The Indus Script: Texts, Concordance and Tables c9.s7: 7. The documentation of the objects

The Indus Script: Texts, Concordance and Tables c9.s7

Language: English

c9.s7.t1 Original objects and their present-day impressions — 5 parts
c9.s7.t2 Broken objects — 5 parts
c9.s7.t3 The different sides of the objects and their specification — 10 parts
c9.s7.t4 The scaling and printing of the photographs — 7 parts

7. The documentation of the objects

Original objects and their present-day impressions

c9.s7.t1.1

Because the texts carved in mirror image on the seals are to be read as they appear in the impression, the reports of the excavations at Mohenjo-daro and Harappa published just the impressions. However, the impression may not faithfully reproduce all the features of the original, and the original always remains the ultimate authority. On the other hand, the impression is needed not only because it shows the inscription in its proper form but also because it sometimes reveals details not immediately visible by the inspection of the original. For example, it is harder to see an inscription on a rough or transparent or multicoloured surface than in an impression taken on a neutral and unweathered material (cf. M-221 and L-36). Thus the original and its impression complement each other and furthermore make a double checking possible.

c9.s7.t1.2

As a rule, an impression of an object is always published in this Corpus when the object was originally meant to produce one, as is the case with the stamp seals. Exception is taken to this rule, however, if it was not possible to get an impression, as for example if a seal was too brittle. In addition, an impression is published whenever it clearly helps in understanding an object meant to be read directly (e.g., H-176).

c9.s7.t1.3

The ASI has taken the responsibility for making the impressions of these unique and often fragile Harappan objects. The use of silicone rubber was considered, but in their tests the chemists of the ASI came to the conclusion that the condition of the objects does not allow this material to be used. Unfortunately the plasticine used instead is not sensitive enough, so that all details have often not been reproduced. Moreover, small crevices often form when a forceful impression is made on plasticine, with a result that is not aesthetically pleasing even if it may otherwise be adequate (cf., e.g., M-32 a & M-208 a). And in the case of large seals especially, it is difficult to obtain a good impression in which all parts of the inscription and the device are perfect. However, in the vast majority of the seals, the new impression is much better than the old one.

c9.s7.t1.4

Since an impression was taken and photographed twice for most of the objects, there was often the possibility to choose a second if one was not good, but in numerous cases neither version was publishable. In 1987, an effort was made to obtain a good new impression of such seals. Where this could not be done, recourse was taken to old impressions made soon after the excavations, either those published in the excavation reports or, if better, those available in the Photo Archives of the ASI.

c9.s7.t1.5

It would have been possible to replace missing or bad impressions by reversed prints of the original seals, but this procedure was strictly refrained from; it could have lead to serious misunderstandings, for some seals have a reversed direction of writing.

Broken objects

c9.s7.t2.1

Old photographs have been published besides the new if they clearly complement each other⁵⁹ and whenever they show an object in a state of preservation that is better than its present state. A broken object may have been restored afterwards, and in some cases the impression taken nowadays of the object may be quite misleading.⁶⁰

c9.s7.t2.2

⁵⁹ Sometimes the photograph of a new impression was received only after the printing was started, with the result, e.g., that M-81 a bis now makes M-81 a irrelevant.

c9.s7.t2.3

⁶⁰ Cf., e.g., H-141 and especially H-129. From M-277 a, an old impression, it can be seen that one corner was originally missing from this seal. The restoration evidenced already in another early impression, M-277 a bis, seems dubious, for the inscription in the added corner does not seem to fit.

c9.s7.t2.4

The excavation reports sometimes left one wondering whether the object depicted is complete, and if not, how much is missing. This can be checked by examining its back or sides. In the case of the regular square seals, this is often superfluous, because the estimate can be made from the front side itself, but for the rectangular seals without iconography it is indispensable to see the flank side and the position of the cord hole that is usually pierced through its centre.⁶¹

c9.s7.t2.5

⁶¹ This can sometime be tricky. For example, the seal L-84 at first sight seems to be complete even when one looks at its side edges, because the hole goes through the middle of the seal. But the remains of a second hole show that the seal has been reshaped.

