Bhirrana to Mehrgarh and beyond in the civilization

contact areas from 8th millennium BCE

A challenge in archaeology is to trace the movements of people across Eurasia during the Bronze
Age. A number of theories are postulated about the roots of civilizations and about the
interactions in ancient times, say, 10,000 years before present, across present-day borderlands.

Ute Franke Voigt presents a remarkable chronological chart linking many cultural facets of
Sarasvati-Sindhu civilization (called Indus Civilization) with the cultural markers in southeastern
Iran, Baluchistan and Sindh indicated by sites such as Mehrgarh, Nausharo, Sohr Damb, Shahr-e
Sokhta.

A brief overview of Ute Franke Voigt’s insights are presented, together with the views of
Marielle Santoni who had excavated in Mehrgarh and Sibri. (Marielle Santoni, Sibri and the
South cemetery of Mehrgarh: third millennium connections between the northern Kachi plain
(Pakistan) and Central Asia, in: Bridget Allchin, ed., Sixth Intl. Conference, South Asian
Archaeology, 1981, Cambridge Univ. Press, pp. 52-60)
https://www.scribd.com/doc/273226924/Marielle-Santoni-Sibri-and-the-South-cemetery-of-
Mehrgarh-third-millennium-connections-between-the-northern-Kachi-plain-Pakistan-and-
Central-Asia

Nausharo, Mehrgarh: ceramique c. 2500 BCE, C. Jarrige. Nausharo was inhabited later than
Mehrgarh, probably first from about 2800 BCE

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When a zebu, bos indicus, appears on pots as an inscribed hieroglyph – as at Nausharo --, the
message is clear: the rebus-metonymy signifier points to poLa ‘zebu, bull dedicated to the gods’
Rebus: poLa ‘magnetite’. Hieroglyph: baṭa 'quail'; bhaṭa 'furnace' (G.); baṭa 'a kind of iron'
(Gujarati.)

After Fig. 8.1 in Marielle Santoni. A. Copper/bronze cosmetic bottle and its pin from Cenotaph
2. B. Stone button seal from Cenotaph 5. C. Copper/bronze pin from Cenotah 1; D.
Copper/bronze vessels from Grave 1; E. Copper/bronze shaft-hole axe-adze from Sibri

I suggest that the transition from the neolithic to chalcolithic phases and into Bronze age is
evidenced in Sibri and other borderland sites such as Mehrgarh, Nausharo due to interactions
with the metalwork of Sarasvati-Sindhu Civilization exemplified by hieroglyphs which are part

2
of the language (speech) repertoire and writing systems of Indus Script Corpora: hieroglyphs
such as goat, zebu, bird. Such examples of language expression in writing hypertexts is validated
by the presence of metal artifacts in such contact areas of the borderlands.

The speech area and the hieroglyph multiplexes in use in Bhirrana continue to find their
expression in the archaeological sites discussed in this note.

Two levels of hearths, Harappan Period (c. 2500 – 1900 BCE), Bhirrana

L.S. Rao on Bhirrana site: “paradigmatic site … to put it in a nutshell, the importance of the
excavation at Bhirrana lies in the fact that we have strong evidence for the first time of an
unbroken cultural sequence, starting from the village culture represented by Hakra ware and its
evolution gradually into semi-urban and urban cultures till the site was finally abandoned…In
the present state of knowledge the Hakra ware culture belongs to the fourth millennium B.C., or
6,000 years before the present…For the first time now, in post-Independence India,
stratigraphically positioned Hakra ware culture deposits have been exposed at Bhirrana. They
show a typical early village settlement, wherein dwelling pits were cut into the natural
soil.” Hakra ware was also found in Jalilpur excavations on the banks of River Ravi and in
Cholistan Bahawalpur province excavations.

Cultural sequence at Bhirrana

General View of Dwelling Pit Complex Tr. YF2; ZD10 & 11; ZE10 & 11
Compares with aceramic neolithic dwelling pits of Burzahom, Kashmir

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Chronology C-14 Dates – Birabal Sahani Institute of Palaeobotany, Lucknow 2003-04

4
Unbroken cultural sequence – from pit dwelling to fortified settlement at Bhirrana from 6689
BCE

• 7000-5500 BCE Mehrgarh I (aceramic neolithic)

• 5500-3300 BCE Mehrgarh II-VI (ceramic neolithic)

“The bricks used are of irregular shape and as such do not conform to the known ratio of early
Harappan brick sizes. The inside walls of the pits were mud-plastered. The average diameter of
the pit was 2.30 metres…This unique tradition of pit dwelling, especially in the early Harappan
context of Haryana region, was in practice” at Mitathal, Hissar district, and Kunal,
Fatehabad…The distinguishing ceramic of the period is the bichrome ware where the outlines of
the motifs are painted in black and the space within is painted in evanescent white…The entire
site was occupied and the town appears to have been fortified. People started living over ground
in houses, built of mud bricks of pink and buff colour, of size 30 × 20 × 10 cm, 33 × 22 × 11 cm
or 36 × 24 × 12 cm, conforming to the ratio of 3:2:1…. Besides, a few rectangular mud brick
platforms with circular fire pits and hearths were exposed” [L.S. Rao, Nandini B. Sahu, Prabash
Sahu, U.A. Shastry and Samir Diwan: Unearthing Harappan Settlement at Bhirrana (2003-04),
Puratattva (number 34, 2003-2004)]

