A way to decipher the Indus Script.

Indus script or symbols so far has posed a problem before the scholars because though various
approaches and efforts are made to decipher it, still, so far, there is no success. In absence of the
Rosetta stone, a bilingual inscription, Indus script could not be read conclusively to help
understand the language of the people of those times and who were they. Aryan Invasion or
Migration theory had led to the some scholars to think the script could belong to the Dravidian
speaking people and hence the language of the script could be of Dravid origin. Asko Parpola has
devoted his life in decipherment of the script on this basis. 1 Many Sanskritist scholars rather
think the language of Indus script is Vedic Sanskrit and they too have claimed to have deciphered
it. 2 However these claims have been refuted outright or even have been called fraudulent. The
scholars like Steve Farmer et al have claimed that the signs appearing on the seals are not meant
to encode speech but are non-linguistic symbols to serve key religious, political and social
functions or serving as formal memory aids. 3 There has been attempts to find origins or
similarities of the script with other extant deciphered scripts of the contemporary civilizations,
however, those attempts, too, have been failed for there simply is no similar script have ever
been located. Though decipherment of the script through the computer programs has not yet been
successful, the students of TIFR have been able to conclude from the sign combinations
appearing on every seal that it may be meaningful and the writing is highly ordered. 4
Nonetheless, the fact, so far, remains that the Indus script or non-linguist symbols remains as an
enigma. However, we need to discuss on the following points, if at all they can help, to take a
new approach to solve this riddle.
1. LANGUAGE ISSUE:
Aryan invasion theory led to some scholars like Parpola to think the displaced population of the
Indus Valley was Dravidian. Naturally he thought that the language spoken in NW area could be
none other than Dravidian before invading Aryans subjugated and forced Dravidians out. Some
so-called Dravidian in Rig Veda, considered to be loan words, too became one of the foundations
of his theory. This is why he made every effort to read Dravidian in every symbol and tried to
connect with that language. 5 NS Rajaram and N Jha had also claimed to have deciphered Indus
script and its language being Sanskrit. 6 However both the claims so far have not been well
received by the scholars. Rather Rajarams attempt to forge an Indus seal to prove horse presence
in Indus valley has been a blot on Indian scholarship.
However, it is a fact that the Indus script must be conveying some speech. A speech that was
spoken that only could have been inscribed on the seals and other objects in form of the script.
The images appearing on the Indus seals and the scriptural symbols stand apart in design and
order. Rather images are far beautiful over the scriptural symbols. Still almost every seal carries
one or more symbol to denote something, which we do not know at the present what it is
conveying.

However, let us deal first with the preconceived notions about the immigrant Aryans entering in
subcontinent to enforce their languages. It is not at all a proven fact. Invasion or migration
theories have now been looked upon skeptically because there is no proof of any invasion, at the
least from 7000+ BC onwards. Vedic religion came to India through its handful of the preachers
but the Rig Vedic language was modified later based on the local Prakrits to make it compatible
with the local linguistic environments. Since there is no proof that there ever was any invasion or
migration to India hence the displacement of the Dravidians from Indus regions can be outright
rejected. There are proofs that there has been interaction between the people of Indian
subcontinent from ancient times despite their independent linguistic groups. But the major
influence would be of the local tongues, those naturally would reflect in their encoded speech,
except for the terms for the goods imported from those regions.
Presence of the Sanskrit becomes far more doubtful in those times because there is no proof it
existed prior to first century AD. There is not even a single specimen inscription available that
would indicate existence of even Vedic language prior to third century BC. Vedic language
presence in ancient times is moreover a myth based on the hypothetical ideas of language
evolutions. Existence of Vedic language prior to Prakrits is mere a hypothesis, presented by PIE
migration theorists, to substantiate their theories of origin, but they do not present any physical
proof of its existence in support. Language of Avesta is supposed to be close to Vedic dialect,
mainly owing to the geographical proximity of both the religions, still it is evident from Rig
Vedic dialect that it has undergone several modifications. Moreover, Indus civilization possesses
no Vedic cultural element. There are attempts, though, to connect somehow Vedics with the IVC,
but they remain only speculative but put forth vehemently! Actually the fact is Vedic dialect is
mixture of Avestan and Prakrit dialects hence stands apart from all other vernaculars spoken in
Afghanistan and North India in those times.
So, wishful thinking that the Dravidian or Sanskrit language is encoded in Indus script and
attempting to decipher the ancient script on that basis wouldnt be illogical and misleading. The
failed attempts so far speak for themselves.
2. There have been attempts to decipher some certain signs, such as fish, arrow and terminal
signs. Parpola thinks fish sign actually denotes min (for fish) which actually represents the
star or planet in Dravidian languages. The jar sign is most frequently appearing sign in the
Indus script. BB Lal thinks the jar sign is quite similar with the various jars found at Kalibangan
whereas Parpola thinks it represents front side of the bull or cow. Frequently occurring at the end
are arrow or lance signs which is supposed to be the suffix. 7 There are examples (funny
sometimes they might appear) the readers of Indus script have read Hammurabi as Ravan in the
script!
However, we can see, this does not help. The Indus people might not have intended from fish
sign the actual fish or any cognate for fish or stars in their language. Attempting to derive
astrological or mythological elements from the signs too is equally incorrect. One must bear in

