How many signs used to be part of the longest inscription found on Harappan seals?
26
Understanding Harappan Seals and Inscriptions
The Harappan civilization, also known as the Indus Valley Civilization, used seals extensively. These seals are one of the most important sources of information about this ancient culture. They are typically made of steatite and often feature animal motifs and inscriptions in the Harappan script.
The Harappan script is one of the great mysteries of archaeology, as it remains undeciphered. The inscriptions found on the seals and other objects are generally very short. This brevity is one of the challenges in deciphering the script.
Analyzing the Length of Harappan Inscriptions
The question asks about the number of signs in the longest inscription found on Harappan seals. While most inscriptions are just a few signs long, some longer ones have been discovered.
Let's look at the typical characteristics of Harappan inscriptions:
- Most contain between 3 to 5 signs.
- Longer inscriptions are rare.
- The script seems to have been written from right to left in most cases.
Identifying the Longest Harappan Inscription
Archaeological discoveries have revealed inscriptions of varying lengths. Scholars studying the Harappan script and seals have documented the longest known examples.
Based on available evidence, the longest known inscription found on a single object from the Harappan civilization contains 26 signs.
Let's consider the given options in light of this information:
| Option | Number of Signs | Evaluation |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 12 | This is a possible length for some longer inscriptions, but not the longest. |
| 2 | 90 | This number is far too large for any known Harappan inscription. |
| 3 | 79 | This number is also far too large for any known Harappan inscription. |
| 4 | 26 | This matches the widely accepted number of signs in the longest known Harappan inscription. |
Therefore, the number of signs used in the longest inscription found on Harappan seals is 26.
Revision Table: Key Facts about Harappan Seals and Script
| Feature | Description |
|---|---|
| Primary Material | Steatite |
| Common Motifs | Animals (e.g., unicorn bull, elephant, tiger, rhinoceros) |
| Purpose | Believed to be used for trade, identification, or administrative purposes. |
| Script Status | Undeciphered |
| Typical Inscription Length | Very short (3-5 signs) |
| Longest Inscription Length | 26 signs |
Additional Information: The Mystery of the Harappan Script
The Harappan script is one of the last major undeciphered scripts from the ancient world. Its mysterious nature makes it difficult to understand the language spoken by the Harappan people or the exact meaning of their inscriptions. Here are some key points about the Harappan script:
- It appears to be logo-syllabic, meaning signs represent words or syllables.
- There are an estimated 400-600 distinct signs.
- The short length of the inscriptions makes statistical analysis and pattern identification challenging for decipherment efforts.
- Various attempts have been made to decipher the script, proposing links to Dravidian, Indo-Aryan, or Munda languages, but none have gained widespread acceptance among scholars.
- The seals and inscriptions provide clues about the beliefs, economy, and social structure of the Harappan civilization, even without complete decipherment.
Important Questions from Harappa Civilization
Which of the following architectural elements is excluded from the construction sites of the Indus Valley Civilisation?
Which Harappan site is known for having a significant dockyard, indicating its importance as a port city?
The ancient name of which of the following rivers is Vipasha?
Given below are two statements: One is labelled as Assertion A and the other is labelled as Reason R.
Assertion (A): The People of Harappan civilization are said to have commercial links with the people of the Tigris and Euphrates basins.
Reason (R): There is no archaeological evidence to substantiate the hypothesis of trade links with Mesopotamia.
In the light of the above statements, choose the most appropriate answer from the options given below:
Given below are two statements - one labelled as Assertion (A) and the other labelled as Reason (R):
Assertion (A): There is little doubt now that certain facets of Indus Civilization survived into the second and the first millennium cultures.
Reason (R) : The earlier hiatus between the Indus Civilization and the Vedic culture is no longer acceptable
In the context of the above two statements, which of the following is correct?
