Dholavira Indus Script Signboard proclamation of

engraved molten casts, implements, dula thbh, 'two

pillars' rebus dul tb 'copper castings'
Two pillars in Dholavira are Indus Script proclamation of 'copper castings' -- of engraved molten
casts, implements.
See: http://bharatkalyan97.blogspot.in/2016/04/kalibangan-binjor-yupa-skambha-indus.html
Kalibangan, Binjor Yupa Skambha Indus inscriptions, Harappa, Bhutesvar ivalingas, kangar
'brazier', tb 'copper' dhu 'hematite'
Hieroglyphs skambha, stambha signify tb 'copper'.

A statue of Uma, a Cham divinity holding two lingas by her hands. National Museum of
Vietnam History. Cf. two stone pillars of Dholavira. The sivalingas are signified by the
orthography of the pillars: the pillars are octagonal 'with 8 corners'.

Adjacent to the ground where two stambhas

exist, is a raised place with an 8-shaped structure. This shape compares with a furnace of
Harappa. he remnants of pillars are seen in the middle of the 8-shaped structure.

Furnace. Harappa
The two pillars are associated with the furnace which is celebrated as kole.l 'smithy, forge' rebus:
kole.l 'temple'. T

Why two stambhas?

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dula 'pair' rebus: dul 'cast metal' stambha 'pillar' rebus: tb 'copper'
Hieroglyph: stambha m. pillar, post Kh., aka -- m. Mahvy. [stambh]
Pa. thambha -- m. pillar , A.rum. thabhe loc., top. thabhe, ru. ha()bhasi, Pk. thabha -, aya -- , tabha -- , habha -- m.; Wg. t ma stem, tree , Kt. tom, Pr. tyobu; Bshk. "am"
tree NTS xviii 124, Tor. thm; K. tham m. pillar, post , S. thambhu m.;
L. thamm, thamm m. prop , (Ju.) tham, m, aw. tham, khet. thamb;
P. thamb(h), thamm(h) pillar, post , Ku. N. B. thm, Or. thamba; Bi. mar -- thamh upright
post of oil -- mill ; H. thbh, thm, thamb prop, pillar, stem of plantain tree ;
OMarw. thma m. pillar , Si. mba; Md.tambu, tabu pillar, post ; -- ext. -- -- :
S. thambhi f. inside peg of yoke ; N. thro prop ; Aw.lakh. thbhar post ; H. tham
thick, corpulent ; -- -- ll -- ; G. thbhl, thbl m. post, pillar . -- X sth -- q.v.*ut -stambha -- , *kstambha -- ; *kpastambha -- .Addenda: stambha -- : S.kcch. thambhlo m.
pillar , A. thm, Md. tanbu.(CDIAL 13682)
Rebus: tmr dark red, copper -- coloured VS., n. copper Kau., tmraka -- n. Yj.
[Cf. tamr -- . -- tam?]Pa. tamba -- red , n. copper , Pk. taba -- adj. and n.; Dm. trmba - red (in trmba -- lac uk raspberry NTS xii 192); Bshk. lm copper, piece of bad pine -wood (< *red wood ?); Phal. tmba copper ( Sh.koh. tmb), K. trm m. ( Sh.gil.
gur. trm m.), S. rmo m., L. trm, (Ju.) tarm m., P. tmb m., WPah. bhad. m n.,
kiuth. cmb, sod. cambo, jaun. tb, Ku. N. tmo (pl. young bamboo shoots ), A. tm,
B. tb, tm, Or. tamb, Bi tb, Mth. tm, tm, Bhoj. tm, H. tm in cmpds., tb, tm m.,
G. trbu, tbu n.;M. tb n. copper , tb f. rust, redness of sky ; Ko. tmbe n. copper ;
Si. tamba adj. reddish , sb. copper , (SigGr) tam, tama. -- Ext. -- ira -- : Pk. tabira --
coppercoloured, red , L. tmr copper -- coloured (of pigeons) ; -- with -- a -- : S. rmio m.
a kind of cooking pot , rmi sunburnt, red with anger , f. copper pot ; Bhoj. tmr
copper vessel ; H. tb, tm coppercoloured, dark red , m. stone resembling a ruby ;
G. tba n., trb, tb f. copper pot ; OM. tba red . -- X trpu -- q.v.tmrika -- ;
tmrakra -- , tmrakua -- , *tmraghaa -- , *tmraghaaka -- , tmraca -- , *tmradhka -- ,
tmrapaa -- , tmrapattra -- , tmraptra -- , *tmrabha -- , tmravara -- , tmrka -.Addenda: tmr -- [< IE. *tomr -- T. Burrow BSOAS xxxviii 65]
S.kcch. trmo, tm(b)o m. copper , trmbhyo m. an old copper coin ; WPah.kc. cambo m.
copper , J. cmb m., kg. (kc.) tamb m. ( P. or H. Him.I 89), Garh. tmu, tbu.(CDIAL
5779)
This decipherment, decoding of the significance of the two pillars of Dholavira is consistent with
the decipherment of the 10 hieroglyphs on the Proclamation signboard on the Northern Gateway
of Dholavira.
See: http://bharatkalyan97.blogspot.in/2015/04/dholavira-1-signboard-and-2-stone.html
Decipherment of Dholavira Signboard Indus Script Proclamation
There are three proclamations on the signboard with three segments of messages:

