Ancient Depicted Sign language

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Ancient Depicted Sign Language refers to the visual-manual communication systems used by historical cultures, represented through artifacts, inscriptions, or artworks. This field of study examines the linguistic structures, cultural contexts, and social functions of these sign languages, contributing to our understanding of human communication and the evolution of language in ancient societies.

lightbulbAbout this topic

Ancient Depicted Sign Language refers to the visual-manual communication systems used by historical cultures, represented through artifacts, inscriptions, or artworks. This field of study examines the linguistic structures, cultural contexts, and social functions of these sign languages, contributing to our understanding of human communication and the evolution of language in ancient societies.

Key research themes

1. How can ancient depicted sign language be systematically decoded to reveal cosmological and spiritual meanings embedded in archaeological artifacts?

This research area explores the methodology of interpreting ancient artifacts, such as vessels, petroglyphs, and sculptures, through the lens of a consistent system of depicted signs derived from historically documented gesture languages. It investigates how form, imagery, gesture signs, and positional cues combine to convey complex cosmological narratives—especially concerning concepts of afterlife, spirit essence, and celestial phenomena (e.g., Venus as the Scout star). Understanding this enables scholars to uncover implicit meanings behind ancient iconography, thus offering new insights into prehistoric belief systems and communication methods.

Greek Vessel: The Great Male

by Clifford C Richey

2024

Key finding: This paper demonstrates the decoding of an archaic Greek vessel using ancient depicted sign language by systematically analyzing the form, imagery (notably the male genital area), and gestures to reconstruct a metaphorical... Read more

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Mimbres Bowl: The Birthing

by Clifford C Richey

2024

Key finding: By interpreting the Mimbres burial bowl through depicted sign language, this study reveals the cosmological symbolism of rebirth and spirit ascension encoded in gesture forms and spatial positioning—such as the fetal position... Read more

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Depicted Sign Language: An Ancient System of Communication

by Clifford C Richey

2024

Key finding: This foundational paper synthesizes evidence from over 500 historically documented gesture signs used cross-culturally to propose a coherent system of depicted sign language. It articulates organizational principles such as... Read more

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The Spirit Essence of Nazca Mouse Imagery

by Clifford C Richey

2024

Key finding: The study revises prior interpretations of Nazca mouse imagery by situating it within ancient sign language tradition, recognizing the mouse not as timid but as a 'great invader' or 'plunderer'. This reevaluation—using... Read more

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Bowls and Cupules, Their Cosmological Meaning

by Clifford C Richey

2024

Key finding: This research links ceramic bowls and rock cupules across geographically disparate areas through shared sign language symbolism related to funerary cosmology. Detailed analysis of spatial sign placement, gesture forms like... Read more

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2. What are the current technological and methodological advances in the automatic translation and recognition of ancient and modern sign languages, and how do they inform educational and interactive applications?

This theme focuses on the intersection of computational linguistics, computer vision, and human-computer interaction to translate and animate sign languages, including efforts to build recognition systems for educational purposes and interactive cultural experiences. It addresses challenges unique to signed languages — lack of standardized orthographies, multimodal articulation, and expressive subtleties — and how these impact machine translation, avatar representation, and sign language corpora development. Practical implementations range from pedagogical platforms for sign language learners to museum guides for deaf visitors, contributing to language preservation and accessibility.

Greek sign language recognition for an education platform

by Galini G . Sapountzaki

2024, Universal Access in the Information Society

Key finding: This paper introduces a signer-independent Greek Sign Language recognition module using state-of-the-art deep learning approaches with webcam video inputs in non-studio environments. Integrated into the SL-ReDu education... Read more

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Museum Guidance in Sign Language: the SignGuide project

by Angeliki Koukouvou

2025, Proceedings of the 15th International Conference on PErvasive Technologies Related to Assistive Environments

Key finding: The SignGuide project pioneers an interactive museum guide system that captures visitor sign language queries via video and responds with avatar-based signed language explanations. It leverages advances in computer vision,... Read more

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Animating Sign Language in the Real Time

by Piotr Fabian

2024

Key finding: This paper presents a real-time animation module for Polish Sign Language translation systems using Szczepankowski’s gestographic notation. By addressing incomplete and intuitive gesture specifications through automatic... Read more

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Dicta-Sign – Building a Multilingual Sign Language Corpus

by John Glauert

2023

Key finding: This work details the creation of a semi-spontaneous, parallel corpus for four European sign languages (BSL, DGS, GSL, LSF) with extensive multi-camera video data and multilayer annotation using iLex. The corpus supports... Read more

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3. How do existing linguistic and gestural theories reconcile the relationships and distinctions between sign language, co-speech gestures, and gesture components within sign communication?

This research strand investigates the theoretical and empirical boundaries between linguistic sign forms and gestural components in signed languages, interrogating whether sign language is fundamentally linguistic, gestural, or a hybrid. It engages with the continuum between categorical conventional signs and imagistic gestures, exploring how signers integrate gesture with linguistic elements and how this influences our understanding of language modality, cognitive processing, and language acquisition. The discourse impacts sign language linguistics, cognitive science, and gesture studies.

Gesture, sign, and language: The coming of age of sign language and gesture studies

by Diane Brentari

2022, Behavioral and Brain Sciences

Key finding: This comprehensive review traces the evolving perspective on sign language as both linguistic and gestural, urging a reconceptualization that integrates imagistic co-sign gestures with categorical linguistic signs across... Read more

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Sign-Gesture Symbiosis In Brazilian Sign Language Narrative

by Evani de Carvalho Viotti

2024, papers.ssrn.com

Key finding: This study documents the coexistence and functional integration of multiple articulatory resources in Brazilian Sign Language narratives, including lexical signs, nonmanual markers, and free pantomime (constructed action). It... Read more

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All papers in Ancient Depicted Sign language

Greek Vessel: The Great Male

by Clifford C Richey

2024

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Mimbres Bowl: The Birthing

by Clifford C Richey

2024

Addition 10-24-2024: Asterisks were missing in one section of the illustration. This is a brief paper about a somewhat "spooky" Image on a Mimbres Bowl.

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Depicted Sign Language: An Ancient System of Communication

by Clifford C Richey

2024

10-13-2024 This is an update to include Sylvanus Morely’s classifications found in the Maya language. It was, inadvertently left out of this paper. However it can be found in the Gobekli Tepe: The Navel, The Center of the Earth paper... more

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A Nazca Female Spirit Vessel

by Clifford C Richey

2024

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Ancient Fish Depictions

by Clifford C Richey

2024

The Nazca Bowl’s interior has a red background that represented the color of, the arising Sun and rebirth.

In the above photograph of a Moche Vessel, we see that the Vessel itself is in the Form/Imagery of Large, the great*, Female, Female-earth. The Female-earth was, anciently viewed as a Vessel, a container of water. We also note that from the Horizontal Line, the land’s surface*, a Tree is srowing. The Trunk of the Tree is in the Form of, arising*, to the Large, the great, “V”, opening and from the Branches the Leaves are in the Form/Imagery of Water Drops, water particles. In some depictions of the Tree its Roots are clearly shown as drawing up the water from the inderworld into the Trunk of the Tree. The Imagery of a Dog, spirit essence, the one that forewarns or foretells, of possible danger, appears at the base of the Tree as as a sign for, a prophecy (alluding to dogs barking about the approach of something that may be intruding on its erritory).

