Question

Which of the following is correct regarding Harappan script?

• A. This script was alphabetical.
• B. It was written from left to right.
• C. This script has not been deciphered so far.
• D. This script has a few signs or symbols.

Hint:

If a historical script is described in exams and the context suggests uncertainty, the safest choice is usually that the script remains undeciphered. This is often a reliable exam clue.

Answer 1

The Correct Option is C

The Harappan script, also known as the Indus script, was utilized by the Indus Valley Civilization from approximately 2600 to 1900 BCE in regions now in India and Pakistan. This script has been found on seals, pottery, copper tablets, and other artifacts from sites such as Harappa, Mohenjo-daro, and Dholavira.
The script is pictographic, employing over 400 distinct signs to convey meaning. Inscriptions are typically brief, consisting of 5 to 26 characters, which hinders syntactic analysis.
The script remains undeciphered due to the absence of a bilingual artifact like the Rosetta Stone and the uncertainty surrounding the Harappan language, whether it was Dravidian, Indo-Aryan, or from another family.
Option (A) is incorrect as the script is not alphabetical; it does not exhibit phonetic representation characteristic of modern alphabets.
Option (B) is incorrect because the writing direction is inconsistent, with texts appearing right-to-left, left-to-right, or boustrophedon.
Option (D) is misleading; the script features more than 400 signs, contradicting the notion of "a few" signs.
Consequently, the sole universally accepted fact is that the Harappan script has not yet been deciphered, making Option (C) the correct choice.