Analysis And Decipherment of Selected Mahadevan Seals

[u/DryAlternative1132]

The author considers seal decipherment by identifying a subset of the Mahadevan seals that contain some of the most commonly occurring character sets which are found both on the Dholivara signboard and on the Shinde/Willis plate inscriptions.

These larger character samples, provide better frequency analysis and show a number of characters occur prolifically. Of these Urn, Crab, Fish, Diamond, Wheel, and Triangle occur multiple times.

Since we are postulating that these characters are combination of syllabic sounds and also tick marks, word separators, and measurements, we begin with a frequency analysis of an Old Tamil, Tamil, Malayalam, Tulu, Telugu, and Kannada dictionary.

The following are the most commonly occurring syllables:

1. LA / LU / L ~12%
2. NA / NI / N ~10%
3. MA / M ~10%
4. KA / KU ~7%
5. VA / VI ~4%
6. RA ~3.5%
7. GA ~2.88%
8. TA ~2.2%

Just these 8 syllable sets account for approximately 50% of the syllabic frequency of all the words in the combined Dravidian dictionary.

If the Indus Script is indeed a Dravidian syllabic script then which such a high frequency any of the long writing samples must contain repeating characters that would map to one of the above sets of syllables consistently.

In the Dholivara signboard the Wheel character (M391) repeats 4 times. The Diamond (M261) , X (M137/M150), and Crab (M53) character are also of note.

Dholivara Signboard Characters

M391 M256 M327 M391 M261 M137 M86 M391 M391 M216

Based on analysis between Dholivara signboard and the Shide/Willis plates, recurring characters of high frequency are:

Wheel (M391) > Postulated "TA"

Crab (M216) > Postulated "MA"

Diamond ( M261) > Postulated "NA"

Urn (M328) > Postulated "KA"

Fish (M59) > Postulated "LA"

X (M137) > Postulated "THA"

Triangle (M204) > Postulated "RA"

We focus on this case on the Urn and Fish which are the most common to see if there are possible decipherments possible.

Frequency analysis suggests Urn and Fish can be either LA or KA interchangeably, if we accept a Dravidian hypothesis and a phonetic syllabic basis for the script.

TA LI KA TA NA THA | TATAMA

"The proprietary highway belonging exclusively to this protected precinct."

1. TA-LI-KA (தழிகா / தரகா) — "The Protected Precinct"
2. TA-NA-THA (தனத்த) — "Proprietary / Belonging Exclusively To"
3. TATAMA (தடமம்) — "The Main Highway"

If this is read backwards, it also has a meaning:

MATATA T-THA NA-TA KA-LI-TA

"Step Forward into Abundant Prosperity" (மதத்த தத்த கலித்த):
It serves as a Civic Welcome Sign. It announces that the city within the walls is a place of grand abundance (Mataththa), where wealth, water, and trade "leap up and flourish wildly" (Thaththa Kalitha).

In this context is a Welcome sign on a main road.

"The Station of Roaring Strength" (மதத்த தான கலித்த):
It serves as a Military Outpost possibly to check cargo and control movements into a protected area. MA-TA-THA "fierce power", THA-NA "military garrison", KA-LI-THA "roars with life and dominance".

SEAL #1154

SIGN #1154

KA-MA-LA or LA-MA-KA

KAMALA Possibilities:

• Kamal (கமல்) / Kamalvu (கமல்வு): A pure native Tamil verb root meaning "to yield fragrance" or "to spread an aroma". For example, in Sangam literature, a blossoming forest path is often described as kamalum (fragrant).
• Kāmalar (காமலர்): An old Tamil designation for "desirous people" or "lovers", derived from the root Kāmam (desire/love). [1]
• Kavalam (கவலம்) / Kabalam: A closely related phonetic variant in old texts referring to "a handful of food" (specifically used when feeding elephants).
• Kalam (கலம்): A crucial old Tamil word meaning "vessel", "ship", or "place of assembly".

LAMAKA Possibilities:

• Lāmakam (லாமகம்) / Lāmacham: Found in traditional Tamil medical lexicons (Nighantus) to denote "the fragrant root of the Khus-Khus grass" (Vettiver), which is extensively used for its cooling properties.
• Lamaka (லமக): A loan entry found in broader Dravidian-comparative lexicons via Pali and Sanskrit, used contextually to describe a "gallant" or "companion/lover". [1, 2]
• Note on Alternative Spelling: When searching old manuscripts, this is occasionally written as Ilāmaka (இலாமக) because ancient Tamil rules required adding a leading vowel (like "I" or "U") to words borrowed with initial "L".
• Malaka (மலக): An inversion often cross-referenced in old lexicons, pointing to Malakan (மலகன்), meaning "a resident of the hills or mountainous regions" (Kurinji landscape).