Indus script hieroglyph multiplex at Bhirrana: dancing girl on potsherd, as Mohenjo-daro bronze
statuette, India Museum 14 cm. h. Copper spearhed, arrowheads, celts, bangles (c. 2500-1900
BCE), Bhirrana http://asi.nic.in/images/exec_bhirrana/pages/015.html

5
The samples from the earliest levels at Bhirrana have C14 dates determined in the Birbal Sahni
Institute of Paleobotany which are 7570-7180 BCE...6689-6201 BCE...6200-5850 BCE...5316-
4775 BCE...4714-4360 BCE...and 3970-3640 BCE..."(Dikshit & Mani 2012:266)...The new
chronology for Bhirrana is:

Period I (Pre-Harappan) c.7500-6000 BCE

Period IIA (Early Harappan) c.6000-4500 BCE
Period IIB (Late Early Harappan) c.4500-3000 BCE
Period III (Mature Harappan) c.3000-1800 BCE

This makes Chalcolithic Bhirrana in Haryana, on the Saraswati River, contemporary or even
earlier than Neolithic Mehrgarh. The difference between the two sites is that Bhirrana has clearer
cultural continuity than Mehrgarh from the lowest levels to the Mature Harappan phase.

Source: http://tech.groups.yahoo.com/group/IndiaArchaeology/message/15930 Posting by Carlos

Aramayo

The site is situated about 220 km to the northwest of New Delhi on the New Delhi-Fazilka
national highway and about 14 km northeast of the district headquarter on the Bhuna road in the
Fatehabad district. The site is one of the many sites seen along the channels of the
ancient Saraswati riverine systems, now represented by the seasonal Ghaggar River which flows
in modern Haryana from Nahan to Sirsa.
The mound measures 190 m north-south and 240 m east-west and rises to a height of 5.50 m
from the surrounding area of flat alluvial sottar plain...
The Excavation Branch-I, Nagpur of the Archaeological Survey of India excavated this site for
three field seasons during 2003-04, 2004–05 and 2005-06...
The excavation has revealed these cultural periods; Period IA: Hakra Wares Culture, Period IB:
Early Harappan Culture, Period IIA: Early Mature Harappan and Period IIB: Mature Harappan
Culture.
Period IA: Hakra Wares Culture: The excavation has revealed the remains of the Harappan
culture right from its nascent stage, i.e. Hakra Wares[2] Culture (antedating the Known Early
Harappan Culture in the subcontinent, also known as Kalibangan-I.) to a full-fledged Mature
Harappan city. Prior to the excavation of Bhirrana, no Hakra Wares culture, predating the Early
Harappan had been exposed in any Indian site. For the first time, the remains of this culture have
been exposed at Bhirrana. This culture is characterised by structures in the form of subterranean
dwelling pits, cut into the natural soil. The walls and floor of these pits were plastered with the
yellowish alluvium of the Saraswati valley. The artefacts of this period comprised a copper
bangle, a copper arrowhead, bangles of terracotta, beads of carnelian, lapis lazuli and steatite,
bone point, stone saddle and quern.[3] The pottery repertoire is very rich and the diagnostic wares
of this period included Mud Applique Wares, Incised (Deep and Light), Tan/Chocolate Slipped
Wares, Brown-on-Buff Wares, Bichrome Wares (Paintings on the exterior with black and white
pigments), Black-on-Red Ware and plain red wares.
The Period IB: Early Harappan Culture: The entire site was occupied during this period. The
settlement was an open air one with no fortification. The houses were built of mud bricks of buff
colour in the ratio of 3:2:1. The pottery of this period shows all the six fabrics of Kalibangan - I

