Indus Script Interpreted as Iconography of Hindu Mythology by Celeste Claire Horner (2026). Interpretations 2024 draft Long 417 glyph table draft. Mahadevan 1977 catalog pg 32-35 (CCH 2026-6-16, May 14, 2026)
| Sign # | Glyph Image | Label | Freq | Description | Legend (Puranic Connection) | Reference |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 0 | ![]() |
Zero | 0 | Zero, nothing, not, void, singularity, focus, point, curse (set at naught). Seed, bindu. (Point glyph widely used but not indexed in Mahadevan 1977, added by Celeste Horner 2025) | Inscription 6405. Chanhudaro. Brahma dead swan, zero, infinite pillar, axis, spine Kenoyer: Peshawar zero, 4 CE. |
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| 2 | ![]() |
Emergence | 21 | A god emerging from a pillar of light. Emergence, manifestation, revelation, doorway. Omnipresent god emerging from cosmic axis. | glyph #2 | |
| 4 | ![]() |
Horse-head god of wisdom | 4 | horse-head god of wisdom | Inscription 1189. Mohenjodaro. Chakra and knife represent Vishnu's discus weapon. Vishnu, decapitated by bowstring, obtains horse-head. This magically enabled him to defeat Hyagriva, the horse-head demon who kidnapped the four Vedic wisdom scriptures, personified as children, taking them to the bottom of the sea.
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| 16 | ![]() |
Mount Mandara | 1 | Mountain with 2 gods on either side. Gods and demons turning Mount Mandara in the Ocean of Milk. Gods uprooting Mount Mandara, broken mountain peak of Mount Meru. | Seal 2518. | |
| 25 | ![]() |
Sage with walking stick | 53 | Sage with walking stick. Immortal | Wisdomlib: Durvasa | 56 | ![]() |
Wings | 8 | Wings of Garuda the eagle, the mount of Vishnu. Amrita. Prana, chi, life-energy, uplifting power. Immortality. | Seal M-314 |
| 269.1 | ![]() |
Amrita. Elixir of life | * | Amrita, elixir of immortality. Symbol of life: a germinated seed or egg. Female vessel, house, temple, vulva. Heart and nested diamond representing soul, spirit, or light. Eye looking upward. Prayer. Wish-fulfilling gem. | glyph #269. C-66, M-314, Mohenjodaro zebu seal Mohenjodaro zebu seal. * This glyph is frequent, but not indexed correctly, requires recount. | |
| 307 | ![]() |
Bow and arrow | Bow and love-inspiring arrows of Kama, the Hindu god of Love. Pashupat, the divine bow and arrow weapon of Shiva. Weapon has power to destroy the cosmos. Symbolizes Shiva's role as potent protector from supernatural poison. Decipherment 2026-5-19 CCH: Forms the Pashupati title of Shiva in Indus inscriptions. (Ankle cuff glyph #40 also Pashupati noose-foot pashu pad) | H-10 unicorn seal with two hearts, archer with bow Inscription 2043, Mohenjodaro 43 (Further Excavations), Inscription 2049: Archer with two bows ** | ||
| 391 | ![]() |
Wheel / Chakra | 182 | Wheel. Chakra discus weapon of god Vishnu. Shining light. Star. Cosmic axis. Singularity. Shell of Kurma, turtle avatar of Vishnu. | Mahadevan 1977 |
Vibe-code table seed by Gemini 2026-5-13. Percentages listed after legends are heuristic approximate confidence factors for the association between the glyph and a myth. Implemented as automated diagnosis program. Frequency data based on Mahadevan 1977 and the indusscript.in database. Resources: Harappa.com