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The Spirit Essence of Nazca Mouse Imagery

by Clifford C Richey

2024

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Orinoco River Lizard Petroglyph

by Clifford C Richey

2024

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Olmec Sculpture, The Fallen One

by Clifford C Richey

2024

This paper focuses on an Olmec sculpture whose Imagery probably brings up quite different associations than that intended by the ancient craftsmen. The paper focuses on translation through ancient depicted sign language. Due to the over... more

Drawing by Elizabeth Wahle, after Cyphers 1996b:63 Olmec Sculpture, The Fallen One

Photo Credit: Metropolitan Museum (Public Domain) “This vessel is modeled in the shape of a spiral platform surmounted by an open-sided structure with a figure inside. The vessel itself is a bottle, with a spout in the shape of a stimup, a characteristic shape on Peru’s north coast from the first millennium B.C. through the later part of the first millennium, A. D. The spiral platform is omamented with a procession of snails, sculpted in high relief, and felines, painted in red slip, ascending he summit where a figure is depicted within a four-posted, roofed structure on a circular podium. The figure wears a conical headdress, ear omaments, and a beaded collar, and holds a war club across his chest.”? tt Second, The jaguar is not clawing its victim. The Arm and Hand of the Jaguar is human and does not hav claws. Third, The Jaguar is holding, or supporting, the human figure. Fourth, We need to understand what the Jaguar Imagery represents. The Imagery represented the spirit essence of the animal depicted. The simplest example would be a Snail as, the one that moves slowly. The Feline (in this case a Jaguar) represented, the great huntress of the darkness, while its opposite, the Eagle, represented, the Sun, as the great hunter of the daytime. Together, they both represented the Sun in its changing spatial position its pictorial transformations, when in the upper-world or when within the under-world. The Sky was considered male and everything within it was transformed to male. The earth was considered female and everything within it was transformed into female, including the Sun. Therefore, we find male-spirits in the sky, female-spirits in the underworld, and both genders existing together, in the middle-world.

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Ancient Depicted Sign Language

by Clifford C Richey

2024

Updated July 13, 2024, see Spirit essence: Mouse. This paper is intended to provide an orientation to the organization of the ancient sign language system. It does not provide documentation for all the signs. It relies on the... more

Gesture signs were depicted by hand motions made in the air and relied on the reader's memory to retain the meaning from one sign to the other. The same system could not have been used in depicted sign language because placing signs on top of one another would have resulted in a hopeless tangle of signs. Thus signs were separated by organizing them spatially such as grouping Forms and Imagery into pattems (sections). For our purposes Form, Imagery, and Gesture elements are all considered Signs. Generally the signs appear to have been read from the largest sign to the smallest. Eact complete Form or Image is independent of the others and contains its own message. The message of course, relates to th entire composition but not directly from section to section. For example, when the earth was depicted as a female figure its face would be the face of the earth. But when one focuses on the Form of the Face, separate from the female figure, the shape of the head might have been depicted as the sign for, a male-spirit.

The alluded to Eye(s) of the Bat are pictorially closed (not seen) and are composed of the signs for the upper and lower halves, the upper-world, and, the under-world. The Straight Line for, the surface, composes, the middle-world. Aside from the pictorial, these signs allude to the, positional, for, the Eye (of the Sun, Venus), Left and Right, in the east and west.

Asimple Circle, based on a Fingertip, represents, represents Large, the great, the Number, one. The Two Fingers (one tan and one outlined in green) next to each other representing Count, one, and, positional, below, a (tan) Severed Finger, the one, pointing a direction, here, positional, below, where we see a (brown) Leg and Foot, the long, walk, or, trek). This demonstrates the independence of Imagery as words and phases as they can be placed or positioned wherever needed cS

The signs are very position sensitive. A Body, could be that of a human, an animal, a plant, or even an object could serv as a template upon which the signs were overlaid. Relative direction as well as unwritten signs can be determined by thei position. For example, the position of a sign on a Face or Body” can represent, or allude to, a body part without it needing to be depicted. The part not depicted is incorporated into the message along with the sign that occupies its position. At times, this results in some rather bizarre imagery.

An excellent example of position is where the Form of the Index Finger is placed in front of the Face, his appearance, Fonm: as, within, an Egg, spirit essence, the one who will emerge, to represent, ‘!ic one, (2e male, or, (he man.” In this illustration of a Mayan Mask we can see how a (light tan) Vertical Finger was used to indicate the Index Finger referring to the Face as, (1c one, thie mate. The Nose, Finger, the side sign, and, the center, sign were colored for explanatory purposes. The signs over the eyes are in their original red color (color of the rising Sun, rebirth) that indicate the two, together as one,” The two (colored dark-blue) Quarter Circles are, side, signs and the Finger is, positional, between, or, at the center.” The Ear Spools of the Mayan Mask allude to the Ears as orifices and are composed of Concentric Circles, the sign for, the center, the small dark Circle that indicates, a hole, or at least, the one in the darkness, positional, at the Ear, alluding, to the orifice, on the side. This also explains why one often sees imagery of Severed Fingers, Limbs, or even Heads in Moche compositions. They are words, or phrases, that maintain their independent and consistent meaning.

The next glyph, Illustration 14, has a Circle in the position of the Eye. Again we begin with the alluded to Eye — the Eye, the relatively Large, the great, Circle indicates, one, while the Pupil, shaped like a Shepherd's Staff, means, taken, to the surface. Its Double Lines mean, hidden, or, unseen. Although these glyphs do not explain the metaphorical association that is related to the Eye it has been determined, through other contexts, that the Eye is, the Eye of the Sun — Venus. When one sees a sign in an unexpected position one should consider the possibility that it is an allusion. A couple of Mayan glyphs are used to illustrate allusion. In Illustration 13, we note that the main section of the glyph has a Mouth and Nose but in the position of the Eye we find the “T” shaped sign that indicates, below. The “T” is part of the message and alludes to, the Eye, below, in the underworld.

n the above Mayan incense burner, His Face, his appearance, and the alluded to, Mouth, the water-source, and the ‘T” shaped sign for, below.” This sign was positioned within the Narrow Oval shaped sign that means, all,” or, verything. The black color around the “T” indicates, positional, within, the darkness. We also take note of the (light ue) Curved sign for, a male-spirit, alludes to the Eye, (of the Sun). These Large (white, the color assigned to spirits), he great, male-spirit, signs (based on the form of the glans penis) are positioned Left and Right indicating, The Large, he great, Finger, one, has the Form of the, arising,” sign, Left and Right, in the east and the west, from, the surface yf, the underworld. The Large, ‘ie ereat, Finger, one, in the Form of the sign for, arising, moves upwards and erminates at a small (blue) Double, white, Lined, unseen, water-droplet, positional, within it. As an incense bumer, ts smoke would arise like, a mist arising, from the holes, the sign for, moisture or wetness, to the sky. This further xplains the cosmological subject matter of the rebirth and ascension (arising within the water vapor, evaporation) of a sreat person.

Imagery and sub-Imagery was composed of Elementary Gesture Signs that held an Associative Value (what, anciently, may have been considered the spirit-essence of the depicted subject, (its major observable or characteristic trait).

Illustration 30: A Calakmul Mural Spirit Essence It is apparent that the gesture sign for, jumping or leaping, that indicates a Frog” was easily replaced with the unmistakable Image of a Frog. In the case, of Illustration 26, to be more precise, the Imagery is of a Toad, the one that jumps, covered with moisture, (the signs for, Triangular Form, the female-moisture-spirits),” with its Warts used as the sign for. moisture. Some of the Warts have Four Dots within them meaning. in all four directions, or everywhere.

An unknown culture in Ancient Mexico managed to move a large stone slab to a spring site. The Imagery on the slab, at first glance, appears to be one of a Headless Woman but closer observation will show that the Space between the Arms was actually composed in the Form of a (reddish brown) Vessel. The depiction alludes to the Face of the Female Earth (note the Figure's breasts) as a Vessel, a container of water (the, blue-green, Saw-toothed sign at the Vessel's Mouth). The Mouth was the association made with, a water-source. This tells us that the spring site was conceptualized as, a Mouth of the Female-earth, it was viewed as a doorway or portal between the earth and the sky for the spirits of the deceased. Speaking of a Mouth of the Earth, the following will demonstrate that the Inca culture of Peru was also familiar with this metaphor.

