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NEXT ISSUE: ANCIENT EUROPE'S VINCA SCRIPT
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DECIPHER
:::The online quarterly devoted to epigraphic problem-solving::: Vol 1. Issue 1 Summer 2010
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Decipher Quarterly is published as an educational service four times yearly by S. M. Sullivan, who is solely responsible for its content.
All material herein is copyright c. 2010.
Send letters, articles for submission and subscription requests to Decipher at smr479@sonic.net.
E-mail subscriptions are free.
All material herein is copyright c. 2010.
Send letters, articles for submission and subscription requests to Decipher at smr479@sonic.net.
E-mail subscriptions are free.
DECIPHERING HARAPPAN
By S. M. Sullivan
Harappan (Indus Valley) script was an undeciphered South Asian script most often found on ceramic or soapstone stamp seals, which are thought to pre-date the decline of the civilization circa 1900 BC. The script reads from right to left, generally. Most indologists believed that the script encodes an old form of a Dravidian language, such as Tamil.
In May and June of 2010, I decided to take the written advice of an indologist, who recommended that one compare Brahmi (ancient Indian) and Elamite (ancient Iranian) scripts to Harappan, in hopes of determining the phonetic value of each Harappan sign.
By S. M. Sullivan
Harappan (Indus Valley) script was an undeciphered South Asian script most often found on ceramic or soapstone stamp seals, which are thought to pre-date the decline of the civilization circa 1900 BC. The script reads from right to left, generally. Most indologists believed that the script encodes an old form of a Dravidian language, such as Tamil.
In May and June of 2010, I decided to take the written advice of an indologist, who recommended that one compare Brahmi (ancient Indian) and Elamite (ancient Iranian) scripts to Harappan, in hopes of determining the phonetic value of each Harappan sign.
LETTERS
Fig. 1 An Elamite inscription, partially deciphered
Comparing Elamite with Harappan revealed two identical glyphs in each system, a broken vertical line (with the value in Elamite of 'na'), and a triple twice-broken vertical line glyph (with the value in Elamite of 'shu').
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