6
along with many of the Hakra Wares of the earlier period. The artifacts of this period include a
seal of quarter-foil shape made of shell, arrowheads, bangles and rings of copper, beads of
carnelian, jasper, lapis lazuli, steatite, shell and terracotta, pendents, bull figurines, rattles,
wheels, gamesmen, and marbles of terracotta, bangles of terracotta and faience, bone objects,
sling balls, marbles and pounders of sandstone.
The Period IIA: Early Mature Harappan Culture: This period is marked by transformation in the
city lay-out. The entire settlement was encompassed within a fortification wall. The twin units of
the town planning; Citadel and Lower Town came into vogue. The mud brick structures were
aligned with a slight deviation from the true north. The streets, lanes and by-lanes were oriented
in similar fashion. The pottery assemblage shows a mixed bag of Early Harappan and Mature
Harappan forms. The artifacts of the period included beads of semi-precious stones (including
two caches of beads kept in two miniature pots), bangles of copper, shell, terracotta and faience;
fishhook, chisel, arrowhead of copper; terracotta animal figurines and a host of miscellaneous
artifacts.
The Period IIB: Mature Harappan Culture: The last period of occupation at the site belongs to the
Mature Harappan period with all the characteristic features of a well-developed Harappan city.
The important artifacts of the period consisted of Seals of steatite, bangles of copper, terracotta,
faience and shell, inscribed celts of copper, bone objects, terracotta spoked wheels, animal
figurines of terracotta, beads of lapis lazuli, carnelian, agate, faience, steatite, terracotta and stone
objects.[3] A replica of the famous "Dancing Girl" from Mohenjodaro is found engraved[4] on a
potsherd in the form of a graffiti.[5] The massive fortification wall[3] of the town was made of
mud bricks. The houses were made of mud bricks (sun-baked bricks). Wide linear roads can be
seen separating the houses. A circular structure of baked earth is probably a "tandoor"- a
community kitchen still seen in rural India. Presence of the baked bricks is seen used in the main
drain provided on the width of the northern arm of the fortification wall to flush out the waste
water from the houses. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bhirrana

7
Hieroglyph: meḍ 'to dance' (F.)[reduplicated from me-]; me id. (M.) in Remo (Munda)(Source:
D. Stampe's Munda etyma) meṭṭu to tread, trample, crush under foot, tread or place the foot upon
(Te.); meṭṭu step (Ga.); mettunga steps (Ga.). maṭye to trample, tread (Malt.)(DEDR 5057)
Rebus: meḍ 'iron' (Mundari. Remo.) meḍ (Ho.); mẽṛhet ‘iron’ (Mu.Ho.)mẽṛh t iron; ispat m. =
steel; dul m. = cast iron (Munda)

Bhirrana: seals, inscribed celt

dula ‘pair’ rebus: dul ‘cast metal’ kolmo ‘rice plant’ Rebus: kolami ‘smithy, forge’.
karNIka ‘rim of jar’ Rebus: karNIka ‘scribe’ karNI ‘supercargo’.

8
 Hieroglyph: miṇḍāl ‘markhor’ (Tōrwālī) meḍho a ram, a sheep
(Gujarati)(CDIAL 10120) Rebus: mẽṛhẽt, meḍ ‘iron’ (Mu.Ho.)
kolom ‘three’ Rebus: kolami’smithy, forge’; dula ‘pair’ rebus: dul ‘cast metal’ kolmo ‘rice plant’
Rebus: kolami ‘smithy, forge’.

Hieroglyph: rāngo ‘water buffalo bull’ (Ku.N.)(CDIAL 10559)

Rebus: rango ‘pewter’. ranga, rang pewter is an alloy of tin, lead, and antimony (anjana)
(Santali). kolom ‘three’ Rebus: kolami’smithy, forge’; dula ‘pair’ rebus: dul ‘cast metal’ kolmo
‘rice plant’ Rebus: kolami ‘smithy, forge’.

Hieroglyph: mr..eka, mlekh ‘goat’ Rebus: milakkhu 'copper' [ khōṇḍa

] m A young bull, a bullcalf (Marathi) rebus: khond 'turner'. Hieroglyph: barad, barat 'ox' Rebus:
भरत (p. 603) [ bharata ] n A factitious metal compounded of copper, pewter, tin &c. (Marathi)
(p. 840) [ sāṅgaḍa ] m f ( S) A float composed of two canoes or boats bound together:
also a link of two pompions &c. to swim or float by. 2 f A body formed of two or more (fruits,
animals, men) linked or joined together. karNIka ‘rim of jar’ Rebus: karNIka ‘scribe’ karNI
‘supercargo’.

9
 śagaḍī (Gujarati) = lathe san:gāḍo a lathe; sãghāḍiyo a worker on a lathe
(Gujarati) sãgaḍ part of a turner's apparatus (Marathi); s̄‫م‬gāḍī lathe (Tulu) (p. 840) [
sāṅgaḍa ] m f ( S) A float composed of two canoes or boats bound together: also a link of
two pompions &c. to swim or float by. 2 f A body formed of two or more (fruits, animals, men)
linked or joined [ khōṇḍa ] m A young bull, a bullcalf (Marathi) rebus: khond 'turner'. Eraka
‘nave of wheel’ Rebus: eraka ‘copper, moltencast’ gaNda ‘four’ Rebus: kanda ‘fire-altar’ aya
‘fish’ rebus: aya ‘iron’ ayas ‘metal’ adar ‘lid’ Rebus: aduru ‘native metal’.