The (light-green) Curvilinear or Undulating (movement), Multiple Lines (flowing) is the compound sign for, the flowing of water” from. the doorway, the portal, through a (light-blue) hole, in the surface, to the (brown) mountain. The (green) Double Lines, unseen, positional, within, the mountain, positional, below, (light-green), the, downward, flowing-movement, to the (green) Horizontal-Rectangle, a horizontal-place, a surface-place, positional, within it, the (blue) Saw- toothed Lines for, water. Difficult to see in the photograph but there appear to be (red) Dots ina Triangular Form representing, female-moisture-spirits, or wet female-spirits We can now take the above a step further and convert the entire shrine into depicted sign language.

Now the question is, exactly how did the male-spirit get from the spring site, discussed earlier, to the sky? A Moche Setting of a Crucifixion provides the answer. The definition of a crucifixion is, “an extreme and painful punishment, affliction, or suffering.”*’ In the composition we see, a man, Imagery, bound by a cord, the captive, to a “Y” Vertical Rectangle, a vertical-place, a wooden post (based on a tree branch?) that was attached to the “V” shaped sign for, the opening, to the Large, the great, Vertical Straight Line, positional, below (in the under-world). The color of the Post is white and associated with, spirit. The (white), spirit, “Y” sign may also have another meaning of, advance scout, opening up the way ahead.” This appears to be a cosmological/metaphorical reference to Venus (arising before the Sun in the east acting as its scout).

Venus (arising before the Sun in the east acting as its scout).

In the above Illustration we see an Eagle, the sign for, the daytime Sun, drinking from the Captive’s Eye Socket, that is a molded depression, representing the curved gesture sign for, held as in a bowl.” The implication is that the Sun, drinks up, evaporates, the water and with it, the alluded to, missing Eye.

In the Mayan glyphs used as examples above, we see signs in place of the numbers. In Both glyphs we see a Jaguar Image, The Stance of the Eye is, closed. The allusion to the Eye, the (blue) Oval that means, all, or, everything, positional, within, the (yellow) Three Lined sign for, the hidden-pathway. The Ear alludes to an, orifice, a hole, positional, on the side, the, (red Dots) female-spirit. The (pink) Double Lined, unseen, “Shepherd's Crook” sign meaning, taken, to. The Jaguar represents the spirit essence of the female Feline as, the great huntress of the night, or, darkness. (the nocturnal Sun as opposed to the Eagle as, the daytime Sun. The Feline was considered female due to its being within the Female-earth’s domain where everything was transformed to the female gender. In opposition, everything in the mal sky was considered male. On the upper portion of the glyph we see the Form of an Egg, the one who will emerge. There is a (dark-blue) Oval at the position of the Eye that represents, everything, Double Lined, unseen. The Egg has a Rightward Leaning Stance meaning, waiting, between the Two Cave signs, at the center. On both sides of the Egg we find the (yellow) signs of a Double Lined, the unseen, cave, metaphorically, the womb of the Female-earth, positional, the one at the center, the one who will emerge, in the east and the west Venus. =

[able of Spirit Essences (the major characteristics or traits of the depiction)

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Bowls and Cupules, Their Cosmological Meaning

by Clifford C Richey

2024

This paper involves petroglyphs and ceramics from areas found in Peru, New Mexico, Ireland, and Denmark. The subjects, Ceramic Bowls and Rock Cupules do not, as imagery, seem to have anything in common. However, when translated through... more

For background on the signs and the structure of the depicted signing system, please read:

https://www.facebook.com/IrishRockArt\ Ireland Cunules

The Mayan Temple of Kukulcan. The last additions to its structure were about 1000 AD. It is the central structure of the Chichen Itza archaeological site in Yucatan, Mexico. In the Yucatec Maya language, the name is spelt K’uk’ulkan (/k’u: k’u:l'kan/) and in Tzotzil it is K’uk’ul-chon (/k’u: ‘k’u:l tf'on/). The Yucatec form of the name is formed from the word kuk "feather" with the adjectival suffix -ul, giving kukul "feathered", combined with kan "snake" (Tzotzil chon), giving a literal meaning of "feathered snake."® In the above photograph, on the left, one can see that the Mayan Temple of Kulkulcan was constructed in the Form of the depicted sign for, a mountain. In the photograph, on right, the reader can see the Form and Imagery of a Serpent as the sign for, a stream of water, running down the mountainside. Not seen in the photographs is the very important fact that a cenote or waterhole has been recently discovered underneath the mountain (temple). “The location of the temple within the site sits directly above a cenote, or water cave, and is aligned at the intersection between four other cenotes: the Sacred Cenote (North), Xtoloc (South), Kanjuyum (East), and Holttin (West). This alignment supports the position of the Temple of Kukulcan as an axis mundi.” This correlates with

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Mayan Glyphs Dual Imagery

by Clifford C Richey

2024

A two-page paper that compresses the information like a Mayan glyph. It demonstrates how the Maya used dual imagery in their glyphs.

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A DEFECATING FIGURE PICTOGRAPH

by Clifford C Richey

2024

A pictograph from central Algeria that depicts a human figure defecating is primarily based on Form and Gesture Signs that are integrated into the Form. The message it contains is only understood after tracing of all the available form... more

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A MAYAN FACE GLYPH

by Clifford C Richey

2023

This paper presents an alternative (depicted sign language) translation for a Mayan Face Glyph that is presently considered meaning, “Meh” or zero. The use of the depicted signing system leads to a more extensive message than found in the... more

Credit: mexicolore.co.uk* A MAYAN FACE GLYPH

finger extended. Sometimes, only the index finger and thumb are open, extending, showing the hand as if it measured a quarter. It is common fot this character to wear elements associated with the god of death on his face, such as the percentage sign (%). In some examples he wears a “dead man’s eye” on his forehead, reinforcing the character’s association with death and the underworld.”

The, light blue, colored lines connect the various signs to each other and represent pathways Illustration 2: Scout sign found on the Nazca Cat Demon Vessel (Peru) The message of the glyph assumes a knowledge of the overall theme of the ancient cosmology. The cosmology was based in a knowledge of the water cycle’ and its component evaporation and transpiration used to explain the hidden or invisible ascension of the spirits of the deceased to the sky and Venus. The Hand of the Sun, the steward of the Sun was a kind of warrior-priest belonging to the elite lineage of the Sun (the founding family of the culture).

In the above quote we note that the sign for, beautiful, stated outside of the quote was from the Neapolitan dialect ir Italy. This tends to confirm how widespread the sign was in ancient times being that it was also found among the Ojibwas and Dakotas in North America in the 1800s. The Maya had their own name for Venus and called it Xux Ek, the Wasp Star. The spirit essence of the Wasp, the one that defends the nest (the birthplace). Despite the different names for Venus used by the Nazca and Maya cultures the afterlife cosmology is similar. Head/Face, his appearance as a Wasp, within, the dimness, of the Large, the great, Gesture Sign, cave, the Square, the House the Lineage, positional, within the darkness, of the alluded to, the Eye of the Sun, Venus, positional, on the side of, Triangles, the Female-earth, Rectangles, thie vertical places positional, Left and Right, in the east and west. Horizontal Rectangle, the horizontal-place, the underside, (4) Circles, in all four directions, everywhere.

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The Anunaki Eagle-man and The Tree

by Clifford C Richey

2023

This paper is not focused on documenting depicted signs, but rather, gaining an overview of the image's meaning. Most of the signs have been documented in previous papers

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The Shigir Wooden Figure

by Clifford C Richey

2023

This paper explores the connection between the abundance of depicted signs found among the Native American cultures throughout the Americas, and in the Ket culture of Siberia.. This exploration uses the over 300 historically documented... more

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The Indus Tree of Rebirth

by Clifford C Richey

2022

The Tree Imagery found in many ancient cultures is variously called, the Tree of Life, the World Tree and also described as “sacred” and as a “deity.” The Tree Imagery found in the Indus culture is interpreted, in this paper, through an... more

Illustration 4: The Great Female-spirit Arising from a Limb of the Tree

Illustration 6: Application of the Depicted Signs to the Indus Script

Illustration 7: Issues in Use of Space, Small Seal Size, and Assorted Scratches in the Seal If one looks closely at the Script one can see the heavy use of the Form of Fingers pointing in various directions. The rationale behind this use of the Fingers is not known but it does emphasize the presence of, the great one. The use of the Fingers also makes it difficult for a modern viewer to recognize the intended Imagery. If one looks at the depictions of many ancient cultures one can perceive differences in style. These differences make have been intentional as a way of “branding” the cultures use of depicted sing language. The Indus Valley seal does seem to follow the general rules of depicted sign language in composition as well the ancient cosmological themes.

