The Script of Harappa and Mohenjodaro and its Connection with Other Scripts c3.1

c3.1

Dr. Hunter has continued his investigations on the early indus Valley Script, which he began at Oxford, by copying many more seal inscriptions, which were excavated by Mr. Mackay at Mohenjodaro since the material, placed at the disposal of Mr. Sidney Smith, Mr. Gadd and myself, was available. In Mohenjo-Daro and the indus Civilisation, three large folio volumes edited by Sir John Marshall, Probsthain London, 1931, the script was investigated by the writers named above. Vol. II, chapter XXII, *Sign-List of Early indus Script*, by C. J. Gadd; *Mechanical Nature of the Early indian Writing*, by Sidney Smith; chapter XXIII, *The indus Script* by the writer. Dr. Hunter has made an intensive study of greater material and has arrived at many valuable results of classification. Since Sir John Marshall's book was published, M. G. de Hevesy has called attention to the script of the Easter island, *Bulletin de la Societé Prehistorique Francaise*, 1933, Nos. 7-8, *Sur Une Écriture Océanienne*. There can be no doubt concerning the identity of the indus and Easter island scripts. Whether we are thus confronted by an astonishing historical accident or whether this ancient indian script has mysteriously travelled to the remote islands of the Pacific none can say. The age of the Easter Island tablets made of wood is totally unknown, and all knowledge of their writing has been lost. This same script has been found on seals precisely similar to the Indian seals in various parts of ancient Sumer, at Susa and the border land east of the Tigris.