198 ARCHEOLOGICAL EXCAVATIONS AT ANCIENT MERV.
younger epoch and would have no significance in connection with the culture proper of Ghiaur Kala. In the second case we would have to take into consideration the fact that the large marginal pieces bearing the inscriptions belong to vessels of the same type as those found in larger quantities in situ in outer digging II. In this case they would become an essential factor in determining the culture of Ghiaur Kala.
The study of the inscriptions has been undertaken by the distinguished academicians, Professors Radlof and Salemann in St. Petersburg. Unfortunately, however, owing to the bad condition of the characters, the results are not sufficiently certain to solve the problem in hand. Concerning one kind of writing, however, there can be no doubt. The fragments of pottery (G.K. ioa, job, plate 52), as well as two pieces of bone (G.K. j j, 13; plate 53), are, according to Professor Salemann, undoubtedly inscribed in Pehlevi character. On the other hand, a bone (G.K. 12) bears, according to Professor Radlof, Uigurian characters. The Pehlevi writing, according to Professor Salemann, is " cursive book-writing (in contrast to the characters on coins and gems). It appears similarly on some silver bowls, and can not be determined chronologically. It may go up to the tenth and eleventh century of our era, perhaps it is still younger. It is easily a couple of centuries earlier, but is not more closely determinable." Concerning the meaning of the inscriptions, it is not possible to say anything " even approximately," because " while single letters are clear, they can not be formed into words." If, therefore, the inscriptions belong to the end of the first millennium of our era, or still later, we would have to assume that they were made on old ostraka, and their significance would be similar to that of the younger coins and glazed fragments. In any event they are the first traces of Pehlevi writing found in Turkestan, and lead to the hope of further finds.
As regards the other small finds, I will describe here the separate groups which appear worthy of observation.
(f) METAL OBJECTS: GOLD, BRONZE, IRON.
Of gold, there are to be noted two small pieces of jewelry : (a) A golden pendant in the form of a small vessel of sheet gold, with a flattened bottom and made in two parts—it is crushed (G.K. 170; plate 51, fig. 3)—from the upper digging, between 26 feet and 32 feet 7 inches deep; (b) a small piece of a golden clasp or band for the end of a strap, probably formerly provided with a hook in front, which is now broken off (G.K. 33; plate 51, fig. 4), from the upper digging, between 5 and 8.75 feet deep.
Worthy of remark are arrow-points of bronze of different types : (1) Three-edged arrow-points with three strikingly long points which form the projecting continuation of the three edges (G.K. 109; plate 51, fig. 7). (2) Smaller three-edged arrow-points with small side-wings and a short shaft-socket (G.K. IIo; plate 51, fig. 6). Both of these arrow-points were found in the upper digging, between the depths of 17 feet 5 inches and 20.5 feet. A little deeper, between 20.5
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