Chancay Culture (Peru) Tree 1000-1450 BCE,

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Indus Valley Compositions And Ancient Depicted Signing

by Clifford C Richey

2022

This paper looks at the objects depicted below many of the Indus “unicorn” heads. These objects presently considered either SOMA filters or incense burners. In order to explain these images, we have applied ancient depicted sign language... more

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Ohio’s Serpent Mound And Its Relationship To Venus

by Clifford C Richey

2022

Several errors were corrected on 10-4-2024 in order to make the paper more easily read. This paper is an attempt to make the Gesture Signs that were used to create the Serpent Mound as visual as possible, while using its own compositional... more

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The Bowls of Indus Valley

by Clifford C Richey

2022

This paper uses ancient depicted sign language to translate the meaning of the imagery found on the bowls. It ends with an explanation of the differences between the Imagery on the bowls and the so-called "script" found on seals and in... more

metmuseum.org

Illustration 3 Depiction of Zebu Bull Another area that can be confusing is the difference between the signs for a HOLE, the CENTER, and the dark Circles.

Illustration 4: The Sign for Bowl is Incorporated Into the Face of the Bull

Illustration 5: The Same Signs Also Apply to Human Depictions

Illustration 9: The Great Star, --Venus Held Within the Bowl

Illustration 10: The Zebu and the Bowl

separated by, crooked, hidden pathways.’ On the Bull’s back (the surface of the land) there are Horizontal Rectangles, the horizontal-places, also separated by the Double Lined, crooked roads, or, pathways.

Illustration 12: Female-earth Holding the Bowl

Illustration 13: Body of the Female-earth

Illustration 15: Side View of the Female-earth

Illustration 16: Use of Fingers in Indus Valley "Script" Some signs such as the, overall Form, of the sign for, a hole, appear to have been combined in a manner that created slight changes in the overall appearance. It seems to have been composed using five Finger signs (Number 1, the Arrow is a partially hidden Finger) as well as the pictorial Form of « Slug, that like the Snail has the spirit essence of, the one that moves slowly, to the, inverted, pictorial sign for, a doorway or portal. Being inverted in relationship to the surface Line would make it an exi as opposed to an entrance. This is followed, on the Right, in the west, by a Finger, the one, pointing « direction, here, at the surface. The use of so many Fingers to create the composition provides us with a hint about why it is viewed as a Script. It changes the appearance of the overall signs to the point when they seem, stylistically, different than than the larger Imagery. The Bow is in the Form of Legs/Feet that state, the long walks, positional, on, the side, downwards, and upwards. It is the Arrow Shaft that is composed of a Finger, pointing a direction, here, halted, stopped, on, the side. The Script uses the Finger Form more frequently than in the larger Imagery on the bowls. However, the Bowls show a solid knowledge of the signs and rules of compositional organization. They used this knowledge to make statements that combined the societal organization, the cosmology, along with the glorification of the elite lineages of the Sun.

Illustration 18: Kingfisher In the above illustration we see the use of several signs in common between the Bowl Imagery and the Script Imagery. Pictorial, Birds, the ones that fly, The use of allusion to the Eye, by the Gesture Signs for, a center, and, a turning-place, sign. The Bodies of both Birds are in the Form of a Large, the great, Water Drop, water particle. Note the Three Finger signs in the Script Sign while there are no, perceivable, Fingers used in the Large Bowl’s Bird Imagery. It is the use of Finger signs that appears to create a Script like stylistic appearance even though the compositional principles and cosmological messages are similar.

Illustration 19: M314a, One of the Longer Indus Valley Scripts

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Nehebkau, An Egyptian Amulet

by Clifford C Richey

2022

The Egyptian Amulet is composed through an ancient depicted sign language preserved by many of the cultures in North and South America. The Amulet provides us with historically documented signs that present a cosmological message similar... more

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A Mimbres Bowl: The Ascension of the Spirit

by Clifford C Richey

2022

This paper explains and documents the numerous gesture signs that were used to create the Membres Bowl. Hopefully, it demonstrates how the gesture signs were combined with the use of imagery to create a depicted sign language message... more

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The Lightbearer: An Incised Shell Gorget from Tennessee

by Clifford C Richey

2020

This is a revision of an earlier paper entitled, The Kneeling Man that was written in 2003. The revision is so thoroughgoing, that it needed to be renamed. In general, the old translation captured the overall theme but many details have... more

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Swift Creek Pottery Depictions

by Clifford C Richey

2020

This paper is based on translations, using ancient depicted sign language, of the rather abstract depictions found on the culture's pottery.

Swift Creek Pottery Depictions

The Arch Form created by the side(s) of the alluded to Nose is a Large, the great, Finger, one, pointing a direction, here, as well as the Form for, arising, or, ascending, positional, on the the side, of, the (red) Triangle meaning, the Female-earth. Thus, the great one arising on the side of the earth. This sign is found both on the Left and the Right, in the east and in the west, appropriately illustrating the motion of Venus arising in the east as the morning star and in the west as the evening star.

The (yellow and green) “Shepherd’s Crook” sign means to, take, in the direction of its Staff. Here the sign means, taken upwards. The sign is Three Lined indicating, positional, on, a hidden- pathway, positional, on the side of the (red) Triangle, Female-earth. The two signs are found on the Left and Right, in the east and in the west. We note here that the upper tip of the star touches the straight line that is part of the turning-place sign. This indicates the at star is at the surface of the earth.

In the Nazca‘ culture of Peru we see the same (yellow) Form for a relatively large, the great, star. Here it is also described as, the wolf-star’ The spirit essence of the wolf (that today would be described as a major behavioral trait) is that it often jumps upwards, in the tall grass, in order to see ahead looking for its prey. Also note the Curved sign for arising or ascending that is attached to the star.

It is understood that the depiction of the Serpent head could be viewed from different angles. However, the end result would be the same message as translated above with the exception that the positional(s) would reflect the changes in directions.

“LANGUAGE FAMILY: proto-mayan > huastecan > yucatecan ORIGIN: mayan NAME ROOT: CHAC. MEANING: The supreme god of storms and rain and associated with agriculture and fertility. He was known as the Lord of the Rains and Winds and maintained important water sources such as cenotes, wells, streams, and springs.”

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The Shigir Wooden Idol (1)

by Clifford C Richey

2020

This paper explores the use of ancient depicted sign language in order to gain some insight into the rationale behind the creation of this ancient wooden figure.

7. His (tan) Face, his appearance, as, a (red) female-spirit, positional, within, the “V” shaped, opening, of, the, (blue green) Multiple Lined, flowing-water. The Hair indicates, a growth or development and when combined with the Multi-lined sign for, flowing, means, a cleansing, or, purification, positional, on the sides, of the (red) Female-earth. The Nose and Eyebrows form the sign for, the hole, (as viewed from the side) or, break in the surface, Line. The Nose also alludes to the Nostrils as orifices 0 the holes, Left and Right, in the east and west.