Bhirrana. Unprovenanced seal 2.4 cm. square. Source:

http://www.academia.edu/1521142/A_Harappan_Seal_From_Bhirrana [ khōṇḍa ] m
A young bull, a bullcalf (Marathi) rebus: khond 'turner'. khANDa ‘arrow’ Rebus: khANDA
‘excellent metal, metalware’ Hieroglyph: dhanga ‘mountain range’ Rebus: dhangar ‘metalsmith’
Hieroglyph: ranku ‘liquid measure’ Rebus: ranku ‘tin’

10
Hieroglyph: karNIka ‘rim of jar’ Rebus: karNIka ‘scribe’ karNI ‘supercargo’ Hieroglyph:
aḍar 'harrow' Rebus: aduru ‘native metal’; dula ‘pair’ Rebus: dul ‘cast metal’ Hieroglyph: kolmo
‘rice plant’ Rebus: kolami ‘smithy, forge’

11
Chronological chart. Ute Franke. "...the terminal phase of Period III Sohr Damb III falls to the
very early rather than the later Indus Period…In short, the review of the evidence indicates that
the horizon attested to at Sohr Damb III, NausharoIC–D, Miri IIIc, and Shahr-e Sokhta III dates
to the time that ended just when or shortly after the Indus Civilization began to rise…After 1900
BC, the political constellations changed again. Magan lost its importance as supplier of copper to
Mesopotamia, the Indus Civilization disintegrated as a centralized state,and large regions in
southeastern Iran, Baluchistan, and Sindh were abandoned for almost 1000 years for reasons as
yet unknown." (After Fig. 22:
ht t ps : / / www.academ i a.edu/ 12107911/ Ba l uchi st an_and_t he_ Borde rl ands )

Sohr Damb/Nal, period III (c, 2700-2400 BCE), bowl

from Trench 1.DAI,Eu r asi en: The Early Harappan Horizon:Preludeto Civilization(Mehrgarh

12
VIIA-C,NausharoI,Damb SadaatIII, AnjiraIV–V,SohrDamb III,southeasternBaluchistan,
MakranMiriIIIb–c, Shahr-e SokhtaII–III,TappeYahyaIVC-B?, Bampur I–IV, Mundigak IV.1–
3).(Aft e r Fi g. 28:
ht t ps : / / www.academ i a.edu/ 12107911/ Ba l uchi st an_and_t he_ Borde rl ands )

Sohr Damb/Nal,period III, cylindrical potwithcaprides,Trench I. DAI, Eurasien "In the

largest building,the Burnt Building (AK6),hundreds ofvessels and objects,such as
grindingstones, pestles, tools for leatherworking and potting,unbaked and baked clay figurines,
mostly of humped bulls,and beads were found. Miniature clayvessels, crucibles,and mou lds
aswell asleadcoresindicate meta l working, but finishe dobjectsare rare."(After Fig. 29:
ht t ps : / / www.academ i a.edu/ 12107911/ Ba l uchi st an_and_t he_ Borde rl ands )

13
Jar Obj No. 37 First half 3rd millennium BCE. Early Dynastic VIII. Pottery h. 36 cm. diam. 27.5
cm. Abqayq Sabkha Hammam. Dammam Museum, 1192

Gulf seal Obj No. 76 c. 2200-2000 BCE The seal with a grip displays a schematic depiction of a
cow and a bird. Chlorite. Diam. c. 1.5 cm. Tarut, at Rutaya National Museum, Riyadh 2669/2

Fig. 15 Dilmun seal Obj No. 77 c. 2000 - 1800 BCE With a symmetrically arranged frieze of
stylized antelope or gazelle heads. The typical round, dotted shape of the eye is created through
the use of a specific type of drill. Heated steatite. h. 1.5 cm diam. c. 2.8 cm. Dhahran, tombA/III
Dammam Museum, 4614

14
 Vase with Pipal-leaves Obj. No. 68 2200–1800 BCE Painted
pottery with stylised plant design, including Pipal-leaves (Ficus Benjamini). Shape and
decoration of this vessel reveal the cultural impact of the Indus Valley civilisation through close
trade relations. H. 15.6 cm, diam. 7.4 to 12 cm Tarut, al-Rufaya National Museum, Riyadh, 1164

Catherine Jarrige notes: “The Kachi plain and in the Bolan basin (are) situated at the Bolan
peak pass, one of the main routes connecting southern Afghanistan, eastern Iran, the
Balochistan hills and the Indus valley. This area of rolling hills is thus located on the western
edge of the Indus valley, where, around 2500 B.C.E., a large urban civilization emerged at the
same time as those of Mesopotamia and the ancient Egyptian empire. For the first time in the
Indian subcontinent, a continuous sequence of dwelling-sites has been established from
7000 B.C.E. to 500 B.C.E., (as a result of the) explorations in Pirak from 1968 to 1974; in
Mehrgarh from 1975 to 1985; and of Nausharo from 1985 to 1996.” The Centre for
Archaeological Research Indus Balochistan, "Indus and Mehrgarh archaeological mission."

15
Loc.cit. http://www.newworldencyclopedia.org/entry/Mehrgarh#cite_note-3 Jarrige,
Catherine. 1995. Mehrgarh: Field Reports 1974-1985, from Neolithic Times to the Indus
Civilization. Karachi: Dept. of Culture and Tourism, Govt. of Sindh. OCLC 37934511.

