The chief minister of Tamil Nadu, a state in India, announced a prize of $1 million for anyone who can decipher the ancient script of the Indus Valley Civilization. The announcement was made during the inauguration of a three-day international conference commemorating the centenary of the civilization's discovery, held at the Tamil Nadu Government Museum in Egmore.
"We are still unable to clearly understand the script of the Indus Valley Civilization that once
flourished," Chief Minister M.K. Stalin said, according to The New Indian Express. He emphasized the enduring mystery of the script, which has puzzled scholars for over a century, and expressed hope that the reward would incentivize researchers worldwide to unlock its secrets.
The Indus Valley Civilization, existing from 3300 BCE to 1300 BCE, is one of the world's earliest urban cultures. Despite extensive archaeological excavations, its script remains undeciphered, leaving a gap in understanding the civilization's language, culture, and contributions. Stalin noted that efforts are ongoing by scholars to solve this riddle and that numerous Indus sites have been excavated in the Indian subcontinent over the past 100 years.
In addition to the prize, Stalin announced the establishment of a research chair named after archaeologist Iravatham Mahadevan. A grant of 2 crore rupees (over $230,000) has been allocated for this purpose to further promote research in the area. According to Jagran, this research chair will facilitate in-depth study of the Indus Valley Civilization, with special attention to its relations with Tamil Nadu.
Recent archaeological discoveries in Tamil Nadu suggest a possible connection between the region and the ancient Indus Valley. Stalin pointed out that symbols found on artifacts excavated in Tamil Nadu bear a remarkable resemblance to those from the Indus Valley. "About 60 percent of the symbols found on Indus Valley pottery are similar to the symbols found on artifacts excavated in Tamil Nadu," he stated, as reported by Jagran. Writings on mud pots from both regions show a 90 percent similarity.
These similarities have generated considerable interest among scholars. Ongoing studies are examining graffiti marks found in Tamil Nadu during excavations to determine their connection to the undeciphered Indus script.
"The fading away of the Indus Civilization and its context remains a mystery," Stalin said, according to News18.
The conference also saw Stalin laying the foundation stone for a statue of Sir John Marshall, the archaeologist credited with the discovery of the Indus Valley Civilization. "Sir John Marshall's discovery was a turning point in history and completely changed the understanding of the past," he said, as noted by The Hindu.
This article was written in collaboration with generative AI company Alchemiq