the mind the purpose of the seals. Unless that is understood properly signs on the seals will
remain insoluble problem for ever.
3. Most of the script, single or few more signs, appears on the seals and tablets. Also we can
find that there is certain chronological evolution in the seal making and even in the script signs,
but natural in course of the time. Brahmi and Kharosti, the ancient known scripts of India, too,
show the gradual progression in style. Indus script spans from its early Ravi phase (3300 BC) till
1800 BC. Hence the changes in the style come as no surprise.
There is variety of the seals, from square to button like seals. Some are not intended to be seals,
as the inscriptions are not in mirror image, but they could have been served the purpose to
provide individual identity and rank. Some scholars think they, especially button-seals, could
have been used as passports or identity cards by the royal officers.
Other inscriptions found so far are on pottery and copper objects. The total signs found in IVC
are about 417. Average signs on the seal are 5. It is said that this is not the pictorial script because
the Chinese pictorial script has as many as 4000 signs. Because of the brevity of the Indus signs,
maximum being 17 of Dholavira signboard and average on the seals being 5, the reading has
become almost impossible. Over 5000 short Indus texts are available today waiting for
breakthrough. So far it only is understood that the writing system was right to left, nothing else.
There is probability that the script was used for other writing as well, such as royal
communication, land records and internal correspondence, but no such specimen has been
surfaced so far. Indian writing, almost had been on the perishable palm leafs or wooden plates,
hence in all probabilities its finding is almost impossible; if at all it was used for such purposes.
4. Instead of looking for mythological representations from the symbols those occur in the script;
let us take another direction to find a way to decipher them.
a. Purpose: The main Purpose of the seals, which appears from the available proofs, was to
mark or seal the packaged goods, meant for export or inland trade. Also it is suggested that some
seals could have been used to stamp mark of the authority. 8 However we must distinguish the
seals accordingly to find their purpose.
Mostly square seals have been used to make impression on clay or resin-like soft material on
the packaged goods. Now there is proof available that the jute bags, besides wooden boxes, were
in use to pack the materials. The seals bear, besides script, single animal such as unicorn, bull,
elephant, tiger and sometimes abstract logo. We can assume that these animal/logo seals could
have been representing identity of the group/city/province or trading guild, just like modern
corporate logos.