“Mehrgarh Period II (5500 B.C.E.–4800 B.C.E.) and Merhgarh Period III (4800 B.C.E.–
3500 B.C.E.) were ceramic Neolithic (that is, pottery was now in use) and later
chalcolithic…The first button seals were produced from terracotta and bone and had geometric
designs. Technologies included stone and copper drills, updraft kilns, large pit kilns and
copper melting crucibles. There is further evidence of long-distance trade in period II:
Important as an indication of this is the discovery of several beads of lapis lazuli—originally
from Badakshan…Mehrgarh Period VII. Somewhere between 2600 B.C.E. and 2000 B.C.E.,
at the time the Indus Valley Civilization had been in its middle stages of development, the city
seems to have been largely abandoned. It has been surmised that the inhabitants of Mehrgarh
migrated to the fertile Indus valley as the Balochistan became more arid with climatic
changes.” http://www.newworldencyclopedia.org/entry/Mehrgarh#cite_note-4

MEHRGARH LARGE
BICHROME FIGURAL POT, Indus Valley, c. 3rd millennium BC. The pot painted with large
bulls, fowls and trees a register of numerous small ibex above. Repaired from five large shards.
Some lime deposits attesting authenticity. http://www.ishraqi.com/betav1/ancient-baluchistan-
exploring-the-past/ Dr. Ute Franke, Ancient Baluchistan – exploring the past

“Nausharo was inhabited later than Mehrgarh, probably first from about 2800 BCE. From about
2500 it seems to have come under the influence of the Harappan culture, when new crops were
introduced, such as rice. Then around 2000 it seems to revert to farming tradition of
Balochistan.” http://www.waa.ox.ac.uk/xdb/tours/indus6.asp

JEAN-FRANCOIS JARRIGE
Mehrgarh: Neolithic Period Seasons 1997 - 2000
Memories des Missions Archaeologiques Francaises en Asie Centrale et en Asie Moyenne.
Tome XV. Serie Indus-Balochistan, 2013

16
 The north-western regions of the Indo-
Pakistani subcontinent have been the
cradle of one of the most famous
civilizations of the Ancient world. But
until the last quarter of the 20th century,
the antecedents of the Indus civilization,
with its major cities such as Mohenjo-
daro or Harappa, were poorly known. It
was commonly thought that small
farming communities coming from the
Iranian Plateau began to settle down in
Balochistan in the first half of the 4th
millennium BC. Other groups with
cultural links with southern Central Asia
would also have reached the border of
the Indus valley around 4000BC. The
discovery in 1977 of an aceramic
Neolithic settlement in the northern area
of the site of Mehrgarh has opened a
new chapter in the archaeological
studies in this part of the world. It
became then obvious that the
archaeological sequence of the Greater
Indus regions, since the 8th millennium
BC till the emergence of the Indus
civilization, c. 2500 BC, was far more impressive than it was thought before.

Alongside the excavations conducted in the Chalcolithic/Bronze Age occupation deposits of

Mehrgarh, from 1976 until 1985, the Neolithic settlements provided a first set of information
about periods so far unknown in these regions. Some of the information from the 1977-1985
excavations were regularly published in the field reports (C. Jarrige et al. 1995). In 1996, it was
decided to resume work in the Neolithic area of Mehrgarh within a program of four seasons of
fieldwork. Since all the efforts of the archaeological team were only concentrated on the
aceramic Neolithic settlement, these four seasons of fieldwork allowed a much larger exposure
of the successive occupation levels and graveyards from the natural soil up to the surface. This
work gave the opportunity to fix in a much precise way than before the whole archaeological
sequence of the aceramic Neolithic settlement.

The first ever published overview of the Neolithic period at the western border of the Indus
valley has been added to the four reports.
http://www.fas.harvard.edu/~semitic/wl/publications/2013/jarrige.html

17
https://www.academia.edu/11374962/A_new_start_for_Vedic_and_IE_studies_what_language_
did_Sarasvati-Sindhu_civilization_people_speak_and_write A new start for Vedic and IE studies:
what language did Sarasvati-Sindhu civilization people speak and write?