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A 43,900 Year Old Sulawesi Cave Painting

by Clifford C Richey

2019

The depiction, in a Sulawesi Cave, of a gigantic Anoa (dwarf buffalo) with small figures and lines in front of it has been described as an ancient hunting scene. However, the signs used in composing the scene espress a cosmological... more

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Gobekli Tepe's Pillar 18 Dissected

by Clifford C Richey

2019

This paper-based on ancient depicted sign language focuses primarily on Gobekli Tepe's Pillar 18. This is a heavily visual approach to translating the Pillar and is coupled with compositions from other cultures and times that adhered to a... more

All papers related to Depicted Sign Language use the same system and signs found in: https://www.academia.edu/33253716/Depicted Sign Language An Ancient System of Communication The sources for approximately three hundred historically documented gesture signs are named. Other signs have been determined through a known context of signs. The paper explains the organization of Pictorials, Form, Imagery, Gesture Signs, Stance, allusion, positional(s) and ncorporation, as used in creating the compositions. For a direct application of the gesture signs to < composition with illustrations of the gestures see: ee | a: ee. ee Me ee Wy is fl de dE] ee ) eer a: » an | Gobekli Tepe’s Pillar 18 Dissected

Illustration 1: The Shape of the Thick Walled Structure is based on the Gesture Sign for, Council

Black and White Drawings and Color Coded Illustrations by C. Richey

Illustration 6: Pictorial Level of Interpretation Many researchers have viewed the rather nebulous organization of Human limbs, Belt and Loincloth as being evidence that the Pillar is a representation of an anthropomorphic human. This is based on a visual or pictorial level of interpretation. As we shall see the Pillars do not represent anthropomorphism as the translations of the signs show that the animal and other imagery was used to apply the spirit essence or their characteristics to humans and not the other way around.’

The (dark tan) Form of a Large, the great, Breast, source of moisture, on the Body of the Female- earth. Here the Breast is resting on the (green) surface line made by the Belt. It is positional, on the side. This metaphor may provide some insight into the associations that the people made with the the Gobekli Tepe Hill.

The above Nazca composition® is an example of the use of metaphor in conceptualizing the earth as female. The Serpent represents a great stream of water within her Body while her Breasts, Abdomen and other Body parts are shown as the hills and mesas of the earth. The, pictorial, ritual compares the release of the spirits from the coca leaves when mixed with lime and saliva (water). The lime is contained in a Vessel that is a another metaphor for the earth as a container. The lime is transferred from the Container to the Mouth where it is mixed with water releasing the stimulating effects caused by the “spirits.” We can see the release of the (red) Triangular Forms of the female-spirits as well as the Double Lines meaning, the unseen, pathways of the moisture-spirits.

) https://www.academia.edu/14522695/The_Nazca_Cat_Demon_vVessel_Updated

Illustration 17: The Fox, The Clever One, Heading West The (pale green) “V” sign was added by the writer, to show the Form of the interior of the Breast that represents, an opening, that was composed as, positional, on the side. The Image of the Fox has its Body composed of a relatively Large, the great, Finger, one, pointing a direction, here, positional, within, the opening. This depiction follows the Form of the gesture signs.

Illustration 18: The Belt or Strap of the Loincloth We have now reached the final Imagery found on the broad side of Pillar 18. The (green) Horizonte Rectangle represents, a horizontal-place. The internal signs indicate, a (light blue) “U” shaped sigr that means, turning, and its Stance is, on the side. Next we see the (orange) Form of an Eye, the Eye of the Sun, --Venus. The (orange) Eye Form has a Leftward Slanting Stance that means, waiting, and is connected to a relatively Large Finger indicating, the great one, that points a direction, here, at, the eastern side, of, (the“H” sign) the connected, vertical-places, on the Left and Right, in the east and in the west (referring to the sides of the underworld).

Illustration 19: The Feline, The Sun Within the Dark Underworld The metaphorical attribution of the Eye as the Eye of the Sun is not explained by the signs used in Pillar 18. This attribution has been gleaned from the translation of many ancient compositions 3lobally. Here is an example, again from the Nazca Culture of Peru.” The (yellow) Eye of the Feline ‘the Sun) is positional, in the east and in the west. The Diamond shaped Eye is the sign for, contained. The Pupil is the sign for, the one, his location, within the darkness. These signs allude oO the normal position of the Eye on a Body. Between the Ears or, at the center, we see the (light \lue) Curved Line that means, arising, of the (yellow) Form of the sign for, the star, that has the

black), in the darkness, the Three Fingered sign, for a Wolf, heading, Right, west. The spirit assence of the Wolf is that it jumps up in the tall grass to see its prey. The Wolf is also used to refe1 ‘0, a Spy, or, a Scout. The star arising in the west, after the Sun sets, in the darkness is —Venus. Above this (in the red Circle) is the (purple) gesture sign for, the mountain-peak. The (red) Vertical Rectangle, the vertical-place, positional, on the side, and, within it, the (black) sign for, moisture, and the (red) sign for, a female-spirit. There are other signs that are a too small to resolve. The light (blue) top of the Peak is the curved sign for, a male-spirit. Its Stance is that of, heading-upwards. A paper is available for further information about the “Cat Demon” composition."

Illustration 28: Gorget, Spiro Mounds OK. 850 -1450 AD

Illustration 32: The Lower Section of Pillar 18

At the Base of the Pillar is the (green) outline of a Horizontal Rectangle indicating, a wide-place, and, positional, within it, a Count of Seven, a numerical association, meaning, the sacred, or, the revered ones. In ancient times the number seven was held in high esteem and used to signify venerated areas, subjects, and personages. Historically some ancient examples would be, the Sever Hills, the Seven Caves, the Seven Sages, the Seven Springs, etc.’

Illustration 34: The depiction Arms, Hands, Legs, and Feet retained their same, independent, meaning regardless o: their position in a composition. See the example from the Egyptian culture below.

At Gobekli Tepe we, pictorially, see the (tan) Leg compounded with the Arm to create the Form of a very long Arm. However, Form can be subdivided into other Forms. This along with the Feet on the Egyptian Bowl informs us that the Bodily Limbs maintain their meaning regardless of where they appear in a given composition.

Illustration 36: The Gesture sign for Star Appears in Both the Nazca and Moche compositions

Illustration 38: Pictorial, The Sun Leaping Upwards, The Dawn

Illustration 39: Pictorial, The Sun Leaping Upwards, The Dawn

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Aztec, The Shark Below The Surface

by Clifford C Richey

2019

This translation of an Aztec Shark composition was made through ancient depicted sign language. Visually it seems to depict a shark chewing on a human foot but the actual message is quite different.

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Gobekli Tepe’s “T” Shaped Pillars as Conglomerates as Opposed to Anthropomorphic Entities

by Clifford C Richey

2019

This paper, based on the ancient depicted sign language system, attempts to explain how the concept of anthropomorphism has a negative effect on interpreting the Imagery found in ancient compositions. The "T" Pillars at Gobekli Tepe are... more

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Moche Hands, Eyes, Nose Rings, Peanuts, and Beans

by Clifford C Richey

2019

This paper is a tedious read due to the detailing of each sign used by the Moche in the artifacts covered. On the other hand, the reader is rewarded by gaining insight into the rationale for the repetitive use of the signs. 4-9-19... more

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The Standing Male Petroglyph.pdf

by Clifford C Richey

2019

A petroglyph from Tanum, Sweden interpreted through use of the ancient depicted sign language system.

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A Gobekli Tepe Plaquette and Urfa Statue

by Clifford C Richey

2019

A revision of the paper: A Gobekli Tepe Plaquette and Statue.

The Gobekli Tepe plaquette and the Urfa man statue are translated in terms of their meaning in depicted sign language.

Illustration 1: Plaquette with depiction of a snake, a human (?) and a bird (Photo: Irmgard Wagner, Copyright DAI).

Illustration 2: (red) Female-spirit Sign

Illustration 5: Directional Compounds

Illustration 7: Female Genital Area and Thighs The turning place was referred to as the center, as it was considered the, cosmological, center of tl earth. This was usually a spring site on a hill or mountainside but could also be an area where subterranean water (from the underworld) seepage appeared on the surface of the earth.

