Question

Imagine your school is hosting an exhibition on the Harappan civilization and you are responsible for the section on the Harappan script. Which three aspects of it would you explain to the visitors ?

Hint:

• The script is often called "enigma" because it has not been linked to any known language group.
• Most Harappan seals contain both the script and an animal motif, likely for illiterate traders to identify the owner.

Answer 1

Concept:

• The Harappan script is one of the most enigmatic features of the civilization as it remains undeciphered to this day.
• It is mostly found on seals, copper tools, rims of jars, and small tablets, suggesting a widespread use in administration and trade.

Step 1: The nature of the script (Pictographic and non-alphabetic)
The Harappan script is not alphabetic (where each symbol stands for a vowel or a consonant) but pictographic/logographic.
It has too many signs—somewhere between 375 and 400—for it to be an alphabet. Each sign likely represented a word, an idea, or a syllable. This is a crucial point for visitors to understand why it is so difficult to read.

Step 2: Direction of writing
Archaeological evidence, particularly the spacing on seals, suggests that the script was written from right to left.
On some seals, there is wider spacing on the right and cramping on the left, which implies that the engraver started writing from the right and ran out of space as they moved toward the left side of the seal.

Step 3: Context of usage (The 'Signboard')
The script was used for a variety of purposes. Most inscriptions are very short, the longest containing about 26 signs.
One of the most spectacular finds is a large 'signboard' found at Dholavira, consisting of ten large signs made of white gypsum inlaid in a wooden board. This suggests that the script was used for public communication and as a symbol of authority or identification.