Why in News?
The Union Ministry of Culture, through IGNCA, is hosting a three-day international conference (Sept 11–13, 2025) in New Delhi to discuss new research and attempts to decipher the undeciphered Harappan script, with PM Modi and HM Amit Shah attending.
Description:
Harappan Script:
- Origin: Associated with the Indus Valley Civilization (2600–1900 BCE).
- Form: Pictographic/Logo-syllabic – symbols represent objects, ideas, or sounds.
- Medium: Found on seals, pottery, copper plates, tools, terracotta tablets, etc.
- Direction of Writing: Usually right to left, sometimes boustrophedon (alternate lines in opposite directions).
- Number of Symbols: About 400–600 distinct signs identified.
- Undeciphered: Script remains undeciphered; no bilingual inscriptions discovered (like the Rosetta Stone for Egyptian).
- Phonetic Value: Uncertain; some scholars suggest it was not alphabetic but logo-syllabic (signs = word + sound).
- Length of Inscriptions: Short (most have 3–20 characters), indicating it was not used for long texts.
- Purpose: Believed to be used for administrative, commercial, and ritual purposes.
- Decline: Script disappeared with the decline of Harappan Civilization around 1900 BCE.
- Conference: Union Ministry of Culture hosting meet (Sept 11–13, 2025).
The Conference:
- Organised by Indira Gandhi National Centre for the Arts (IGNCA).
- IGNCA is an autonomous body under the Ministry of Culture (1987).
- Headquarters: New Delhi.,Works on art, culture, manuscripts, digitization.
- Attendees: archaeologists, cancer specialist, aerospace engineer, govt officials! (Diverse expertise).
Different Theories:
- Sanskrit link (Indic roots)
- Dravidian language link (Proto-Dravidian)
- Tribal/Adiwasi link (Santali, Gondi)
- Challenge: No bilingual text (like Rosetta Stone for Egyptian hieroglyphs).
So far, the Harappan script remains unreadable.
- Understanding Harappan language = unlocking India’s earliest civilization’s thought system.
- Connects Archaeology + Linguistics + Culture.
- Current Research Highlight:
- Prakash N. Salame claims 90% of symbols decoded using Proto-Dravidian link.
- Debate continues—no consensus yet.
La Excellence IAS Academy, the best IAS coaching in Hyderabad, known for delivering quality content and conceptual clarity for UPSC 2025 preparation.
FOLLOW US ON:
◉ YouTube : https://www.youtube.com/@CivilsPrepTeam
◉ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/LaExcellenceIAS
◉ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/laexcellenceiasacademy/
GET IN TOUCH:
Contact us at info@laex.in, https://laex.in/contact-us/
or Call us @ +91 9052 29 2929, +91 9052 99 2929, +91 9154 24 2140
OUR BRANCHES:
Head Office: H No: 1-10-225A, Beside AEVA Fertility Center, Ashok Nagar Extension, VV Giri Nagar, Ashok Nagar, Hyderabad, 500020
Madhapur: Flat no: 301, survey no 58-60, Guttala begumpet Madhapur metro pillar: 1524, Rangareddy Hyderabad, Telangana 500081
Bangalore: Plot No: 99, 2nd floor, 80 Feet Road, Beside Poorvika Mobiles, Chandra Layout, Attiguppe, Near Vijaya Nagara, Bengaluru, 560040