Baudhāyana Śrauta Sūtra] 18.44:397.9

18
http://www.ignca.nic.in/eBooks/The_Baudhayana_Srauta-Sutra_Vol_III.pdf Baudhāyana-
Śrauta-sutra Edited & Translated by: C. G. KASHIKAR (2003)

19
See: http://bharatkalyan97.blogspot.in/2015/06/itihasa-of-bharatam-janam-vessa-were.html

“They were "...Tusharas, also known as the Tukharas or Tócharoi, were a tribe of ancient India,
with a kingdom located in the north west of India, according to the epic Mahabharata. An
account in Mbh 1:85 depicts the Tusharas as Mlechchas and the descendants of Anu, one of the
cursed sons of king Yayati. Yayati's eldest son Yadu, gave rise to the Yadavas and youngest
son Puru to the Pauravas that includes the Kurus and Panchalas. Only the fifth son of Puru's line
was considered to be the successors of Yayati's throne, as he cursed the other four sons and
denied them kingship. Pauravas inherited the Yayati's original empire and stayed in the Gangetic
plainwho later created the Kuru and Panchala Kingdoms. They were followers of the Vedic
culture. The Yadavas made central and western India their stronghold. The descendants of Anu,
known as the Anavas, are said to have migrated to Iran."
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tushara_Kingdom

Puranic traditions (Bhagavata Purana) say that Budha, the patriarchic figure the Yadu, Turvasa,
Druhyu, Anu and Puru clans had come from Central Asia to Bharatkhand to perform
penitential rites and he espoused Ella, the daughter of Manu, by whom was born Pururavas.
Pururavas had six sons, one of whom is said to be Ayu. This Ayu or Ay is said to be the patriarch
figure of the Tartars of Central Asia as well as of the first race of the kings of China. (James
Tod, Annals and Antiquities of Rajasthan, p 172.)

Pururavas and Urvasi had two sons, Ayu and Amavasu.Referring to these sons, Baudhāyana
Śrauta Sūtra 18.44:397.9 sqq records:

Ayu migrated eastwards. His (people) are the Kuru-Pancalas and the Kasi-Videhas. This is the
Ayava (migration). Amavasu migrated westwards. His (people) are the Ghandhari, Parsu and
Aratta. This is the Amavasu (migration).

20
Read with the Bhagavata Purana narrative, it is hypothesised that Ayu's people migrated to
Xinjiang region and were referred to as Visha ("the tribes") or Vèsh in modern Pashto meaning
"divisions" or Vijaya in Tibetan or Yuezhi in Chinese (identified with Tókharoi or Tushara).
These were the people who migrated back to Gandhara and North-west India as Kushanas -- as
shown in the Yuezi migration map from Tocharian-speaking region. It is notable that Tocharian
records the Rigvedic word ams'u (a synonym of Soma) in a phonetic variant ancu 'iron' (cf.
Georges Pinault).Rigveda also records that Soma was purchased from traders from Mujavant
mountain (which could be Mustagh Ata of Tocharian-seaking region).”

The migrations of the Yuezhi through Central Asia, from around 176 BCE to 30 CE

21
Shu-ilishu cylinder seal of eme-bal, interpreter. Akkadian. Cylinder seal Impression. Inscription
records that it belongs to ‘S’u-ilis’u, Meluhha interpreter’, i.e., translator of the Meluhhan
language (EME.BAL.ME.LUH.HA.KI) The Meluhhan being introduced carries an goat on his
arm. Musee du Louvre. Ao 22 310, Collection De Clercq 3rd millennium BCE. The Meluhhan is
accompanied by a lady carrying a kamaṇḍalu. The goat on the trader's hand is a phonetic
determinant -- that he is Meluhha. This is decrypted based on the word for the goat: mlekh 'goat'
(Brahui); mr..eka 'goat' (Telugu) Rebus: mleccha'copper' (Samskritam); milakkhu 'copper' (Pali)
Thus the sea-faring merchant carrying the goat is a copper (and tin) trader from Meluhha. The jar
carried by the accompanying person is a liquid measure:ranku 'liquid measure' Rebus: ranku 'tin'.
A hieroglyph used to denote ranku may be seen on the two pure tin ingots found in a shipwreck
in Haifa. See Annex on Tarim Basin mummies and Meluhha speakers.

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Elamite, holding a goat (Gold, silver cire perduestatues) ca. 1400 BCE. mlekh, mr..eka 'goat'
(Brahui.Telugu) Rebus: milakkhu 'Meluhha, mleccha' 'copper' (Pali)

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Head of a warrior. Khalchayan. Painted clay. (Photo: © Vladimir Terebenin.)

Meluhha (Bhāratam Janam) trade routes 1. From Hanoi to West of Sindhu to Haifa (assur
meluhha)and 2. Eurasia (túṣāra meluhha)

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[quote]From the sixth century BCE, land and river routes criss-crossed the subcontinent and
extended in various directions – overland into Central Asia and beyond, and overseas, from ports
that dotted the coastline – extending across the Arabian Sea to East and North Africa and West
Asia, and through the Bay of Bengal to Southeast Asia and China. Rulers often attempted to
control these routes, possibly by offering protection for a price…

So, with Frits Staal, Mallory and Mair have to answer the question posed earlier, why Mleccha
(Meluhha) could not be the candidate among the IE languages to explain Tocharian languages.

The concentric circles of timber posts found in Tarim Basin may also compare with concentric
circles of stones found in Ukherda and Dholavira. See also polished stone pillars found in
Dholavira and stone sivalinga found in Harappa.

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 Ancient graveyard, near Nakhtarna, Kutch:

anthropomorphic menhirs Ukherda burial

ground,
cemetery.