Illustration 8: The Serpent, The Opening, The Flight The Overall Form of the Plaquette is that of a relatively Large (tan) Female’s Genital area and Thighs. This locates the turning-place as a part of the Great Female, the Female-earth. Illustration 7 shows not only the Thigh area but also the complete Female body lacking only the Feet. Most ancient depictions of the earth do not show Her as having Feet. This was probably due to the belief that the earth did not move and Feet represented, a walk or journey.

Illustration 9: The Serpent, The Opening, The Flight On the Left of the Plaquette the overall Imagery is that of a Horned Serpent, indicating, the chieftain, or the leader. The Image of a Serpent is the sign for, a stream of water. The undulation of the Body is the sign for, motion or movement, moving, The Serpent’s Stance is that of head-ing, upwards. The Head of the Serpent is a compound of the Triangular, (red) Female-earth sign and the (light green) “V’ shaped sign for, the opening, positional, on the side, (of the earth).

Illustration 11: Color Coded

Illustration 13: Arising on the Side

Illustration 12: Mouth-less Head from Gobekli Tepe

Pictorially, the Genital area is identified as, the male, the man. At the Space between the Finger tips the ones, the, The Fingers Form Horizontal Rectangles, the horizontal-places, the levels, at, the center. Positional, below, is a (green) Vertical Rectangle, the vertical-place of the (brown outline) Skull, the dead one, At the question mark the area is damaged and we cannot tell whether the Skull had a Mouth or not.

There is no Mouth, no water source, where one would normally be expected. Next to the area are Two (brown) Lines that indicate, waiting, unseen. The Fingers also are, horizontal-places, signs stacked vertically to indicate, levels, The Count of Five Fingers is a form of a form of shorthand meaning, the four directions plus one, --at, the center. Of course, the Fingers are on the Left and Right, in the east and in the west. The Trunk of the Body is a Large,(green) Vertical Rectangle, the great, vertical-place, with a “V”, the openings, shaped Notch at it Top, the opening, in the surface. Above it are Two further “V” shaped signs that as Double Lines mean, unseen. The Neck alludes to the Throat as, a connecting- tunnel, between the Stomach as, a container, and the Mouth, a water source except, of course, there is no Mouth. However, the (blue) Chin of the Figure is shaped in the Large Form of the gesture sign for, hela as in a, great, bowl. In this sense a Bowl replaces the water source.

The Figure’s Head is, similar to the previously discussed Plaquette, the Oval sign for, the turning place, and positional, within, it.

His Face, his appearance, pictorially, at the top of the, Throat, the tunnel, is, (light blue) the great bowl. The Eyebrows, association unknown, (if alluding to the Hair of the brows, then it would indicate, a growth or a development). The Brow compounded with the Nose seems to Form the “T” shaped sign for, below. The (black) obsidian Square signs, indicate the House, the lineage, allude to the Eye(s), positional, below, within, the darkness. The Eye of the Sun, --Venus. Positional, in the east and in the west.

Illustration 21: Large Stone Bowl at Gobekli Tempe Most ancient cultures, in their depicted cosmologies, refer to, the warriors, the defenders, and, the stewards of the Sun. It is quite likely these people were the clan elders, especially, the lineages of the Sun. The benches next to the various pillars would hold only a few people, most likely the elders or other elites. In any event, several people knowledgeable in gesture and depicted sign language would be needed so that disease, battles, and other causes of death would not destroy the knowledge base of the culture. Depictions by ancient cultures often refer, to places of waiting, and locations on the earth’s surface where the spirits of the deceased are, held as in a bowl, awaiting their flight to the sky. Usually, the bowl refers to a natural spring. If there was no ancient spring site at Gobekli Tepe then Stone Bowls and the cistern might have replaced the spring.

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Chavin Feline Imagery

by Clifford C Richey

2018

One main Feline Image is interpreted through the ancient depicted sign language system. Several other related Chavin composition are translated in a generalized manner to demonstrate the connections between Feline Imagery. The Ohio... more

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A Stone Relief in the Hathor Temple at Dendra, Egypt

by Clifford C Richey

2018

This composition is also known as the "Dendra lightbulb." The use of ancient depicted sign language shows that it has nothing to do with a light bulb but is rather a highly metaphorical composition --perhaps a poem about the afterlife of... more

1. The (blue) Lotus Flower, the blossoming, the one that rises up above the water. The (green) Hal Circle, the half, with the (yellow) Three Curved signs that indicate, often, positional, on the side.

the Sun, ascending to the surface. The (light tan) Egg on the head of the Figure indicates, the one who will emerge (hatch out). The Right or western side of the composition is very similar to the Left side. The main difference is the Pillar and the Figure whose left Arm has an open Hand with one Finger touching the Petal as opposed to the Thumb. The (yellow) signs indicate, unseen. Also, the Stem does not reach all the way to the Vertical Rectangle as it does on the Left side of the composition.

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Comparison of Egyptian and Mayan Water Lily Depictions

by Clifford C Richey

2018

This paper compares both the visual appearance of water lilies and their compositional signs based in ancient depicted sign language. Hopefully, this will increase our understanding of the importance of the lilies in both the Egyptian and... more

The (black frame) Rectangle at the base of the composition indicates, the place, of, with internal Vertical Zigzags, that pictorially represents, flowing, water.’ Figure 4 shows the gesture sign for water compounded with the place sign. This would be difficult to use in compositions and was replaced with the Saw-toothed sign for water. The sign is also the Egyptian sign for water.

The Yellow Stems have a curved Form that means, arising,’ to, the “V” shaped sign that represents, the opening, The (green) Buds are in the Form of the Buds is that of a Large Finger, the great one, pointing a direction, there, above. The Internal Multiple Lines, mean, within, the flowing (water). An alternative possibility for the flowing sign may be the gesture sign for a river that is similar but the lines are horizontal.

The (yellow) Vertical Rectangle Stem means, the vertical-place, The Stem has its sides in the Form of the sign for, arising, positional, at the center, (between the Buds), The (green) Three Petaled Flower, the blossoming. The middle Petal has a Line in the center creating (including the sides of the petal) the Three Lined sign for, the hidden-pathway. This gesture sign is a compound that includes the movement for an unfolding.*

He or rather, his spirit, is taken-upwards to the (black) Eyebrow that as Hair means, the growth or development. The Eyebrow is in the Form of a Finger pointing a direction, here. At the Ear, that alludes to, the orifice of the Ear as a hole, positional, on the side. The Stance of the Ear is Leftwarc leaning, indicating, stopped, at. The Form of the Ear is that of a Rounded Rectangle that is a compound of the Rectangle indicating a place and the “U” shaped signs for, turning. Thus, stopped a the turning-place. A turning-place is where the spirit of the deceased, in its journey in the afterlife, makes a turn in direction. The Eye also has a Line that points toward the Ear. The Eye in many ancient compositions indicates, the Eye of the Sun, a metaphor for Venus. In the ancient cosmology Venus functioned as a Scout of the Sun (arising before the Sun in the morning as an advance scout, and after the Sun in the evening as a kind of rear guard). Thus the deceased continued to serve the Sun even in the afterlife.

Figure 15: Mayan, The Blossoming

The (yellow) Stem of the Mayan composition indicates, arising in the east and west. The (green) Petals are the same with the exception of the middle Petal that indicates, and, at the center. To the Left of the Water Lily the re is (white) space of a Sitting Bird facing upwards, awaiting, upward, flight. The (white) areas within the Lily Form are n the shape of Eyes with Double Lined, unseen, The Eye of the Sun, Venus, in the east and west. The Eyebrows are in the Form of Fingers pointing as direction, here, in the east and west. The Eyebrows also allude to Hair and indicate, the growth, the development. Above the Eyes is the (blue gray) that appear to be in the shape of Hands, the Hand of the Sun, the steward of the Sun, positional on the sides. The Three (black) Dots indicate, the many. The number Four related to the Fingers of each Hand represents, the four directions or everywhere. The Fingers on the Left appear to be in the shape related to, arising, while the Fingers on the Right seem to be the signs for, Little Finger, here, the Vertical Rectangle, vertical-place, of “U” shape, turning.

