Sec. i] PREHISTORIC REMAINS OF BAMPUR 1 i 1
I was able to visit from Bampûr a group of small sites within the dune-covered area to the north-west by leaving excavation at the trial trench to be carried on under Dr. Fâbri's care. After following the edge of the cultivated area for about 2 miles, my guides turned off among low stationary sand dunes to the northwest and brought me a mile and a half beyond a little flood-bed to a small debris-covered area known as Deh-i-gäc/i. With its patches of wind-eroded ground, traces of wall foundations and low mounds marking enclosures of gardens or mud-built structures, it strangely recalled to me some small tati on the edge of the Taklamakan desert. The main patch of bare ground left clear of dunes measured about 250 yards from north-west to south-east and a little less than half that across. About a quarter of a mile farther on, the line of a canal about 8 feet wide could be clearly made out. Among the potsherds, mostly coarse plain ware, there were picked up a small number of painted pieces showing black designs of a type similar to that of the prehistoric ware from Bampûr ( Qz. 1-4, 10; Pl. IX) . Proceeding about a mile farther in the same direction across dunes rising up to 15-20 feet we reached a somewhat larger debris area, known as Pir-kunâr. Here, over a stretch of ground measuring about 500 by 200 yards in width, there was plenty of broken pottery to be seen, especially on two low terraces which seemed to mark potters' kilns. Among the painted potsherds, a number showed designs in black over red or grey ground, closely resembling those of the chalcolithic Bampûr ware, as shown by Kun. 2 ( Pl. xi). There were found also fragments of red slip ware, with finely burnished stripes.
It appeared to me probable that the site of a considerable settlement, occupied, perhaps, down to later times, lies here largely hidden below dunes. Whence it derived irrigation is not clear. But it deserves to be noted that after going about a mile and half west-north-westwards we reached an unmistakable flood-bed descending from the glacis of the distant hills to the north and carrying water after rain. Turning east from the high sand ridge bordering this bed, we crossed an absolutely flat plain of bare clay, which is said to hold flood water at times, like one of the kaps of British Makran, and then, at a distance of 3 miles, reached a low rocky ridge called Qal`a-i-Sardagah. It is covered with the rubble debris of completely decayed dwellings and with abundant potsherds. Among the painted potsherds there were numerous fragments of grey ware decorated with large multilinear zigzags and triangles as seen in Sar. 1, 2, 4 (Pl. IX) . These designs are reminiscent of patterns found on certain chalcolithic sites of Northern Balûchistan and at Chah Husaini.6 Potsherds lay on the ground for a quarter of a mile farther to the south-east, and cropped up in patches amidst high dunes for another couple of miles. Considering the configuration of the ground,
6 Cf. N. Balûcbistân Tour, Pls. XI, XIII, for examples.
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