Barrow Cemetery in IndiaNear Nakhtarana in Kutch, Gujarat, there is a large cemetery and
cremation ground called Ukherda by the locals. There are also ancient hero and Sati
stones. http://www.megalithic.co.uk/article.php?sid=26370

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Circle of stones at Dholavira.

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Remains of Circular hutments (?) joined in 8-shape with stone pillar fragments at the centre of
each circle, close to the area where two polished stone pillars (sivalinga?) were found. Did these
circular stone remnants, denote a smithy? In Kota language (Indian sprachbund, Mleccha-
Meluhha) kole.l 'smithy, temple'.

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Three stone Siva Lingas found in Harappa. Plate X [c] Lingam in situ in Trench Ai (MS Vats,
1940, Excavations at Harappa, Vol. II, Calcutta): ‘In the adjoining Trench Ai, 5 ft. 6 in. below
the surface, was found a stone lingam [Since then I have found two stone lingams of a larger
size from Trenches III and IV in this mound. Both of them are smoothed all over]. It measures 11
in. high and 7 3/8 in. diameter at the base and is rough all over.’ (Vol. I, pp. 51-52)." "In an
earthenware jar, No. 12414, recovered from Mound F, Trench IV, Square I... in this jar, six
lingams were found along with some tiny pieces of shell, a unicorn seal, an oblong grey
sandstone block with polished surface, five stone pestles, a stone palette, and a block of
chalcedony..." (Vats,MS, Excavations at Harappa, p. 370). I suggest that these are hieroglyphs
signifying pillars of light: t bṛā, tambira (Prakritam) Rebus: tamba, 'copper' (Meluhha.
Indian sprachbund) Hieroglyph: tamba 'pillar'; tambu id. (Sindhi) Rebus: tamba, t bṛā,
tambira 'copper' (Prakritam) http://bharatkalyan97.blogspot.in/2015/05/smithy-is-temple-of-
bronze-age-stambha_14.html

The hieroglyph membrum virile denoted rebus: copper, metal.

Hieroglyph: ``^penis'': So. laj(R) ~ lij ~ la'a'j ~ laJ/ laj ~ kaD `penis'.Sa. li'j `penis, esp. of
small boys'.Sa. lO'j `penis'.Mu. lOe'j ~ lOGgE'j `penis'. ! lO'j Ho loe `penis'.Ku. la:j
`penis'.@(C289)``^penis'':Sa. lOj `penis'. Mu. lOj `penis'.KW lOj @(M084)

Rebus: lo 'copper' lōhá ʻ red, copper -- coloured ʼ ŚrS., ʻ made of copper ʼ ŚBr., m.n. ʻ copper ʼ
VS., ʻ iron ʼ MBh. [*rudh -- ] Pa. lōha -- m. ʻ metal, esp. copper or bronze ʼ; Pk. lōha -- m. ʻ iron
ʼ, Gy. pal. li°, lihi, obl. elhás, as. loa JGLS new ser. ii 258; Wg. (Lumsden) "loa" ʻ steel ʼ;
Kho. loh ʻ copper ʼ; S. lohu m. ʻ iron ʼ, L. lohā m., awāṇ. lōˋā, P. lohā m. (→ K.rām. ḍoḍ. lohā),
WPah.bhad. l un., bhal. lòtilde; n., pāḍ. jaun. lōh, paṅ. luhā, cur. cam. lohā, Ku. luwā,
N. lohu, °hā, A. lo, B. lo, no, Or. lohā, luhā, Mth. loh, Bhoj. lohā, Aw.lakh. lōh, H. loh, lohā m.,
G. M. loh n.; Si. loho, lō ʻ metal, ore, iron ʼ; Md. ratu -- lō ʻ copper ʼ. WPah.kṭg. (kc.) ló ʻ iron
ʼ, J. lohā m., Garh. loho; Md. lō ʻ metal ʼ.(CDIAL 11158)

See: http://bharatkalyan97.blogspot.in/2015/01/meluhha-hieroglyphs-and-candi-sukuh.html

kandə 'pine cone' Rebus, signified metalwork: khaṇḍa. A portion of the front hall, in a temple;
kaṇḍ 'fire-altar' (Santali) kāṇḍa 'tools, pots and pans and metal-ware' (Marathi)

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 (p. 723) [ lōkhaṇḍa ] n ( S) Iron (p. 723) [ lōkhaṇḍakāma ] n Iron work; that
portion (of a building, machine &c.) which consists of iron. 2 The business of an ironsmith.
(p. 723) [ lōkhaṇḍī ] a ( ) Composed of iron; relating to iron (p. 723) [
lōhōlōkhaṇḍa ] n ( & ) Iron tools, vessels, or articles in general.