In India, during Mahajanpada era, the punch marked coins, bearing unique symbols, representing
their territorial identities with the different symbols representing the identities of the issuers of
the coins and its location of origin were in circulation. The similar practice could have been in
vogue in Indus times. The animal or other logos appearing on the seals must have been serving
the similar purpose to denote the identity and origin of the supplier (or trading guild) of the
packaged goods. So, the animals, even mythical like unicorns, appearing on the seals are not
arbitrary but must have specific purpose. The presence of the similar symbolism finds its
continuity on the seals over the Indus era.
Naturally, then, it would be obvious, apart from the identity of the supplier, to write what
materials were packed inside of the bags or boxes, for not only knowledge of the transporter but
buyer as well. Many of the Indus seals have been found in Mesopotamia, Indus people traded
with. The purpose of such square seals, except cylindrical seals, cannot be attributed to just
signify elite status or to manifest power and prestige but to represent the identities of the sellers
from the unique symbols and identity of the goods and quantity from the script. Patricia Duff
suggests that the seals were carefully carved and heated for permanent or durable use and that the
symbols on the seals could be denoting the quantity and destination of the goods. 8
Now, if we now think on the script appearing over the seals, what could it, most possibly,
convey?
In all probabilities, the script would denote the goods that were packed in the sealed bags or
boxes. It could also denote the quantity, but destination was not required to be mentioned. The
seals were manufactured not to use just once but to make repetitive marks. It also would indicate
the volume or quantity of the goods that could have been traded. The numeric marks over the
seals speak of it, though we so far are unable to understand what the numeric signs exactly
represented and meant.

Iconography would indicate origin of the goods and script would inform what was packed. Most
probably the quantity also was mentioned. Some seals appear to be having simple numeric
marks, though we do not know as yet the figures numeric signs did represent. Some seals appear
to have only scriptural signs but no iconography, indicating miscellaneous goods or suppliers.
Alternatively, the general produces like cotton and timber; there was no necessity to mark the
origin, but just name of the product and quantity. Such signs, as under, could have been used for
general purposes. Some of seals could have been used for the administrative purpose to make
multiple copies.

Since the purpose of the seals was to mark the merchandise, it would not bear any personal
names or any religious or other political information. Rather the seals were made of soft stones
and other materials including gold, with perforated boss at the back to help make right
impression and for repetitive use. This would mean that for the repetitively traded/exported
goods such permanent or durable arrangement was necessary. The art of seal making is a wonder
in itself.
From above, we only can deduce that the script over the seals must be informing about the name
of the good and quantity packed. The brevity of the script over the seals has only this
explanation. Its purpose was limited and it served well with just mentioning names of the goods

and its quantity and the literate people of those times could make sense out of it. Trying to find
mythological or historical meaning out of the seals becomes thus baseless.
What were most traded goods from Indus Civilization?
Indus people grew cotton extensively, forming a major part of their exports including cloth.
Besides copper implements, beads and bead necklaces, crafts, shell bangles etc. too were
exported originating from different locations. The beads were made of various semi-precious
stones like Carnelian, agates, chalcedonies etc. sourced from interior of the India as well as from
Afghanistan or from further Central Asian regions. Timber, such as Teak and Deodar, also was a
major export material to Mesopotamia. Gold, Silver and Tin too formed a part of the export. 9

(Mohenjo-daro and Harappa)

The Indus people had established their colonies in Mesopotamia and probably in Afghanistan too
to establish trade network. The Indus seals have been found in Mesopotamia. So the seals found
in Mesopotamia may have been mentioning the imported goods. However, there is no conclusive
proof to inform us what Indus people could have been importing from Mesopotamia or its nearby
regions. 10 Also there are indicative proofs that the Mesopotamian traders too would have settled
in Indus regions, the way Indus people made independent settlements there, under the common
name Meluha.

