Proposed Ancient Indus Script Dictionary
There is no such thing as an accepted Indus Valley script dictionary. Such a dictionary is probably decades away. Nonetheless, below are summarized some of Asko Parpola and Iravatham Mahadevan's
Essay on deciphering the written communication or writing system and script of the Harappan or Ancient Indus Valley Civilization, by Asko Parpola.
Deciphering the Indus Script
Generally recognized as the world's expert on the Indus script, Asko Parpola has been studying this undeciphered writing for over 40 years at the University of Helsinki in Finland.
Meeting the Challenge of the Indus Script
Meeting the challenge of the Indus script
In 1920, excavations at Harappa brought to light the ruins of a large brick-laid city, and soon a whole unknown civilization was uncovered in and around the
What type of writing does the Indus script represent?
How, then, is it possible to decipher an unknown system of writing?
The Principle of Picture Puzzles
The early logo-syllabic scripts functioned like picture puzzles, based on the rebus principle. Each sign was originally a picture, denoting the object represented by it.
Pictorial Interpretation of the Indus signs
In most of the unsuccessful attempts at interpreting the Indus script, the "method" has consisted of comparing other pictographic scripts and supposing that the Indus signs have been pronounced like
Do the 'fish' signs denote dieties?
5. Gharial eating fish on molded terra-cotta tablet from Mohenjo-daro
Consideration of the picture puzzle principle employed by the early scripts suggests a way to recognize the identity of the
Sanskrit or Dravidian?
Many hypotheses have been put forward about the affinity of the Indus language, but only two alternatives have had wider support.
Indo-Aryan languages have been spoken in the area once occupied by the
Fishes and Stars: evidence for astral divinities
7. A Harappan potsherd from Amri, combining the 'fish' and 'star' motifs.
An early form of Dravidian, then, emerges as the historically most likely language to have been spoken by the Indus people.
Fish and the God of Waters
9. An "Early Harappan" polychrome pot with fish design from Nal, South Baluchistan
If the 'fish' pictograms of the Indus script generally meant 'star', why was the meaning 'star' not expressed