History · Ch 1 — Bricks, Beads and Bones — The Harappan Civilisation
An enigmatic script
An enigmatic script
The Harappan Script: An Undeciphered Enigma
The Harappan script is one of the great unsolved puzzles of ancient history. It appears on thousands of objects, most famously on seals, but remains undeciphered. Understanding its features helps us infer what kind of writing system it was and how it was used.
Key Features of the Script
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Short Inscriptions: Most inscriptions are very brief. The longest known Harappan inscription contains only 26 signs. This suggests the script was used for specific, limited purposes (like names and titles) rather than for long narratives.
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Not an Alphabet: The script is not alphabetical. An alphabet has a small set of signs (typically 20–30), each representing a single sound (a vowel or consonant). The Harappan script has far too many signs — between 375 and 400 distinct signs. This large number indicates it was likely a logosyllabic script, where some signs represent whole words (logograms) and others represent syllables.
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Direction of Writing: The script was written from right to left. This is inferred from the spacing on seals: the right side of an inscription often has wider spacing, while the left side shows signs crammed together. This pattern suggests the engraver started on the right and ran out of space as they moved left.
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Widespread Use: Writing was not limited to seals. It has been found on a wide variety of objects:
- Copper tools and tablets
- Rims of jars (pottery)
- Terracotta tablets
- Jewellery
- Bone rods
- An ancient signboard (a rare large-scale example)
This variety suggests that writing was used in many contexts, from trade and administration to personal items. The existence of a signboard implies public display of text. Furthermore, writing may have existed on perishable materials (like cloth, wood, or leather) that have not survived. …
What the Figure Shows
The figure is a photograph of a large, flat object made of a hard material — likely stone or terracotta — discovered at the Harappan site of Dholavira (in present-day Gujarat). On its surface are carved ten large symbols arranged in a single horizontal line. These symbols are the characters of the Harappan script, but they are unusually large compared to the tiny signs found on most seals. The object is interpreted by archaeologists as a signboard — perhaps placed at the entrance of a public building or the city gate to announce a name, title, or message to passersby.
What It Teaches About the Harappan Script
- Size and visibility: Unlike the miniature script on seals (often less than 2 cm tall), these symbols are several centimetres high, suggesting they were meant to be read from a distance. This implies that writing was not only for private or administrative use but also for public display.
- Direction of writing: The spacing of the symbols on the signboard — wider on the right, cramped on the left — matches the pattern seen on seals. This confirms that the Harappan script was written from right to left (the engraver started at the right edge and ran out of space toward the left).
- Variety of writing surfaces: The textbook notes that writing has been found on seals, copper tools, jar rims, tablets, jewellery, bone rods, and even a signboard. This figure is the prime example of the last category. It shows that the Harappans used many different materials for writing, and the signboard suggests that literacy may have been more widespread than just among seal-engravers or merchants. …