(Mohenjo-daro)
Manufacturing Zones
IGC (Indus-Ghaggar Civilization) was spread in the vast region, as vast as 12.50 lakh sq.
kilometers. The seals have been found almost in the all excavated Indus sites, representing
various periods. We know from excavated sites that what material was mainly manufactured or
produced from different zones. The flint quarries too have been found to explain the source of
the raw materials that was used in making many useful items.
If we desire to really decode the script of IVC, we first have to limit our efforts to the seals those
were meant for trade. The trading communities always limit their writing to the purpose and not
religious discourses. The motifs on the seals may even exhibit the religious beliefs, but they
certainly were not intended to spread any religious beliefs but just identity of the supplier.
We need to carefully classify the manufacturing centers according to the products and regional
agricultural produces. We know for sure many of the raw materials were sourced from the
subcontinent as well as from distant locations. What IVC people were experts in to convert the
raw material to fine objects! They had qualities of the artistic manufacture where contemporary
civilizations lacked in. So though the sources of the procurement may be different, after
manufacturing to make inland or overseas trade marking the merchandise was essential. Though,
the excavations at all the Indus sites and detailed analysis of the finds, it wont be impossible too
to have a generalized idea as at the least we know what was exported from Indus valley.
Hypothesis

The hypothesis is, if the seals were used to stamp and seal the packed goods or bundles for the
identification of the goods and its supplier/manufacturer or the trading guild, the script over the
seals only would inform the limited information of the name of the goods and, if necessary, its
quantity. We have discussed that the animal motifs appearing on the seals must have been
representing identity of the supplier source. We do not know for sure what Trading system IVC
followed those times, but for the sake of unified foreign and inland trade, some mechanism must
have been present, without which massive trade couldnt have been possible.
To focus on the script, its brevity does speak that it only contained name of the goods and
quantity. They could not have been meant to express anything other than that. They also were not
just formal memory aids as Steve Farmer et al claims. 11 Since the purpose of the information
was limited, there was no need to add irrelevant details. The packed good-tags of modern day too
are very brief and objective.
However, we confront here with a most debated problem and that is in what language the names
of the goods could have been encoded? Was it Dravidian or Sanskrit? Or was it entirely different
language such as Munda or Austric?
At the least we can be assured of that the purpose of the seal was not at all religious, though
some of the motifs exhibit the religious faiths of the people of those times. The elephant, unicorn
and other animals and trees could be representing totemic symbols of the trading families those
were meant to represent their identities most symbolically. Trying to read any mythology from
those symbols wouldnt be wise. Purpose of the Indus people was not to extend their religious
beliefs to the other trading communities, within India or elsewhere, but simply meant to trade
their merchandise.
Hence we only can see the commercial information on the seals. There couldnt be any relation
between the motif and the message that script conveyed, because wherever we find similar
motifs, the script-signs appearing on the seals are different many a times. This means that the
motifs inscribed on the seals meant to convey the origin of the supply/manufacture and the script
the name of the goods.
Now let us focus on language issue.
Language
As stated above, underlying language of the Indus script is hotly debated issue. Initially Aryan
Invasion/Migration theories were in vogue and collapse of the Indus civilization was normally
attributed to the nomadic Aryans hoards. Also it used to be claimed that the Dravidians were part
and parcel of the Indus valley, those later on were displaced and forced out to the south. Some
hypothetical loan words those were thought to be of Dravidian origin had boosted this claim.