The different sides of the objects and their specification

c9.s7.t3.1

Many of the objects have two or more (up to six) sides with inscriptions, pictures or engravings of one kind or another. It is clear that all such sides had to be photographed and published. But the photography carried out for the Corpus was extended to comprise even the empty sides. This procedure made it possible to verify afterwards whether a given side of a specific object really is empty. Another reason for documenting all the sides of the objects was the need to check the excavation number (and often the museum number as well), which has usually been painted on the object.⁶²

c9.s7.t3.2

⁶² In some cases the excavation number painted on the object differs from that assigned to it in the lists of the excavation reports; sometimes the difference is likely to be due to a mistake in the report; sometimes the number painted on the object has become obliterated and has been erroneously restored.

c9.s7.t3.3

Originally the publication of all the sides of all the objects was contemplated, but this would have been too expensive, and for most of the users of the Corpus, the sides now left out are of little interest. So only a selection of the uninscribed sides is published in the Corpus: they are shown when needed to give an idea of the shape of the object, especially if a divergent type of seal is concerned.⁶³

c9.s7.t3.4

⁶³ However, it was deemed unnecessary to show all the sides of some shapeless lumps (such as L-120). If side edges are shown, it is the edge with a hole going through the object that is selected.

c9.s7.t3.5

The different sides of the objects are indicated in the Corpus by means of capital letters, which normally have the following significance: A = the obverse (which is taken as the point of reference for the other sides) / B = the reverse / C = the upper side / D = the right side / E = the lower side / F = the left side. The principal (rectangular) sides of the three-sided prisms are numbered A, B, and C and their (triangular) ends D and F.⁶⁴

c9.s7.t3.6

⁶⁴ An additional letter G is used in M-494 and M-495 which, classified as three-sided prisms, actually are four-sided.

c9.s7.t3.7

The corresponding lower case letter is used to refer to the impression taken of any of the sides, for instance, a = impression of A.

c9.s7.t3.8

Different inscriptions (for instance, impressions made with separate seals) on any one side of an object have been numbered with Arabic numerals following the letter for the side, and usually the corresponding numbers have been marked beside the respective inscriptions alongside the photograph. The order is, conventionally, from left to right and from top to bottom.

c9.s7.t3.9

If two or three different photographs of the same side are published, the code number for the second, third and fourth photograph is followed by the words *bis*, *ter* and *quater* respectively. Such photographs are usually arranged in the temporal order, from the oldest (first) to the latest (last). If different parts of the same side are shown in several photographs (as in the case of the cylinder seal M-418), these are given a separate Arabic numeral put within parentheses after the letter indicating the side: M-418 A (1), M-418 A (2), etc. The same is done if one picture gives a general view of a side and another an enlargement of its inscription (as in the case of the pots M-420 to M-422).

c9.s7.t3.10

The aim of these conventions is to make each photograph and the reference to it unambiguous.

The scaling and printing of the photographs

c9.s7.t4.1

In the excavation reports, the seals are normally depicted in their natural size, but this scale has proved to be too small for a clear recognition of all details of the inscriptions and iconographic motifs. The policy adopted in this Corpus is to print all the sides of all objects bearing either inscriptions or any kind of iconography in double size (2:1, or 200%) whenever possible, and their uninscribed sides (if illustrated at all) either in the natural size (1:1, or 100%) or in the double size (200%). All exceptions to this rule will be specifically indicated in each case. Most of the graffiti from Lothal are shown half-sized (50%) - this percentage is given in the page caption, and exceptions to it *in casu*.

c9.s7.t4.2

As the great majority of the photographs is in the same scale, one will have an idea of the relative size of the different objects. This is important, because in the case of the seals, for instance, the relative size seems to convey information of its own.⁶⁵

c9.s7.t4.3

⁶⁵ Cf. above, at fn. 30.

c9.s7.t4.4

The major part of the prints was made on plastic in order to avoid the distortions due to the stretching of wet paper. Moreover, while photographing the original objects Ms Lahdenperä measured them, and most of the prints have been enlarged by using these measurements.⁶⁶ Note, however, that reproductions of (published and unpublished) old photographs especially, which were not necessarily in the correct size originally and which were mechanically enlarged in the double size, are liable to be slightly inaccurate. As the actual measures of the objects will be listed separately in the third volume and are partly available even now in the published reports, the reader will be able to check the size of the photographs.