Final answer:
The Indus River valley writing system is considered complicated because it involves over 400 symbols representing a yet-to-be deciphered language, complicating our understanding of the Indus Valley Civilization. Without decipherment, cultural aspects such as social norms and historical events are unknown. The complexity and potential links to Dravidian languages add to the intrigue and debate surrounding this ancient script.
Step-by-step explanation:
The complexity of the Indus River valley writing system lies in its extensive use of symbols. It is a subject of much debate due to the writing system's yet undecided purpose and meaning, which makes it difficult for historians and linguists to fully understand the Indus Valley Civilization. The Indus script contains over 400 symbols that likely represent language, objects, and numerical information, and was largely associated with commerce. As it stands, without written documents, aspects of a culture such as laws, literature, historical events, and social norms remain elusive, as these are usually transmitted and preserved through writing. Deciphering the script could reveal much about the civilization's social structure, daily life, religious beliefs, and interactions with other cultures.
Moreover, the writing system's complexity is noted due to its resemblance to natural languages in pattern randomness, which suggests it indeed could represent spoken language. This parallels comparisons with Dravidian languages and the Old Tamil language specifically. The text's enigmatic nature has also fueled contemporary debates over historical and social identities in India. Knowledge of how this civilization managed its society, politics, and economy, especially without a powerful centralized state, and information about its decline remain speculative without a complete understanding of their writing.