Figure 21 is another Mayan composition that contains references to a water Lily. Instead of being based solely on the water cycle it appears to be also based on the odor of the Lily. The Figure within the rounded (yellow) is a compound of the Double Lined, unseen, and the “Shepherd's Crook” sign for taken-upwards, to, the pictorial Leaf.

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The Olmec Tree of Life

by Clifford C Richey

2018

Despite weathering of many of it features the Olmec Stela 5 of Izapa has enough detail, in some areas, to determine the broad theme of the composition. The main feature of the stela is the depiction of a Great Tree at the center. The Tree... more

Below the Hummingbirds we see another pair of Fish, the swimmers, that are, headed upwards together, united as one, the twins.

Illustration 1: The Original Composition Despite the damaged areas of the composition enough of the ancient cosmological theme can be viewed to ascertain that it is quite similar to the themes found in other ancient depictions of Great Trees that have been found around the globe.

One begins reading an ancient composition by first viewing it as a scene or_pictorially. We see that the other (blue) major, the great, Figures, aside from the Tree, are Human Bodies with the Heads/Faces, their appearance, of Birds, the ones that fly.

We start reading from the (brown) Roots of the tree that indicate, the beginnings, the origins. Next we see a (tan) Face, his appearance, The Two (light blue) parallel Straight Lines indicate, hidden, while the Dot indicates, the one, his locations. The Large, the great, Eye refers to, the Eye of the Sun, as a metaphor for, --Venus. At the (pink) Mouth, the water source, such as a spring or an area of subterranean water seepage, has a (tan) Crooked Finger pointing a direction, here, below. There are also two (white) Lines above the Finger indicating, unseen.

It seems that everything in the ancient world was thought to have a Body of some sort. The Roots of the Tree were its feet, the Trunk of the Tree was its stomach, and it Limbs were its arms while the Leaves were conceptualized as its hands.

[Illustration 11: Pictorially, the Meeting Place Beneath the Tree The Human Form, to the left of the Tree, with the (light blue) Head/Face, his appearance, of a Bird, the one who flies, is positioned on the Left, in the east, of the Tree. This individual is one of the Larger Figures, indicating, the great one. His appearance, the great one, who flies. The Stance of the Legs indicates, arriving in the east. The (light blue) Limbs of the Tree are in the Form of the sign for, arising. The Limbs have a count of Eight that was shorthand for, spirit (based on the eight lined asterisk shaped sign for a non gendered spirit). The meaning would be, Arising spirits. Among the Leaves of the Tree we can see the (red) Triangular formation of Dots that indicate, female-spirits. Some of the Leaves of the Tree are, vaguely in the Form of Hands that refer to, the stewards, of the Sun.

Illustration 12: Pictorially, the Meeting Place Beneath the Tree

Illustration 13: Pictorial, The Meeting Place Beneath the Tree

Illustration 16: Pictorial, The Meeting Place Beneath the Tree viewer’s Right, in the west. The (dark tan) area probably represents compounded Breasts, a metaphor for, the hills, positional, in the east and in the west, of the Female-earth, that connect to the (blue green sign for, flowing water, positional, on the side. There are the Forms of (dark tan) Two Fingers pointing a direction, here, positional, below, on the sides, of the Legs, the long, Feet, walks, positional, in the east and in the west.

Because of the non-linear nature of ancient compositions we need to backtrack a bit to the (tan) Figure holding the Umbrella. At the top of the Figure’s Head there is a Large, the great one, bent (tan) Finger pointing a direction, here, that alludes to the Hair, the growth or development. His Head/Face, his appearance. The one, pictorially, that provides shelter. The (light blue) Circle that means, the one his location, below, on the side, alludes to the Ear as, an orifice or hole, on the side. At the Figure’s Waist there is, pictorially, a (green) Belt or Tie that as a sign, a Horizontal Rectangle, indicates, a horizontal- place.

Hand indicates, the Hand of the Sun, the steward of the Sun. The Figure’s left Arm and Hand, bearing the same meanings, holds what appears to be, pictorially, a stick or wand. The Leftward Tilted Stance of the wand indicates, waiting, positional, on, and touches the (purple) sign for, the hill-side. The (light blue) “Shepherd’s Crook” is positional, at the Mouth, the water source, and indicates, taken up, to the (light blue) Circle that means, the one his location, positional, on the side, of the Leg/Foot, the long, walk.

he Figure with its (tan) Hands, the steward of the Sun, positional, on the side, of the Tree, has its egs/Feet, positional, below, on, a long, walk. The Two Feet together are in the Stance, for arriving. he (light blue) section that pictorially, makes up the Figure’s Clothing, the covering, or, covered. The ie or Belt is in the (green) Form of a Large, the great one, Finger pointing a direction, here. The tance of the Finger is Rightward Leaning meaning, waiting. The (tan) Arm, is in the Form of the hepherd’s Crook” indicating taken, positional, on the side. The Arm, the warrior, the alluded to, and, the steward of the Sun. HHts4 TAN

Between the two Figures positional, at the center, is a pictorial of a (red and green) Torch, the fire, o1 the light. Note that the Small Figure and the Torch are equated bu both being in the center (see red arrow).

Illustration 23: Pictorial, The Meeting Place Beneath the Tree

Illustration 24: Pictorial, The Meeting Place Beneath the Tree

Illustration 26: Pictorial, The Meeting Place Beneath the Tree

Illustration 27: The Two Arising as One

Illustration 26: [ne Swimmers and Fliers The (green) wide Horizontal Rectangle represents, the broad-place or the stretched-out-place (the broad land). On the Left, in the east, we have Two (green) Rightward Leaning Rectangles meaning, the stopping-places, with a (light blue) “U” shaped, turning, sign, also, stopped, between them, at the center. On the Right, in the west, we have the same signs except the places signs are Rightward Leaning, the waiting-places, awaiting turning, at the center.

Male hummingbirds fly in a steep and high speed “U” shaped flight pattern in order to impress the female observing from a nearby perch. This became an analog for Venus as it appears to have the same “U” shaped movement, arising in the east then going beneath the earth and arising in the west.

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The Gobekli Tepe Animal Imagery (Enclosure D)

by Clifford C Richey

2018

Ancient depicted sign language applied to the Gobekli Tepe stone from enclosure D. A variety of animal Imagery is interpreted providing us with some ideas regarding their cosmological meaning as well as the possible name of the people... more

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Prehistoric Egg Imagery

by Clifford C Richey

2018

Some updates and additions to this paper. An Egg based composition found in a grave from Bronze Age Israel has been added. The Egg Form and its allied metaphors developed from prehistoric times up to the present. We have also noted... more

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A Nevali Cori Figurine

by Clifford C Richey

2018

The message of this composition of a Figure was rather common in ancient times. The Figurine is from Nevali Cori near Gobekli Tepe in present day Turkey. Nevali Core is dated to be about 10,400 years old.This composition was chosen for... more

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Gobekli Tepe: The Navel, The Center of the Earth

by Clifford C Richey

2018

October 2022: Note. The Figure was mislabeled as from Gobekli Tepe. This has been corrected to the settlement from which it was excavated, Çatalhöyük in present-day Turkey. This is an attempt to collate some of the papers I have... more

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Tall-i-Bakun Bird-Man Bowl

by Clifford C Richey

2018

A pottery bowl from Tall-i-Bakun ( present day Iran) dated ca. 4,500 BC. The meaning of the Bird-man figure on the bowl is interpreted through the ancient depicted sign language system. The figure bears an interesting juxtaposition of... more

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Gobekli Tepe: Pillar 27 The Setting Sun

by Clifford C Richey

2017

Pillar 27 shows Imagery of a Feline and a Boar. In depicted sign language it presents a message about the Sun setting in the west and Venus arising. The Feline represents the Sun and the Boar represents Venus as a Fierce Warrior or... more

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An Aboriginal Australian Tree of Life

by Clifford C Richey

2017

Ancient depicted sign language is used to interpret an aboriginal Australian Tree of Life composition. Also see: The Ancient Tree of Life paper where this composition is compared to those of other cultures.

