National Institute of Informatics - Digital Silk Road Project
Digital Archive of Toyo Bunko Rare Books

Sec. in   BY THE LOWER HALÎL RUJD   143

is so common at sites occupied during Muhammadan times may be considered as significant indications of the approximate termini, ab quo and ad quern, of occupation.

Proceeding 2 miles thence to the north-west, across an area of bare clay

with rare marks of intermittent cultivation, we arrived at the great mound of Hazâr-mardi (Fig. 44) . The several deep-cut irrigation canals which branch off at its foot had greatly delayed the march of our baggage camels, and after a rapid inspection of the mound I was able to use the time thus available for a reconnaissance ride in the burning heat of the afternoon to the site of Tump-iKharg 5 miles farther on. Since a brief inspection proved this to date from Muhammadan times I felt induced to spare a day for a trial excavation on the Hazâr-mardi mound. Rising at its highest point to 30 feet above the debris-strewn ground around, this mound measures some 570 yards in length, from north-west to south-east, with a maximum width of 200 yards ( see Plan 13) . Labour secured overnight from hamlets around allowed us to put fifty-odd men to work on a trench cut for some 30 yards from a level of 15 feet down to 6 feet above the flat ground, and to extend it for another 10 yards at right angles from the bottom.

The finds made in the trench were less abundant and varied than those

gathered on the surface, but they may be mentioned first. At the head of the cutting there came to light, at a depth of 2 feet, a large intact jar 3 feet high with a diameter of 2 feet 8 inches across the shoulder and rapidly tapering to the narrow bottom. Its mouth, 12 inches across, was closed with a burnt brick,

14 inches square and 3 inches thick. The inside was empty. At various depths

were found pieces of plain vessels with handles (Haz. 73, 79; Pl. XX ) as well as with small lugs (Haz. 84) intended to hold strings such as often appear on pots found in burial cairns. Among plain pottery, pieces with a greenish slip were fairly frequent. Highly polished plain grey ware turned up on a 13-feet level. Of polychrome painted ware, showing geometric designs in grey-black and red over a buff slip, 74, 75 (Pl. XX) are specimens. Fragments of green glazed pottery turned up at different depths down to a 7-feet level. Part of a small jar found at 10 feet level is of interest as showing an opalescent creamy glaze, and recalling the small jug iii. xxxi found at the cairns of Jiwanri.l 93 (Pl. XX) is part of a large vessel with a band of bold ribbing below the mouth. A fragment of a potstone bowl, with traces of paint on the rim (Haz. 80) and portions of querns were the only stone objects found.

Among the potsherds collected on the surface there were numerous specimens of painted ware (see Pl. XX) which by their designs painted in black over a 1 Cf. Tour in Gedrosia, p. 81, P1. IX.