Mahaveer H Muhammad - Academia.edu (original) (raw)

Papers by Mahaveer H Muhammad

Paper, 2024

This study presents an analysis and interpretation of all known Indus texts featuring the elephan... more This study presents an analysis and interpretation of all known Indus texts featuring the elephant motif, contextualized within the framework of the Sindhu Alphabet. A corpus of 29 seals from the Indus Valley Civilization, depicting the elephant, was analysed using the Corpus of Indus Seals and Inscriptions: Collections in Pakistan and India. Drawing upon an extensive review of Vedic texts, Sanskrit dictionaries, and other relevant scriptures, plausible meanings and interpretations for the associated inscriptions are proposed. These texts appear to convey royal terminology, encompassing titles, tribal identities, and aspects of administrative and clerical practices. This research aims to serve as a valuable resource for scholars, providing a foundation for further validation or constructive critique.

This paper introduces a groundbreaking approach to deciphering the Indus script, employed by the ... more This paper introduces a groundbreaking approach to deciphering the Indus script, employed by the Indus Valley Civilization (IVC) from c. 3300 to 1900 BCE. Moving beyond previous methods, my research delves into the intricate structure of the script's signs, aiming to definitively settle the debate regarding its categorization. Specifically, I investigate whether the Indus script functions as an alphabet, presenting compelling evidence for the number of primary signs it comprises. My methodology meticulously examines over 400 signs, encompassing the entire corpus rather than relying on limited samples. This holistic approach utilizes a novel gridbased decomposition technique to visually dissect compound signs, identify diacritics with consistent usage patterns, and uncover the underlying principles of sign extraction. Through this rigorous analysis, I successfully isolate the essential primary signs and illuminate their potential phonetic representations within an alphabetic system. However, I acknowledge the intricate variations in writing styles present across the Indus corpus. These stylistic subtleties, encompassing formation, composition, and combination strategies, contribute to the apparent plurality of signs. Nonetheless, my findings reveal a core set of only 40 fundamental signs, suggesting a remarkably concise system beneath the surface complexity. By presenting this new paradigm for understanding the Indus script, I pave the way for further advances in its decipherment. Continued exploration of the identified core signs and their phonetic associations holds immense potential for unlocking the linguistic insights encoded within this enigmatic script, shedding light on a crucial chapter in human history.

The Indus script, an enigmatic writing system from the Bronze Age Indus Valley Civilization, rema... more The Indus script, an enigmatic writing system from the Bronze Age Indus Valley Civilization, remains undeciphered. This paper explores a crucial component of its potential phonological system: vowels, semi-vowels, and diphthongs. By analyzing diacritical marks and their interactions with primary signs, the study identifies key elements and their functions within the script. This analysis contributes to understanding the complexity and potential vocalic range of the Indus script, aiding in its ongoing decipherment efforts.

The paper analyzes some specific iconographic Indus seals. The readings of the text exhibit a rem... more The paper analyzes some specific iconographic Indus seals. The readings of the text exhibit a remarkable correlation between the text and the iconography of the seals. These seals signify not only the diseases and their symptoms but also the medicinal plants used in their treatment. The spelling rules of the alphabet have been followed meticulously, indicating the importance attached to the accuracy of the information provided in these seals. The iconographic Indus seals provide valuable evidence of the earliest documentation of Ayurveda. These seals signify the knowledge and importance attached to healthcare in the ancient Indus Valley Civilization, highlighting the holistic approach towards medicine and healthcare prevalent during that era. This paper sheds light on the specific function of these seals in indicating diseases, symptoms, and medicines, highlighting the intricate relationship between the script and iconography on the seals. The evidence presented in this paper supports the notion that the Indus seals constitute a valuable resource for the study of the early history of medicine and the origins of Ayurveda.

This research investigates the relationship between the Indus script and the Phoenician alphabet ... more This research investigates the relationship between the Indus script and the Phoenician alphabet by focusing on the Indus sign P-245 and its Phoenician counterpart. Building upon the phonetic values derived from Phoenician and adhering to the phonological principles of Sindhu Prakrit, this study explores the concordance between the textual content and iconography of three meticulously selected Indus seals. The analysis aims to demonstrate how the imagery on these seals reinforces and elucidates the interpretation of the inscribed text. The interplay between text and iconography not only corroborates the textual content but also strengthens the correlation between the two elements.

