Indus script
Undeciphered script of the Indus Valley Civilisation.
The Indus script, also called the Harappan or Indus Valley script, is a collection of symbols created by the Indus Valley Civilisation. The inscriptions that carry these symbols are mostly very brief, which makes it hard to determine if they formed a true writing system for recording the presumed Harappan language or languages. Despite numerous efforts, the script remains undeciphered. No bilingual inscription has been found to aid in cracking it, and the symbols show little change over time. However, what might be called its syntax does shift somewhat depending on the location.
Quick Facts
- Typedesc
- possibly Bronze Age writing or proto-writing
- Languages
- Unknown, possibly Harappan language
- Note
- none
Facts from the source article.
Lore & Background
The Indus script symbols have primarily been found on stamp seals, pottery, bronze and copper plates, tools, and weapons. The majority of the textual corpus consists of seals, impressions of such seals, and graffiti markings inscribed on pottery. Seals and their impressions were typically small and portable, most being just 2–3 centimetres on each side. No extant examples have been found on perishable organic materials like papyrus, paper, textiles, leaves, wood, or bark. Early examples date to around c. 2800–2600 BCE during the Early Harappan period, emerging alongside administrative objects such as seals and standardised weights. Excavations at Harappa have demonstrated the development of some symbols from potter's marks and graffiti belonging to the earlier Ravi phase from c. 3500–2800 BCE.
Reader's Guide
The Indus script remains one of the great undeciphered writing systems of the ancient world. Its significance lies in its association with the Indus Valley Civilisation, a major Bronze Age culture. The script's undeciphered status limits understanding of the civilisation's language, administration, and beliefs. The lack of a bilingual inscription and the extreme brevity of most texts hinder decipherment. The script shows no significant changes over time, but syntax varies by location. Some scholars have argued for a connection with the Brahmi script or with megalithic graffiti symbols of southern and central India and Sri Lanka, but these connections have not been proven. Linguists such as Iravatham Mahadevan, Kamil Zvelebil, and Asko Parpola have argued the script had a relation to a Dravidian language. The script's legacy is debated, with some seeing continuity in later megalithic symbols, while others view it as an isolated phenomenon. Its decipherment would provide a crucial window into the Indus Valley Civilisation.
Did You Know?
- Most inscriptions are extremely short, making it difficult to judge if they constituted a writing system.
- The first publication of a seal with Harappan symbols dates to 1875, in a drawing by Alexander Cunningham.
- Some signs resemble tally marks and are often interpreted as early numerals.
- The script is generally believed to be logo-syllabic because the number of principal signs is over 400.
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