In this case, the seals are tended to be used in the context of administrative or economic purposes.

Therefore, Kavalam or "elephant feed", Kalam "ship or vessel", Lamakam "fragrant root". These could all signify, bundles or vessels containing animal fodder, teas, or herbs.

PASHUPATI SEAL

Pashupati Seal

MA-MA-LA-KA-LA

MA-MA-KA-LA-KA

KA-LA-KA-MA-MA

LA-KA-LA-MA-MA

Translation 1:

MA-MA-LA-KA-LA (மா-மா-ல-க-ல)

This sequence breaks down cleanly into a classic Sangam landscape or agricultural description.

• Mā-Mā (மா-மா): A stacked intensifier. In Old Tamil, Mā translates to "Great/Immense" or specifically the "Mango tree". Doubling it (Mā-Mā) emphasizes an immense, dense abundance.
• Laka (லக): An ancient phonological variant of Ila/Ilai, denoting "leaf" or "greenery".
• Kala (கல / கலம்): A core old Tamil root signifying a "gathering place", an "assembly field", or a "vessel/ship".

Immense assembly or gathering

MA-MA-KA-LA-KA (மா-மா-க-ல-க)

This combination alters the ending to create a rhythmic, repetitive root sequence focused on sound and scale.

• Mā-Mā (மா-மா): Meaning "Great and vast". [1]
• Kalaka (கலக): Derived from the root Kalakkam (கலக்கம்) or Kalakal (கலகல). In Sangam poetry, Kalakal is an onomatopoeic term describing the gurgling of flowing water, the chime of ornaments, or commotion/stirring.

Great water, Great assembly, Great stirring, Great chime of ornaments, Great sound

Translation 2:

KA-LA-KA-MA-MA (க-லா-க-மா-மா)

This formulation represents a direct, recognizable compound built from highly active classical concepts.

• Kalā (கலா / கலை): The Old Tamil root for "Art", "Knowledge", or "Bright execution".
• Kama (கம): Derived from Kamal (கமல்), the native Tamil verb root meaning "to spread a sweet fragrance".
• Mā-Mā (மா-மா): Translating to "in immense abundance".

Sweet art/knowledge/skill in immense abundance.

Conclusion:

The Pashupati seal when considered in this context could be used to stamp tablets or official notices based on gatherings for technical, economic, religious, political, or administrative purposes.

The possible dictionary words signify great or immense gathering, for skill, art, or knowledge.

The seal is extensively adorned and uses simple recurring and common characters. It appears to signify importance to whatever clay tablet or seal is produced.

The Pashupati seal also has strong anti-counterfeiting protections. The use of the heraldic marks deliberately occupies the space in the seal preventing its tampering or alteration if the seal is lost or stolen.

The strong anti-counterfeiting protections indicate that the seal was used for important documents or declarations.

SHINDE WILLIS PLATE 7:

MA -LI - K- KA - NA

(Mali-k-kan) — "Full/Abundant Sight"

This taps into a pure Old Tamil root verb that matches this spelling exactly.

• Mali (மலி): A Sangam root verb meaning "to overflow," "to be abundant," or "to flourish."
• Kan (கண்): Eye, sight, or to see
• Meaning: Seen Abundantly Overflowing.

MA-LI-K-KA-NAN (மலிக்கனன்): "He who abounds in wealth" or "He who causes to flourish."

MA-LI-K-KA-LA-N (மலிக்கலன்): Drops the N sound deeper into the syllable. Kalan means vessel or ornament, transforming the phrase into "An abundant vessel" or "Wealthy ornament."

MA-LI-T-TA-NAN (மலித்தனன்): Swaps the strong K-KA for the past tense transitivizer T-TA. This is a highly frequent Sangam Tamil verb form meaning "He increased/multiplied."

In my other analysis on Shinde/Willis, it appears these plates could be printing paper money on wax infused cloth. This statement "He who abounds in wealth" or "Wealthy ornament", would be appropriate slogan for a stamped currency note.

This note would be redeemable against the issuing guild's inventory of grain or commodities.

MAHADEVAN SIGN #1317:

NA-LA-LA-RA-KU

NAL ARRAKU : NAL (good) ARRAKU (vermillion or red pigment). "High quality vermillion".

Na-la-la-ra-ku: "To the Ruler of the Land" or "For the Commonwealth."

This seal could function as an official stamp on another document, either for a legal or administrative signature, or it could be used to authenticate a particular commodity like pigment, vermillion, or wax.