Naturally the serious attempts had begun to decipher the script thinking the language of IVC was
Dravidian. Asko Parpola has done immense work to decipher the language based on this
hypothesis.
Later, troubled with the Invasion/Migration theories, Indigenous Aryan School emerged to claim
the authorship of the IVC and thus tried to find the Vedic Sanskrit in Indus script. SR Rao, NS
Rajaram, N Jha etc. attempted in this direction, even made huge claims to have deciphered the
script and read Vedic Sanskrit in it.
However, both the claims, in lack of the solid linguistic foundation, remained so far disputed
though hotly they still are debated. Paul D. LeBlanc in his thesis states, The Dravidian and
ryan camps oppose each other in all of the analytical perspectives surrounding the Indus
scripts underlying language. Each side argues in favour of identifying their own culture or
language to that of the ancient Indus Valley inhabitants. 12 In short, the issue of Aryan v/s
Dravidians, in new forms was flared up to cause socio-cultural unrest between north and south.
Indigenous Aryan theorists, to counter European supremacist approaches started claiming Indus
valley being the original homeland of the Vedic Aryans and that the IE languages and culture did
spread to the west from north-west India. Once upon a time, the same Indigenous Scholars used
the theory to prove their foreign origin.
However, it has been agreed upon by the scholars and archaeologists that there has been no
major invasion in India after +7000 BC. Also the present author has proved geography of the
Rigveda being Southern Afghanistan and not India. Also there are enough proofs to indicate that
the Vedic preachers came to India to spread their religion when IVC was already disintegrated
and was flourishing in new forms in Gangetic plains. So there is no any probable relationship
between Vedic culture and IVC. So reading Vedic language in 2600 BC old Indus script cannot
yield any positive result.
There, similarly, is no question of Dravidians being displaced from IVC, hence finding Dravidian
in the Indus script is equally wrong.
Now in absence of both the possibilities we need to relook into the matter again and try to solve
this riddle.
First of all, we must not forget here that the myth that the migrations of the PIE speakers and
spread of the so-called Indo-European languages is a carefully nourished myth by the European
linguists and scholars. Whatever were their motives, but it has resulted in unnecessarily
complicating the language issue and so the cultural issues across south Asia and Europe. The
present author has seriously challenged the migration theories those are claimed to be
instrumental in spreading PIE languages and cultures. Rather the present author 13 has shown
that to cause the net of the languages, migrations are not necessary and also there are no
archaeological proofs of such migration at the least from +7000 BC onwards in India. 14

Hence, we are left with no choice but to accept the fact that the Indus people (and from the rest
of the parts of India) were settled in their respective regions since last 10,000 years. Naturally the
language they would have been speaking was the ancestor language of the present languages
those are still spoken in the IVC regions and elsewhere in India. Regional variances in the
languages too would be but natural.

Looking at the map we can identify the modern Prakrit languages being spoken in these regions,
including Panjabi, Sindhi, Rajashtani and Gujrathi. Culturally speaking, most of the Indus
cultural traits are preserved even by the modern residents of these regions. For example it has
been observed that the bangles and pendants women wear in Gujrath are similar to the Indus
varieties. The bullock-carts, boats, utensils and the farmland furrowing practices are as similar as
they were in Indus times. The tradition has been well preserved in folk culture. Hence, it wont
be a surprise the languages too, must have been spoken in this region in their archaic form of the
present regional languages. It is agreed that all the present regional dialects are originated from
the Prakrits and not Sanskrit. Hence it will be appropriate to relate Indus script with the Prakrit
languages those are spoken in those regions even today.
Dr. Siraj Memon had proposed that the Sindhi, being original language, which continued since
Indus times in Sindh till date and that the archaic form of Sindhi must have been present in Indus
script. This was most logical solution to decipher the Indus script, however Sanskritists/