Using stone slabs in cremation samskara in Vedic tradition is attested from the days of Rigveda.
"When the body is almost consumed by the fire the chief mourner carries an earthen pot (the one
in which fire was brought) filled with water on his shoulders and walks thrice round the burning
pyre. A man walks with him piercing with a stone called the ashma or life-stone a hole in the jar
out of which water spouts round the burning corpse. He finally throws the trickling water pot
backwards over the shoulders spilling the water over the ground. Then, he pours libations of
water mixed with sesamum on the ashma to cool the spirit of the dead which has been heated by
the fire. The ashma is carefully preserved for ten days. The mourners also pour such water on
the ashma. When the body is completely consumed, the party returns. During the first ten days,
all closely related persons belonging to the family observe mourning called
sutak." http://akola.nic.in/gazetteers/maharashtra/people_rituals.html As'ma is the symbolic stone
of the departed aatman which is used during the samskara performances lasting upto 13 days
after the cremation. 1 [p = 114 , 1] ifc. for. 2 / , a stone Pa1n2. 5-4, 94th as'man *=
2 %{A} m. (once %{azma4n} S3Br. iii), a stone, rock RV. &c.; a precious stone RV. v, 47, 3
S3Br. vi; any instrument made of stone (as a hammer &c.) RV. &c.; thunderbolt RV. &c.; a
cloud Naigh.; the firmament RV. v, 30, 8; 56, 4; vii, 88, 2 [cf. Zd. {asman}; Pers. {as2ma1n};
Lith. {akmu}; Slav. {kamy}].

The cultural link of metalwork with Rudra-Siva iconically denoted by 1) orthographic variants
of linga, 2) ekamukhalinga evidences of Ancient Far East and 3) the presence of linga in the
context of a metal smelter in a Bhuteshwar artifact of 2nd cent. BCE is thus an area for further
detailed investigation in archaeometallurgy and historical linguistics of Indian Sprachbund.

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Architectural fragment with relief showing winged dwarfs (or gaNa) worshipping with flower
garlands, Siva Linga. Bhuteshwar, ca. 2nd cent BCE. Lingam is on a platform with wall under a
pipal tree encircled by railing. (Srivastava, AK, 1999, Catalogue of Saiva sculptures in
Government Museum, Mathura: 47, GMM 52.3625) The tree is a phonetic determinant of the
smelter indicated by the railing around the linga: kuṭa, °ṭi -- , °ṭha -- 3, °ṭhi -- m. ʻ tree
ʼ Rebus: kuṭhi 'smelter'. kuṭa, °ṭi -- , °ṭha -- 3, °ṭhi -- m. ʻ tree ʼ lex., °ṭaka -- m. ʻ a kind of tree ʼ
Kauś.Pk. kuḍa -- m. ʻ tree ʼ; Paš. lauṛ. kuṛāˊ ʻ tree ʼ, dar. kaṛék ʻ tree, oak ʼ ~ Par. kōṛ ʻ stick ʼ
IIFL iii 3, 98. (CDIAL 3228).

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The 8th Millennium BC in the ‘Lost’ River Valley Indian Civilization Evolved in the
8th Millennium BCE in the ‘Lost’ River Valley – Dr B. R. Mani

http://bharatkalyan97.blogspot.in/2013/07/bhirrana-8th-millennium-bce-on-river.html

Hieroglyph: [
kāraṇḍavamu ] n. A sort of duck. [ kāraṇḍavamu ] kāraṇḍavamu. [Skt.] n. A sort of
duck. [kāraṇḍava ] m S A drake or sort of duck. f S The female. karandava [
kârandava ] m. kind of duck. a sort of duck R. vii , 31 , 21 karaṇṭam, n. Rebus:
Rebus: karaḍā ‘hard alloy’ (Marathi)

Hieroglyph: mlekh 'goat' Rebus: milakkhu 'copper'.

Hieroglyph: loa ‘ficus religiosa’ Rebud: loh ‘copper’.

Hieroglyph: kolmo ‘rice plant’ Rebus: kolami ‘smithy, forge’

Hieroglyph: miṇḍāl ‘markhor’ (Tōrwālī) meḍho a ram, a sheep (Gujarati)(CDIAL 10120)

Rebus: mẽṛhẽt, meḍ ‘iron’ (Mu.Ho.)

Hieroglyph: barad, barat 'ox' Rebus: भरत (p. 603) [ bharata ] n A factitious metal compounded of
copper, pewter, tin &c. (Marathi)

Hieroglyph: poLa ‘zebu’ Rebus: poLa ‘magnetite’.

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Hieroglyph: rāngo ‘water buffalo bull’ (Ku.N.)(CDIAL 10559) Rebus: rango ‘pewter’. ranga,
rang pewter is an alloy of tin, lead, and antimony (anjana) (Santali).

The hypothesis which is validated in historical chronology of peoples’ movements in Eurasia is

that Meluhha artisans and merchants of Sarasvati-Sindhu Civilization moved to spread the
archaeometallurgical initiatives of alloying. They had invented a unique writing system with
hieroglyph multiplexes as signifiers to compile metalwork catalogues.

S. Kalyanaraman
Sarasvati Research Center
August 1, 2015

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