Unlocking Ancient Secrets: AI-driven efforts to decipher the 4,500 years old Indus Valley script

A new wave of researchers is harnessing AI and advanced methods to crack the long-standing mystery of the Indus Valley script. With AI's potential to analyse patterns and structures, experts are hopeful that this ancient language may finally be decoded

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Jan 21, 2025, 09:00 am IST

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A new generation of scholars and researchers is leveraging AI and advanced techniques to unravel the mysteries of the Indus Valley script, sparking optimism that the ancient language may soon be deciphered through these cutting-edge technologies.

Researchers are applying AI algorithms to examine the patterns and frequencies of symbols in the Indus Valley script, aiming to uncover insights into its structure and meaning. With its capacity to process vast datasets and identify patterns, AI proves to be an invaluable tool in these ongoing efforts.

Around 4,500 years ago, an ancient civilization flourished in the Indus Valley, located in present-day India and Pakistan. While much remains unknown about them, archaeologists have uncovered evidence of a sophisticated writing system.

Script still remains a mystery

For over a century, experts from various fields—archaeology, linguistics, history, and science—have attempted to decipher the Indus script but have so far been unsuccessful. Research methods have evolved from traditional approaches to more advanced techniques, including the use of computers and statistical analysis. Despite these efforts, the language remains an enigma.

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Use of AI to decipher the script

Omar Khan, an Indus enthusiast from San Francisco and the founder of Harappa.com, a website publishing scholarly articles on Indus studies for over three decades, said that Artificial Intelligence (AI) holds great potential to aid scholars and researchers in deciphering the Indus Valley scripts. He believes AI can also play a crucial role in sharing this knowledge with the broader public.

Bahata Mukhopadhyay, a software engineer, and cryptographer Bharath Rao are at the forefront of efforts to decode the enigmatic Indus script. Though from different fields—Rao as a cryptographer and Mukhopadhyay as a software engineer—they are united in their mission. “I’ve been fascinated by this script since 2010 and have been seeking scientific analysis to unravel its meaning,” Mukhopadhyay shared.