In this pictograph, the two leaves and a bud are depicted as beginning to wilt. Hence, it is an ideograph for the process of withering, which gives us the verb to wither.
Illustrative Text Reference:
Banawali: Pottery Graffiti (The pottery is cracked. It may be part of a plate or a lid.): B-28 A: Jagat Pati Joshi and Asko Parpola, 1987: Corpus of Indus Seals and Inscriptions: Volume 1: Page 348: Collections in India: Suomalainen Tiedeakatemia.
Comment:
In tea production, the withering process is controlled by the producer. The process changes the chemical composition and flavour of the tea. It is this process that is referred to in inscription B-28. Whether the tea was intended for medicinal use, or merely being drunk for pleasure, the quality of the withering process was important.
Image Credit:
To Wither: Lynn Fawcett, 2017.