国立情報学研究所 - ディジタル・シルクロード・プロジェクト
『東洋文庫所蔵』貴重書デジタルアーカイブ

situated about 150 feet above the river, on which the enceinte wall stretching south-west from the Secondary
tower and gate of x has already been noted. From where this wall descends to the river the terrace line of wall
continues westwards above steep cliffs. No remains of fortification were traced here. Yet it can above river
be safely assumed that along this line there once extended a secondary line of wall connecting with front.
the wall which the sketch-plan (Pl. 49) shows at xi running in the same direction. A portion of this
is seen in the left-hand bottom corner of Fig. 412. This secondary line of wall would permit the
main circumvallation to be defended even if the river section extending from viii to ix were taken
or abandoned.

From the corner marked xii the secondary wall turns at right angles to the NW. and ascends Wall
steeply over a narrow rocky crest to the citadel. It is very solidly built of bricks 18″×14″×3⅛″ and ascending
stands for the most part to a height of 8 to 10 feet. The three round towers guarding this con- to citadel.
necting wall section have their entrances from the slope to the south of the citadel. The reason
for this arrangement becomes clear when we notice the broken segments of a wall which stretches
up from the tower viii by the river to the corner xii. With the help of this traverse wall and the one
reaching up to the citadel the walled area between the citadel and the river could be held even
after the major part of the circumvallation including the main ridge were lost. It is with the same
object that a line of wall with towers facing north was extended from the westernmost point of the
citadel to the tower v at the gorge of the ravelin-like outwork of the enceinte.

The walls of the citadel adapted to the contours of the ridge enclose an area on the top about Walls and
150 yards long and 40 yards across where widest. On the highest knoll, about 350 feet above the interior of
river, rise the walls of a small structure, xiv, comprising a hall measuring 28 feet by 19 and another citadel.
apartment, 19 feet by 11. They are 3 feet thick and built of carefully set masonry of bricks,
13–14″×10″×3⅛″. Another small structure, with much broken walls, occupies a slightly lower
knoll at the eastern end of the citadel. By the side of a tower, xv, on the river face of the citadel
enclosure a gate passage could be traced. It was mainly within the citadel and on the adjoining
slopes to the south that we were able to find some pottery debris. Among this were numerous pieces
of a very fine red clay, greatly superior in their technique to the potsherds found at the sites of
Zang and Yamchin. No fragments of decorated pottery were seen. From the distribution of
these ceramic remains it may be concluded that the citadel was probably occupied at certain
periods more or less permanently, while the rest of the circumvallation was intended merely to
serve as a temporary place of refuge. The total absence of any ruins of dwellings within the latter
is a noteworthy feature. The people of Namadgut did not admit having found any ancient objects
within the walls, with the exception of an iron arrow-head subsequently shown to me by Captain
Tumanovich at Nut. It had a peculiar two-pronged point, like the blades of an open pair of scissors.

The observations recorded in the previous section of this chapter with regard to Zamr-i-ātish- Purpose
parast apply with the same, if not with increased, force to the origin and age of Qala-i-Qa'qa. It and period
seems very difficult to believe that fortifications of such extent and solidity could have been con- of strong-
structed by a chief commanding only resources so limited as those of the present tract of Ishkāshm hold.
and Zēbak. That they were designed chiefly, if not solely, for the purpose of assuring safety in
times of danger for a large number of men is clear. Considering the exceptional advantages offered
by the natural strength of the position and the comparatively easy access to it from the side of
Badakhshān, the question suggests itself whether it was possibly some ruler of that fertile and once
populous territory with which the tracts between the Oxus and the head-waters of the Wardōj were
always closely linked in political fortunes, who wished to secure, here in the east, a safe retreat
for himself and his host in the case of invasion. There are no definite archaeological indications
at present which would permit us to fix the period of construction with any certainty. But it could