160 TO RLJDBAR AND JIRUFT [Chap. V, Sec. iv]
stamped clay or mud bricks, and must obviously have undergone many renewals during successive periods. Only systematic excavation among them could throw light on the question as to when the hill was first fortified.2
The ready help offered by the Consulate Staff allowed us to complete all arrangements within a week. On the morning of May 1st Dr. Fâbri and myself, refreshed by our stay in the cool air of Kerman, were able to start with our six cases of antiquities carefully packed for Bushire. A day's stop at Isfahan under the hospitable roof of Mr. E. Bristow, the British Consul, permitted enjoyable glimpses to be gained of the monuments bequeathed by a great period of Persian architecture. Thence a delightful journey by an excellent motor-road through interesting scenery brought us on May 4th to Persepolis, where the kindest welcome on the part of Professor E. Herzfeld awaited us.
Under the guidance of this distinguished scholar and excavator, the greatest living authority on the monuments and history of ancient Îran, we were privileged for two days to inspect the remains of this magnificent site, perhaps the most impressive in Asia. It has rewarded his devoted labours of years with a constant succession of highly important new discoveries. On May 7th we passed through Shiraz, and two days later, after crossing in comfort the rugged hill ranges once so trying to travellers, arrived in Bushire. There we were welcomed with kindest hospitality by the late Colonel H. V. Biscoe, British Political Resident in the Persian Gulf. The immediate passage through the Persian Customs of our antiquities for shipment to the British Museum could not be secured during our short stay. But some weeks later the strenuous efforts made by Captain (now Major) E. Gastrell, the British Consul, Bushire, achieved this, to us important, concession as granted under the original orders sanctioning my explorations.
On May 11th we were able to embark on the British India Mail Steamer Varela for Basra, whence the convenient service jointly organized by the Iraq, Syrian, and Turkish Railways brought us by May 20th to Constantinople, and thus back to Europe. Of the very instructive days I was able to spend at the great museums and libraries of that ancient link between the West and Near East I cannot forgo making grateful mention.
2 The sherds of glazed and relief-decorated ware, 3, ibid. is a specimen of similar glazed pottery picked up on the slopes of the hill, were of types found at Tarikistân, a debris area passed 5 miles represented also at the site of Behkird. For beyond Darzin on the way to Barn.
specimens see Dukh. 2, 4, 6, 15; Pl. XXII. Tar.
IIIFカラー高解像度
