IVC – The single mountain symbol indicates the mountain god Enlil or Varuna.

Generally, the ideas of IVC are followed by Tamil Nadu Graffiti markings. However, there are some distinctive features between these two civilisations. The mountain symbol is one such example. The IVC priests used a single mountain to indicate god Varuna or Enlil, whereas the Tamil Nadu funeral priests used a double mountain symbol for the same purpose. They may convey the same meaning, or there could be subtle differences. The Tamil Nadu priest could have indicated the Egyptian god “Geb” by his double mountain symbol. I have written a separate article about the double mountain symbol. Read that article for more information.

The inscriptions in this seal show a man and his legs tied to a chevron symbol. This figure likely indicates the mountain god; the chevron symbol attached to his leg suggests that both these symbols should be read together, and the conclusion is that it is the mountain god. The bow-like symbol could indicate a type of Yajna, where this semicircle indicates the Yajna pit used in the ritual. The comb symbol indicates the word offering.

Picture courtesy – Wikipedia (1) Note the semi-circle in the Yajnasala map shown on the side. It indicates the Dakshinagni fire pit, not Rudra’s bow symbol.

Frequency analysis of the data of Iravatham Mahadevan (2)

Symbols -pairs	Frequency of occurrence	Meaning of the symbols
	7 times	Mountain god and his stick (Varuna)
	4 Times	The half stick symbol could have indicated the determinative idea of the ancient hieroglyphic or Yajna symbol.
Triplets (Symbols)
	3 times	Varuna Yajna – Garhapatya Yajna, the Wheel symbol indicates Garhapatya Yajna.
	2 times	Varuna and his stick, followed by the caduceus symbol indicating eternal life, to Pithru.

Analysis of the above-given data shows that the mountain and stick symbol is in harmony with the idea of the mountain god Varuna. It should be noted that the God Varuna was originally a sky god, but was later delegated to the watery realm, after the ascendancy of Indra. (Or) The mountain symbol could have indicated the Sumerian god Enlil.

In addition to the above mountain symbol, these symbols could also indicate the phrase “Mountain Sastha”.

The table below shows the variants of the single mountain symbol.

	The chevron symbol in this seal inscription may indicate the mountain god. The comb symbol means offering. The last symbol indicates the word Yajna(fire-sticks).
	The third symbol may be another variant of the mountain symbol. (read from right to left) The two fish symbols indicate the pithrus in heaven.
	In this seal inscription, the mountain symbol follows the god symbol. The stick symbol indicates the stick of Varuna. The caduceus symbol suggests the word “Eternity”. Here, most probably Varuna is giving eternal life to the deceased person.
	(Read from right to left) The mountain symbol and the Sastha symbol follow the dangerous symbol. It reads as the dangerous god Varuna Sastha.
	Varuna is the God with the chevron symbol on his leg, and the fork symbol could be a modified form of the Sastha symbol.