Research Paper, 2024

This paper presents a novel approach to decoding the Indus script, which was used by the Indus Va... more This paper presents a novel approach to decoding the Indus script, which was used by the Indus Valley Civilization (IVC) from approximately 3300 to 1900 BCE. The main focus of this research is the structural analysis of the signs within the Indus script. The central objective of the paper is to determine whether the Indus script can be classified as an alphabet, and it aims to provide compelling evidence regarding the number of primary signs. This includes establishing the actual count of Indus signs through the decomposition of compound signs, identifying diacritics and analyzing their consistent usage, as well as exploring the underlying concepts and implications associated with sign extraction. To comprehensively examine the Indus script, the paper analyzes over 400 signs, encompassing the entire script rather than a select subset of signs or texts. The visual decomposition of the signs employs a simple grid methodology. By summarizing the logical findings, the paper successfully identifies the primary signs and develops an understanding of their phonetic representation within the alphabet. The study recognizes the diverse writing styles used to combine the basic signs, The writing style of the Indus script incorporates variations in formation, composition, and combination, resulting in a significant number of signs. The research findings indicate that the Indus Script primarily consists of only 40 core signs.

Preprint, 2024

This article presents a novel analysis of Indus Seal M-282 [1] excavated from Mohenjo-Daro, a key... more This article presents a novel analysis of Indus Seal M-282 [1] excavated from Mohenjo-Daro, a key Indus Valley Civilization site. Utilizing the proposed Sindhu Prakrit alphabet, the study investigates the relationship between the seal's iconography and the inscribed text. By examining the potential for a close correlation between these elements, the analysis aims to decipher the meaning embedded within the seal's motifs, potentially offering new insights into Indus Valley communication and symbolism.

Social Science Research Network, 2022

The principal aspect of the paper is the structural analysis of the signs of the Indus script and... more The principal aspect of the paper is the structural analysis of the signs of the Indus script and comparison with archaic scripts. The outcomes are not based on surmise, but have been established on logic. The paper encompasses approximately all more than 400 signs of Indus script rather than any section of selected signs or texts. It justifies each sign and classifies vowels, diphthongs, consonants, dual consonants, aspirates, combined consonants and ligatures. It convincingly identifies the uniform procedure of diacritical marks, diphthongs, dual consonants, and aspirates in the alphabet. It also recognizes the writing styles of combining consonants. Some vowel and consonant signs are elaborated meticulously in the context of the Indus Texts. The context verifies the Indus Texts as an earlier documentation of Rig-Veda, and links up the sequence of opaque and lost history. Hence the language of Indus seals, Sindhu Prakrit possessed a completely phonetic alphabet/ script with consonants, aspirated consonants, vowels diphthongs implosive and dual sounds. It was made scientifically the extraction of signs is based on phonological classification and methodical logic, it appears more perfect than even modern scripts. However the decipherment of the Indus script as an alphabet is an innovative idea and definitely it will provoke the scholars to verify the results, any scholar in the field can apply the alphabet for the readings of Indus texts. The Paper unveils the long-lasted mystery and enigma of the Indus civilization and sums up the debate about human history and its origins.

There exist over four thousand Indus texts yet to be explored from linguistic, religious, and his... more There exist over four thousand Indus texts yet to be explored from linguistic, religious, and historical perspectives. This comprises a new project that aims to comprehensively investigate all of these texts. Presently, the emphasis is on achieving linguistic comprehension. I am sharing this to elicit suggestions and insights from my esteemed colleagues, with the aim of enhancing the project. I require the cooperation of proficient Sanskrit scholars for a profound comprehension of the appropriate terminologies utilized in the ancient language. The texts are deciphered using the Sindhu Prakrit alphabet, and strict adherence to the alphabet's regulations is observed. (Seal No: 03)

A new insight based on the Alphabet of Sindhu Prakrit

Article , 2024

SINDHU PRAKRIT UNVEILS THE ENIGMA, 2023

A new insight based on the Alphabet of Sindhu Prakrit

SSRN Electronic Journal

A paper on the Jalalabad seal written by Massimo Vidale, Francoise Dessert, and Dennys Frenez pre... more A paper on the Jalalabad seal written by Massimo Vidale, Francoise Dessert, and Dennys Frenez presents the scholarly view of the seal. They describe the elements of the iconography well, which can be accessed on academia.edu for details. Hence, researchers suggested six possible alternative readings to the inscribed text because the seal is partly damaged and the signs in the text are difficult to distinguish. In my opinion, one of them seems appropriate since it interprets iconography. My decipherment indicates that the text refers to leprosy and its treatment. Therefore, all those elements of iconography have been described accordingly

Article, 2022

A paper on the Jalalabad seal written by Massimo Vidale, Francoise Dessert, and Dennys Frenez pre... more A paper on the Jalalabad seal written by Massimo Vidale, Francoise Dessert, and Dennys Frenez presents a scholarly view of the seal. They describe the elements of the iconography well, which can be accessed on academia.edu for details. Hence, researchers suggested six possible alternative readings to the inscribed text because the seal is partly damaged and the signs in the text are difficult to distinguish. In my opinion, one of them seems appropriate since it interprets iconography. My decipherment indicates that the text refers to leprosy and its treatment. Therefore, all those elements of iconography have been described accordingly.