Dravidians and Europeans seems to have neglected to vital suggestion and in a way hindered the
progress in deciphering the script. They are forgetting that the languages those were not at all
present in Indus Valley couldnt have been present on the seals.
We need to remove the myth from mind that it was Vedic or Sanskrit language from which the
Prakrits had evolved. There is no material proof to prove this assumption. Rather Vedic language
has evolved from the Prakrits including Sanskrit. The Prakrit net of the languages was extant
from Maharashtra to Gandhar, as evidenced by the epigraphical as well as textual history. Hence,
assuming that the regional Early-Prakrits, ancestors of medieval Prakrits, were being spoken in
Indus era will not be incorrect or any kind of exaggeration. The Prakrit substratum in Vedic
language has been well detected and we cannot date Rig Veda prior to 1500 BC although the
Vedicist scholars want to date it back to pre-Harappan era for their motives.
However, it would seem my hypothesis is more logical for it is in line with the archaeological,
linguistic and anthropological history of India. Hence, instead of attempting to find Dravidian or
Sanskrit languages in Indus script, trying to locate proto-Prakrits in it would be more logical.
The process
Now, we will have to focus on the seals those were meant to stamp the packaged material. In the
following chronology we may be able to reach to the solution to the Indus script.
1. Classify the regions and the sites so far excavated.
2. Segregate the manufactured items meant to be traded/exported from particular regions.
3. Segregate the seals as per their locations.
4. Classify the regional languages and try to reconstruct them for at the least the names of the
concerned goods.
5. We have regional Prakrit specimens from the epigraphs and other Prakrit literature from at the
least 3rd Century BC onwards. We need to reconstruct these Prakrits to understand what could be
their earliest forms during 2600 BC and onwards.
6. The names of the merchandise, in its proto or early forms when satisfactorily understood we
can undertake the further job to attempt to relate them with the texts appearing on the seals. For
example beads are called Mani in Prakrit dialects. Seals found at bead manufacturing factories
can help read whether we find cognate of Mani in the texts.
7. The number of words denoting to certain goods and number of the signs can be compared. The
numeric signs too would come to be understood to what quantity it could have denoted.
I strongly believe this is the only way to decode the Indus script. Let us not forget here that the
site names traditionally bear the same information that could have been transmitted in those

times. For the site Kalibangan means black bangles and truly the Kalibangan site was a
manufacturing center of bangles in Indus times too. So the word Kali for black and Bangan
for bangles still carry the same information. The site name must be similar to this in Indus times.
Conclusion:
There is no meaning in the attempts to decipher the Indus script based on the Dravidian or
Sanskrit for these languages were absent from the Indus region. Also attempting to locate
mythological information from the seals, as Parpola and SR Rao have attempted, would be
daring but fruitless attempts. Such forcible identification, so far, has misled the scholars. The
Indus script remained un-deciphered for over hundred years because the unscientific approaches
were taken by the scholars.
The reconstruction of the Prakrit names for the traded goods and its comparison with the seals
only could help to solve the riddle of the Indus script. We do not need cultural element finder
but a commercial foundation of Indus script finder. There are no Vedas or Vedic mythology, there
is no Dravidian or their mythology, what the Indus script simply conveys is the commercial
information. We need to focus on Indus script to decipher in this direction!
-Sanjay Sonawani
References
1. A Dravidian Solution to the Indus Script Problem, by Asko Parpola, 2010.
2. The Deciphered Indus Script : Methodology, Readings, Interpretations, by Natwar Jha, Navaratna
Srinivasa Rajaram, Aditya Prakashan, 2000.
3. The Collapse of the Indus-Script Thesis:The Myth of a Literate Harappan Civilization (Steve Farmer,
Richard Sproat, and Michael Witzel, 2004). Available online at http://www.safarmer.com/fsw2.pdf
4. http://www.harappa.com/script/tata-writing/indus-script-paper.pdf
5. A Dravidian Solution to the Indus Script Problem, by Asko Parpola, 2010.
6. The Deciphered Indus Script : Methodology, Readings, Interpretations, by Natwar Jha, Navaratna
Srinivasa Rajaram, Aditya Prakashan, 2000.
7. http://www.harappa.com/script/mahadevantext.html
8. An Indus Seal: Spirit of a Civilisation by Patricia Duff.
9. The Ancient Indus Valley: New Perspectives, By Jane McIntosh, p. 72.
10. Ibid.

11. The Collapse of the Indus-Script Thesis: The Myth of a Literate Harappan Civilization (Steve Farmer,
Richard Sproat, and Michael Witzel, 2004). Available online at http://www.safarmer.com/fsw2.pdf
12. Indus Epigraphic Perspectives: Exploring Past Decipherment Attempts & Possible New Approaches,
by Paul D. Le Blanc, University of Ottawa.
13. Origins of the Vedic Religion and Indus-Ghaggar Civilisation, by Sanjay Sonawani, Prajakt
Prakashan, 2015.
14. The Ancient Indus Valley: New Perspectives, By Jane McIntosh, p. 118.