Methods and results of a systematic attempt to decipher the Indus script as a logo-syllabic writing system with Proto-Dravidian as the underlying language DUH ϧUVW RXWOLQHG 7KHQ RQH VR IDU XQGHFLSKHUHG VLJQ LV LQWHUSUHWHG DV GHSLFWLQJ an ungulate’s ‘hind leg.’ A phonetic reading is proposed on the basis of its onetime occurrence in front of the plain ‘ϧVK’ VLJQ %HVLGHV WKH SODLQ ‘ϧVK’ sign, there are ‘fish’ signs modified by the addition of various ‘diacritics,’ such as a ‘roof’ SODFHG RYHU WKH ϧVK, D KRUL]RQWDO RU GLDJRQDO OLQH FURVVLQJ WKH ϧVK LQ WKH PLGGOH, HWF 7KH VHTXHQFH ‘hind leg’ + ‘ϧVK’ is likely to represent a compound name of a KHDYHQO\ ERG\ OLNH VHYHUDO RWKHU DOUHDG\ GHFLSKHUHG VHTXHQFHV, where the latter member of the compound is Proto-Dravidian *miin ‘star,’ homophonous with *miin ‘ϧVK ’ $ SUREDEOH VROXWLRQ WR EH WHVWHG E\ D VWXG\ RI RWKHU RFFXUUHQFHV RI the ‘hind leg’ VLJQ LV RϱHUHG E\ 2OG 7DPLO taaL ‘leg,’ which is once attested as GHQRWLQJ DQ DVWHULVP )LQDOO\, some inconclusive in-depth attempts to decipher RWKHU XQGHFLSKHUHG VLJQV DUH UHFRUGHG 7KHLU SXUSRVH LV WR KLJKOLJKW GLϫFXOWLHV GXH WR WKH VFDQWLQHVV RI HDUO\ UDYLGLDQ OH[LFDO DQG WH[WXDO PDWHULDO
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