Illustration 2 demonstrates the importance of Initial Form in ancient compositions. Here the (green) Bodies of the Possums are in the shape of Leaves. The Leaf on the Left, in the east, is hanging by its (brown) Stem and is, pictorially, withered or curled up. The Leaf on the Right, in the west, is more open and fully Leaf shaped and is heading or Facing upwards.

In the above Mayan Vessel composition’ we are able to see how the (blue green) Leaves of the Vine were considered the (brown) Hands of the Vine. The (brown) hand on the right of the composition has a Stance of, holding, something Circular, the one. We also note that the interior of the Hand/Leaf (dual Form and Imagery) is composed of the Multiple Lined sign (the brown Fingers) for, flowing (water) just as found in the Possums of the Australian composition.

Illustration 10: The Great Hand

This part of the Possum is difficult to interpret due to the poor resolution. The Neck area is composed of Multiple upside down “V” signs that indicate, held-down. The (red) Dots in a Triangular Form indicate, a female-spirit. The (black) Double Lines indicate, unseen. This along with the (blue green) Saw-toothed sign that means, water. Thus Held down, positional, below, the unseen, female-water- spirit. The area marked with a (black) question mark cannot be resolved. Positional, below the water sign are the Arms and Hands of the Possum. The warrior, the Hand of the Sun, the steward of the Sun. Positional, on the Left, in the east, and, on the Right, in the west.

Finally, we see the Head/Face, head-ing downward, his appearance, The (red) Triangular Form of the Head, indicates, the Female-earth. The (pink) Mouth, (of the Female-earth), the water source, positional, on the side of (the earth). The (orange) Eye, the Eye of the Sun, --Venus. The (blue) Circles, the one, above and below, positional, on the side of the Female-earth. The Circles also allude to the Possum's Ears, the orifices or the holes, on the side, of the Female-earth. As mentioned above the (light blue) “Crook” sign means, taken up, positional, on the side. The Bod’ of the Possum/Leaf is broken into parts. The parts are described as, within, the flowing (water). The Form of the parts have meaning that is not presently recognized. The Head/Face, his appearance, is resting upon the surface, of, the (red) Triangle that means, the Female-earth

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The Mizoram Menhirs, India

by Clifford C Richey

2017

Ancient depicted sign language reveals that the menhir translated in this paper relates to the afterlife of great deceased warrior- leaders. This is in line with the results on many other ancient compositions found throughout the ancient... more

academia.edu/Universal-Prehistoric-Depicted-Sign-Language

Champhai is a district of Mizoram, India. The 171 Menhirs in the village of Vangchhia became a protected archaeological site in 2012.

It appears that the various animal and other images were considered to represent the spirit-essence of that being. This was based on the observable major behavioral characteristic of that animal. Thus the Frog that appears in many ancient depictions would mean something like, the one that leaps down inte and up out of the water. Another example would be the Snail or Slug, the one that movers slowly. Not all animal imagery is so clear to a present day observer as what were the most significant behaviors to people in the past may not be what is considered significant today. Often we can determine the significant behavior through its context within the composition. We can only attempt to approximate other spirit-essences with consideration given to their context.

Illustration 6: Mizoram, Menhir: Color Coded Text The (green) Horizontal Rectangle, the horizontal-place, positional, within it, the (blue green) flowing water, the Three Lined, hidden-pathway.

The Ax is positioned next to the highest Bull (8) in the vertical series of Bulls that may indicate levels. The Battle Ax as viewed in other compositions appears to be a representation for the Sun. it is usually depicted as large but in this case is diminutive and may be a title for the great leader as the, smaller one, as a Sun. The (green) Handle of the Ax has a Rectangle with a Rightward Leaning Stance that means, the waiting-place. Within it, a (8, spirit, black Dots) pathway of moisture, the (orange Circle), the one, the location of the, (red) Triangular shaped, female-spirit. Positional, below, the (green blue), Rectangular, horizontal-place sign, The Stance of its sides, waiting on the Left, in the east, stopped, on the Right, in the west. The(light blue) sides of the Ax-head are in the Form of the signs for, arising in the east and in the west. To the (light green) Straight Line that indicates, the land's, surface.

Illustration 9: Original

The above Bull/Bird combinations are examples of Dual Imagery. Such Imagery is often found in a horizontal orientation and provides a different Image when viewed left to right and vice versa. In this case the Dual Imagery is viewed vertically. Viewed looking from the bottom upwards we see the (brown, white, and tan) Image of a Bull with it Large Horns, that indicates, a powerful leader or chieftain. There is a Large (tan) Finger, that indicates, the great one, pointing a direction, here, (white) Double Lined, unseen, Curve that is in the Form of the sign for, held, as in a Bowl. The (brown) Head/Face, his appearance, of the Bull is in the Form of a Vertical Rectangle, a vertical-plac positional, below. The Ears allude to, the orifices, or holes, positional, on the eastern and western sides.

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Comparison Of Signs Between Ancient Widely Disparate Cultures

by Clifford C Richey

2017

The cultures mentioned in this paper were separated by vast distances in time and space. It is unlikely that they had any, sustained, direct contact with each other. But people do see some commonalities in structures, imagery, and... more

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A Mayan Stone Mushroom

by Clifford C Richey

2017

A Stone Mushroom with a Squirrel under its Cap presents, pictorially, odd imagery. Its meaning becomes clear when its depicted signs are translated. A unique sign is found to be shared with an Egyptian Hieroglyph. This sign has the same... more

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A Simple Gobekli Tepe Animal Composition

by Clifford C Richey

2017

The ancient depicted sign language system is used to learn about the meaning of the Lizard imagery found on a stone in Gobekli Tepe.

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Shield of Coatepec: Serpent Hill And Huitzilopochtli (Hummingbird on the Left and Hummingbird on the Right)

by Clifford C Richey

2016

Application of the ancient depicted sign language system to a Aztec glyph shows us some of the differences between oral tradition and the "official" cosmology. It also tells us that there was not only a Hummingbird on the Left but also a... more

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A Siberian Birch Bark Quiver

by Clifford C Richey

2016

An interpretation of the signs found on a Birch Bark Quiver based on ancient depicted sign language.

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Эксплуатация архетипа Древа жизни в политических PR-технологиях

by Lada Prokopovich

2016

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A Simple Mayan Glyph, Dissected

by Clifford C Richey

2015

A simple appearing glyph that is more complicated than thought at first sight. it provides a partial explanation of the cosmological beliefs of the Maya.

Upon initial observation his Mayan glyph appears to the a bunch of unrecognizable lines and curves. But if we follow the rules of the ancient system of depicted sign language we will see that it is not impossible to understand its meaning.

Illustration 3: Major Sub-forms

Illustration 5: Major Sub-forms

Positionally, below, the Dog is its Leg and Paw that in a human would be its Arm, and Hand. We have learned from previous papers on depicted sign language that the Arm and hand were reserved for the associations, a warrior, and a steward respectively. Because many ancient societies were Sun centered the associations made were, the Arm of the Sun, and the Hand of the Sun. A warrior of the Sun, and a Steward of the Sun. The meaning gained so far is, The One, the great taking downwards, of the prophet, the warrior, the steward of the Sun. We find two more Sub-forms within the Dog's Head, the (red) Triangular Form is the sign for, the Female-earth (based on the shape of the human female's genital area) while the (light-blue) Quarter circle is the sign for, a side. This combined with the (yellow) “Shepherd's Crook” sign means, the great, taking downwards, on the side ,of the Female -earth. There is a small (light-green) Quarter Circle below the Dog's Head indicating, the underside, or the underworld. The prophet, the warrior, the steward of the Sun, taken down the side of the earth, to the underworld.

Illustration 9: The Mountain

Illustration 10: The Mouth of the Stream

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