Step 1: Understanding the Concept:
Ancient civilizations developed unique writing systems to log trade transactions, maintain administration, and record cultural events. The Indus Valley Civilization (also known as the Harappan Civilization) used a distinct set of pictographic symbols engraved primarily on square steatite seals, copper tablets, and pottery.
Step 2: Detailed Explanation:
Let's analyze the historical scripts mentioned in the options:
- Hieroglyphics: This is the famous ancient Egyptian writing system that used pictorial characters to represent words and sounds.
- Cuneiform Script: Developed by the ancient Sumerians of Mesopotamia, this is one of the earliest systems of writing, characterized by wedge-shaped marks pressed into clay tablets.
- Brahmi Script: This is an ancient Indian script that emerged much later (around the 3rd century BCE) and served as the ancestor to most modern Indian scripts (like Devanagari). It was famously used by Emperor Ashoka for his edicts.
- Harappan Script: This refers specifically to the corpus of symbols created by the Indus Valley Civilization. It contains between 400 and 600 distinct signs. It is primarily pictographic and logo-syllabic, written from right to left, and remains undeciphered to this day.
Therefore, the symbols and writings on the seals are natively designated as the Harappan Script. This matches option (C).
Step 3: Final Answer:
The symbols and writings are called the Harappan Script.