ato eraka sangaa

1. Working in ore, molten cast copper, lathe (work)
kh aaren ku eraka
2. Native metal tools, pots and pans, metalware, engraving (molten cast copper)
loa khua eraka
3. Coppersmith mint, furnace, workshop (molten cast copper)

Dholavira Signboard inscription of gypsum inlays on wood measures 3 m. long. Each of the 10
signs is 37 cm. high and 25 to 27 cm. wide and made of pieces of white gypsum inlays; the signs
were apparently inlaid in a wooden plank. The conjecture is that this wooden plank was mounted
on the Northern Gateway as a Signboard.
Dholavira Signboard
The Signboard which adorned the Northern Gateway of the citadel of Dholavira was an
announcement of the metalwork repertoire of dhokra kamar, cire perdue metalcasters and other
smiths working with metal alloys. The entire Indus Script Corpora are veritable metalwork
catalogs. The phrase dhokra kamar is rendered on a tablet discovered at Dholavira presented in
this monograph (earlier discussed at
http://bharatkalyan97.blogspot.in/2014/01/meluhha-hieroglyphs-1-dhokra-lost-wax.html ). The
10-hieroglyph inscription of Dholavira Signboard has been read rebus and presented at
http://bharatkalyan97.blogspot.in/2013/08/dholavira-gateway-to-meluhha-gateway-to.html

Excerpts from Excavation Report on Dholavira released by ASI in 2015:

"8.1 Inscriptions. Literacy of the Harappans is best exemplified in their inscriptions written in a
script that is unparalleled in its characters hitherto unknown and undeciphered so far. These
inscriptions are best represented on their seals and seals-impressions in addition to those
engraved or painted on the objects of metal, terracotta, pottery, faience, ivory, bone and stone,
albeit sometimes appearing in a single sign inscription or scratching particularly on pottery or
terracotta objects. 8.1.1 Signboard. One of the most prominent discoveries from the excavations
at Dholavira is the find of a 10 large sized signboard presently lying in the western chamber of
North Gate. This inscription was found lying in the western chamber of north gate, and the
nature of find indicates that it could have been fitted on a wooden signboard, most probably
fitted above the lintel of the central passageway of the gate. The central passageway of north gate
itself measures 3.5 m in width and the length of the inscription along with the wooden frame
impression is also more or less same thereby indicating the probable location. The inscription
consists of 10 large-sized letters of the typical Harappan script, and is actually gypsum inlays cut
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into various sizes and shapes, which were utilized to create each size as, indicated above. The
exact meaning of the inscription is not known in the absence of decipherment of script." (pp.227229, Section 8.1.1 Signboard)
"The central passageway of north gate itself measures 3.5 m in width and the length of the
inscription along with the wooden frame impression is also more or less same thereby indicating
the probable location. The inscription consists of 10 large-sized letters of the typical Harappan
script, and is actually gypsum inlays cut into various sizes and shapes, which were utilized to
create each size as, indicated above. The exact meaning of the inscription is not known in the
absence of decipherment of the script. (p.231)

Fig. 8.2: Location of ten large sized inscription in North Gate

Fig. 8.3: Close-up of inscription

Fig. 8.4: Drawing showing the ten letters of inscription

Fig. 8.5: Photograph showing the details of inscription in situ.