Paper, 2024

Research Paper, 2024

Preprint, 2024

Social Science Research Network, 2022

A new insight based on the Alphabet of Sindhu Prakrit

Article , 2024

SINDHU PRAKRIT UNVEILS THE ENIGMA, 2023

A new insight based on the Alphabet of Sindhu Prakrit

SSRN Electronic Journal

Article, 2022

A paper on the Jalalabad seal written by Massimo Vidale, Francoise Dessert, and Dennys Frenez pre... more A paper on the Jalalabad seal written by Massimo Vidale, Francoise Dessert, and Dennys Frenez presents a scholarly view of the seal. They describe the elements of the iconography well, which can be accessed on academia.edu for details. Hence, researchers suggested six possible alternative readings to the inscribed text because the seal is partly damaged and the signs in the text are difficult to distinguish. In my opinion, one of them seems appropriate since it interprets iconography. My decipherment indicates that the text refers to leprosy and its treatment. Therefore, all those elements of iconography have been described accordingly.

Article, 2025

The central focus of this research is the decipherment of the Indus script as an alphabet of Sind... more The central focus of this research is the decipherment of the Indus script as an alphabet of Sindhu Prakrit, which uncovers significant historical insights. The decipherment of an ancient and previously undeciphered script as an alphabet carries inherent self-evidence, and it provides a clear framework for analysis. Importantly, the suggestion that the Indus writing system may be alphabetical is not novel. For example, Rao Sahib’s earlier attempt at decipherment proposed an alphabetic structure for the Indus script. However, his work did not achieve universal academic acceptance due to the challenges of gaining consensus in this complex area of study.
The acceptance or rejection of any decipherment relies heavily on critical evaluation by experts and scholars, who rigorously assess the logical consistency and evidence supporting such claims. In this regard, the proposition of an alphabetic system offers a more straightforward and testable hypothesis compared to the complexities of logographic or logo-syllabic interpretations. These latter approaches often involve intricate and sometimes conflicting analyses, which can lead to ambiguities and make scholarly consensus difficult to achieve. The inherently personal nature of interpretative methods in these systems further complicates their evaluation, even when strong arguments are presented.
It is anticipated that this proposed decipherment as an alphabet will stimulate thoughtful critique and engagement from the scholarly community. Such dialogue is essential for refining and validating hypotheses in the study of ancient scripts.

Unveiling the Enigma: Exploring the scope and interpretation of the Indus Texts, the third Seal of the series; Nipa Ukha Upa Meda , 2023

Preprint , 2023

A new insight based on the Alphabet of the Sindhu Prakrit

Research Proposal, 2024

This paper introduces a groundbreaking approach to deciphering the Indus script, employed by the ... more This paper introduces a groundbreaking approach to deciphering the Indus script, employed by the Indus Valley Civilization (IVC) from c. 3300 to 1900 BCE. Moving beyond previous methods, my research delves into the intricate structure of the script's signs, aiming to definitively settle the debate regarding its categorization. Specifically, I investigate whether the Indus script functions as an alphabet, presenting compelling evidence for the number of primary signs it comprises. My methodology meticulously examines over 400 signs, encompassing the entire corpus rather than relying on limited samples. This holistic approach utilizes a novel grid-based decomposition technique to visually dissect compound signs, identify diacritics with consistent usage patterns, and uncover the underlying principles of sign extraction. Through this rigorous analysis, I successfully isolate the essential primary signs and illuminate their potential phonetic representations within an alphabetic system. However, I acknowledge the intricate variations in writing styles present across the Indus corpus. These stylistic subtleties, encompassing formation, composition, and combination strategies, contribute to the apparent plurality of signs. Nonetheless, my findings reveal a core set of only 40 fundamental signs, suggesting a remarkably concise system beneath the surface complexity. By presenting this new paradigm for understanding the Indus script, I pave the way for further advances in its decipherment. Continued exploration of the identified core signs and their phonetic associations holds immense potential for unlocking the linguistic insights encoded within this enigmatic script, shedding light on a crucial chapter in human history.

Conference Paper, 2024