Consider the following statements regarding Indus script:1. The script...
► Statement 1 is correct - The script was usually written right to left and sometimes followed the boustrophedon method of writing.
Boustrophedon
- A type of bi-directional text, mostly seen in ancient manuscripts and other inscriptions.
- It literally means “ox-turning” in ancient Greek.
- In this system, alternate lines of writing are flipped.
- If the 1st line is read from right to left, then the 2nd line would be read from left to right and so on.
► Statement 2 is incorrect - The characters are largely pictorial but include many abstract signs, thus it is possibly a logo-syllabic script.
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Consider the following statements regarding Indus script:1. The script...
The correct answer is option 'C' - both statements 1 and 2 are correct.
Explanation:
1. The script follows a boustrophedon method of writing:
The boustrophedon method of writing is a style where the text is written from left to right on one line, and then the next line is written from right to left, and so on. This creates a pattern resembling the plowing of a field by an ox. The Indus script indeed follows this method of writing. The direction of the script alternates between left-to-right and right-to-left in a zigzag pattern, similar to the boustrophedon style.
2. The script characters are largely pictorial only:
The Indus script is primarily composed of pictorial signs or characters. These characters are often depicted as small, stylized drawings of animals, plants, objects, or geometric shapes. Some of the characters resemble real-world objects, while others may have more abstract representations. It is believed that these pictorial signs might have conveyed meanings or represented specific words or concepts in the Indus Valley Civilization.
The Indus script remains undeciphered, and there is ongoing debate and research regarding its nature and meaning. Despite efforts by numerous scholars, linguists, and archaeologists, no definitive interpretation of the script has been reached. The lack of a bilingual inscription or a Rosetta Stone-like discovery has made it challenging to decipher the script.
In summary, the Indus script follows the boustrophedon method of writing and consists mainly of pictorial signs. However, the precise meaning and interpretation of these signs remain elusive.