Fig. 8.6: Close-up of some of the letters from the inscription

The signboard deciphered in three segments from r.

Segment 1: Working in ore, molten cast copper, lathe (work)

ato claws or pincers of crab (Santali) rebus: dhatu ore (Santali)
eraka knave of wheel Rebus: eraka copper (Kannada) eraka molten cast
(metal)(Tulu). sangaa 'pair' Rebus: sangaalathe (Gujarati)

Segment 2: Native metal tools, pots and pans, metalware, engraving (molten
cast copper)
[ kh ] m A jag, notch, or indentation (as upon the edge of a tool or weapon).
(Marathi) Rebus: kh tools, pots and pans, metal-ware.
aaren, aren lid, cover (Santali) Rebus: aduru native metal (Ka.) aduru = gan.iyinda tegadu
karagade iruva aduru = ore taken from the mine and not subjected to melting in a
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furnace (Kannada) (Siddhnti Subrahmaya stris new interpretation of the Amarakoa,

Bangalore, Vicaradarpana Press, 1872, p. 330)
koa bend (Ko.); Tu. Ki corner; ku angle, corner, crook. Nk. kna corner (DEDR
2054b) G. kh f. angle Rebus:kd to turn in a lathe(B.)
knda engraver,
lapidary setting or infixing gems (Marathi) ko artisans workshop (Kuwi) ko = place where
artisans work (G.) cri koya smithy (Tu.)
[kaa] f A fold or pen.

(Marathi) B. kd to turn in a lathe; Or.knda lathe, kdib, k d to turn ( Drav. Kur. K d

lathe) (CDIAL 3295) A. kundr, B. kdr, ri, Or.Kundru; H. kder m. one who works
a lathe, one who scrapes, r f., kdern to scrape, plane, round on a lathe; kundakara m.
turner (Skt.)(CDIAL 3297).
[ kndaa ] n (
) Setting or infixing of
gems.(Marathi) [ khdakra ] n an engraver; a carver. n. engraving;
carving; interference in others work. [ khdi ] n engraving; carving. v. to
engrave; to carve. v. & n. en graving; carving. [ khdita ] a
engraved. (Bengali) [ khdakma ] n Sculpture; carved work or work for the
carver. [ khdagir ] f Sculpture, carving, engraving: also sculptured or carved
work. [ khdavaa ] f ( ) The price or cost of sculpture or carving. [
khda ] f (Verbal of ) Digging, engraving &c. 2 fig. An exacting of money by
importunity. V , . 3 An instrument to scoop out and cut flowers and figures from paper. 4
A goldsmiths die. [ khda ] v c & i ( H) To dig. 2 To engrave. or
To question minutely and searchingly, to probe. [ khd ] f (H.) Price or cost of
digging or of sculpture or carving. [ khdva ] p of Dug. 2 Engraved, carved,
sculptured. (Marathi)
eraka knave of wheel Rebus: eraka copper (Kannada) eraka molten cast (metal)(Tulu).

Segment 3: Coppersmith mint, furnace, workshop (molten cast copper)

loa fig leaf; Rebus: loh (copper) metal kamaha 'ficus religiosa' (Skt.); kamaa = portable
furnace for melting precious metals (Te.); kampaam = mint (Ta.) The unique ligatures on the
'leaf' hieroglyph may be explained as a professional designation: lohakra 'metalsmith'; kruvu [Skt.] n. 'An artist, artificer. An agent'.(Telugu).
khua 'peg; khi = pin (M.) rebus: kui= furnace (Santali) ka workshop kuamu a pit for
receiving and preserving consecrated fire (Te.) kundr turner (A.); kdr, kdri (B.)
eraka knave of wheel Rebus: eraka copper (Kannada) eraka molten cast (metal)(Tulu).

S. Kalyanaraman
Sarasvati Research Center
April 10, 2016
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