀎, 𐀐𐀑, 𐀒 𐀄, 𐀓 𐀄, 𐀔 𐀕, 𐀁 𐀖, 𐀗 𐀘, 𐀙 𐀚. 𐀄 𐀚, 𐀁 𐀚, 𐀛 𐀜, 𐀐 𐀝, 𐀞 𐀟, 𐀠 𐀠 𐀔 𐀡 𐀡, 𐀢 𐀢, 𐀣 𐀣 (two variant spellings) 𐀤 𐀥𐀦, 𐀦 , 𐀨 𐀩, 𐀪 𐀪, 𐀫 𐀫 (one variant spelling), 𐀬) , 𐀭)) , 𐀮)) (one variant spelling), (one variant spelling), 𐀯 ( , 𐀁𐀰) (three variant spellings), 𐀱 ) , (𐀲) , 𐀳 𐀴, 𐀵𐀵 𐀶 𐀷 𐀸 (one variant spelling), ) 𐀹 𐀺, 𐀺, 𐀼 𐀽, 𐀿, 𐀀 𐀁, 𐀂 𐀃, 𐀄 𐀅, 𐀆 𐀇, 𐀈 𐀉 (one variant spelling).
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On the other hand the following single signs can be shown to be separate words, since the signs found on either side of them (in the numbers cited) are known from other sequences to be independent words:-
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𓃀 (passim), 𓃁 (M.240), 𓃂 (H.77), 𓃃 (M.344), 𓃄 (Harappa passim), 𓃅 (H.163), 𓃆 (I.28), 𓃇 (M.78), 𓃈 (M.203), 𓃉 (passim), 𓃊 (M.227, 270 and passim), 𓃋 (M.297, and passim with antecedent numeral), 𓃌 (M.311), 𓃍 (I.30), 𓃎 (I.5, H.78, M.452), 𓃏 (M.334, H.180), 𓃐 (M.210), 𓃑 (M.184, H.96.
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This group is very interesting showing how these sequences are built up with prefixes and suffixes. First we have the simple word 𓃒 𓃓 then 𓃔 𓃓 , then 𓃔 𓃕 𓃖, then 𓃔 𓃓 𓃖 𓃗 and finally 𓃘 𓃔 𓃓 𓃖 𓃗 - always in the same order), 𓃙 (M.375, 332, 313 etc.), 𓃚 (M.276, 83), 𓃛 (M.341, 179), 𓃓 (not found indisputably single, but its variant 𓃜 is so found, M.386), 𓃝 (I.27, M.271), 𓃞 (see 𓃞 passim), 𓃟 (see 𓃟 passim), 𓃠 (see 𓃠 passim), 𓃡 (M.116), 𓃢 (M.459), 𓃣 (M.69), 𓃤 (M.440), 𓃥 (M.433), 𓃦 (M.264), 𓃧 (H.22), 𓃨 (M.185), 𓃩 (M.356), 𓃪 (M.235), 𓃫 (M.461), 𓃬 (M.382), 𓃭 (passim), 𓃮 (passim), 𓃯 (and all the numerals appear independently, see argument on numeral signs), 𓃰 (I.35, M.279, 260), 𓃱 (M.76), 𓃲 (M.272, 491), 𓃳 (passim), 𓃴 (M.196), 𓃵 (M.194), 𓃶 (M.215,344), 𓃷 (M.498), 𓃸 (see all cases where it is preceded by a numeral sign), 𓃹 (M.257), 𓃺 (M.171), 𓃻 (M.38), 𓃼 (H.107), 𓃽 (H.209), 𓃾 (M.118), 𓃿 (H.239), 𓄀 (M.237, I.15, M.165), 𓄁 (M.235), 𓄂 (H.205), 𓄃 (and variants, H.28, 29, 238), 𓄄 (M.96), 𓄅 (M.7), 𓄆 (M.441), 𓄇 (M.499), 𓄈 (M.155), 𓄉 (M.63), 𓄊 (M.442), 𓄋 (H.33), 𓄌 etc. (M.2, 206, and passim), 𓄍 (passim), 𓄎 (H.73, M.169 and passim), 𓄏 (M.295), 𓄐 (M.41), 𓄑 (M.387), 𓄒 (M.261), 𓄓 (H.223), 𓄔 (M.250), 𓄕 (H.44), 𓄖 (M.179, etc.) 𓄗 (M.195), 𓄘 (passim), 𓄙 (H.143), 𓄚 (M.81), 𓄛 (M.209), 𓄜 (M.277), 𓄝 (M.173), 𓄞 (H.146), 𓄟 (H.178), 𓄠 (M.240), 𓄡 (M.167), 𓄢 (M.127), 𓄣 (M.72), 𓄤 (H.231 etc.), 𓄥 (M.80), 𓄦 (M.162), 𓄧 (M.18, 466, 36, 51, one variant spelling M.50), 𓄨 (M.363), 𓄩 (M.8), 𓄪 (M.492), 𓄫 (M.202), (M.452), (M.182), (M.263), (M.266), (M.417), (M.456), (M.77).
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It will be observed that no sign of common occurrence, except is not found as a single word. If, as there is strong reason to suppose from the phonetic modifications of signs in accordance with principles of euphony, each sign constitutes a single sound or syllable, we have here evidence that a large number of words in our texts are monosyllables - i.e., unilateral or bilateral roots. And it must be remembered that in the above list of independent signs no account has been taken of compound ideograms, which may well also be monosyllabic, nor of a large number of simple ideograms which are probably independent, but where the evidence is not strong enough to give certitude. I conclude then that we are dealing in this script with a language which is pre-eminently monosyllabic, and in consequence that the language is not Sanskrit, or Semitic, whatever else it may be.
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TABLES OF PROTO-INDIAN SIGNS.
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Explanation.
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Col.II. The Reference Numbers are to the texts on the Plates, M = Mohenjodaro, H = Harappa.
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Col.III. R. Signifies the sign given in Col.IV opposite it. if no sign is given, the last preceding sign in Col.IV is to be understood.
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Col.IV. This column constitutes a sign-list. All varieties occurring in the texts, other than minor varieties of the thickness and degree of curvature and inclination of lines, are given in this column.
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* Signifies that the signs are to be read from left to right. Otherwise all signs are to be read from right to left. Obv. = obverse. Rev. = Reverse.
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Texts containing two or more lines on the same face are written as they would appear if they had been written in one line. This is in order to bring out the identities in sequence. Those texts which in the original inscription contain more than one sign in the second (or third) line are the following:
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Mohenjodaro, 133, 139, 141, 151, 193, 230, 365, 391, 417, 447, 450, 453, 477, 499, 506, 514, 516.
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Harappa, 107, 134, 241.