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

Section III.—LIST OF OBJECTS FOUND AT SITES OF THE SOUTHERN
HELMAND DELTA

GENERAL NOTE ON SPECIMENS OF POTTERY, PREHISTORIC AND LATER,
FROM SITES OF SĪSTĀN AND NEIGHBOURING PARTS

BY

F. H. ANDREWS, O.B.E.

Prehistoric Pottery.

The pottery fragments found at sites of Sīstān and neigh-
bouring parts of Khorāsān may be divided into two main
sections : prehistoric and later. The prehistoric fragments
may be conveniently grouped into three classes determined
by the material of the body : buff, red, and grey. Each class
shows varieties in tone, due mainly to irregular firing, as
follows : i. Buff : Warm pale pinkish (K.G. 0131, Pl. CXIII) ;
dark pinkish (R.R. viii. 011, Pl. CXIII) ; light greenish
(R.R. iii. 05, Pl. CXIII) ; dark greenish (K.G. 09, Pl. CXIV) ;
nearly black. ii. Red : Pale terra-cotta (Machi. 010–11,
Pl. CXIII) ; darker terra-cotta (S.S. 0119, Pl. CXIII ;
S.S. 02, Pl. CXIV) ; grey with red surface ; dark grey.
iii. Grey ; dark putty colour (K.G. 039 ; R.R. iii. 018 ; S.S.
0107, Pl. CXIII) ; dark dove (S.S. 23, 74, Pl. CXIII) ; nearly
black (R.R. xvii. 08, Pl. CXIII).

Most of the pottery is painted, and that which is not has
in some cases probably lost it through weathering. The
majority of the painting is in black of varying degrees of
density, and generally the paint has a slight glaze. In a few
specimens the pattern is in brown or brown-black. The
patterns are mostly geometrical, but a few have a freer
character. The following is a general classification of the
ornamental motifs :

A. Straight Lines. i. Simple ; horizontal, as for encircling
rings used to cover lip and to form the upper and lower
boundaries of zones (K.G. 011, 39, 55, 58, 135 ; Machi. 010–11,
5 ; Md. (R.R.) ii. 07, 13, 18, 40 ; iii. 04 ; iii. 03, 5, 11, 18 ; viii.
011 ; ix. 02 ; xvii. 01, 5, 8) ; S.S. 01, 3, 15, 21, 74, 101, Pl.
CXIII ; K.G. 01, 8–10, 127, 137 ; Md. (R.R.) ii. 02, 21 ; iii.
01 ; iii. 010, 13 ; S.S. 02, 5, 101, 105, Pl. CXIV). Upright,
as used in dividing zones into panels (R.R. xvii. 08 ; S.S.
04, 51, Pl. CXIII ; K.G. 08 ; Md. iii. 01 ; S.S. 0101, Pl.
CXIV), and used in groups for the 'triglyph' motif (R.R.
iii. 011 ; xvii. 01, Pl. CXIII).

ii. Zigzag or chevron used horizontally (K.G. 039 ; R.R.
ix. 01 ; S.S. 0119, Pl. CXIII ; K.G. 0127, R.R. iii. 013 ;
S.S. 02, 66, Pl. CXIV), vertically (R.R. xiii. 018 ; S.S. 050,
51, 85, Pl. CXIII ; Md. (R.R.) ii. 021 ; R.R. iii. 010 ; S.S. 014,
Pl. CXIV) and rarely, obliquely (K.G. 0132 ; Md. (R.R.) ii. 07 ;
R.R. viii. 011 ; S.S. 01, 15, 26, Pl. CXIII ; K.G. 09,
Pl. CXIV) ; generally in groups.

iii. Triangle, used in horizontal series forming zones,
when the base is formed by one of the boundary lines (R.R.
xvii. 08 ; S.S. 03, 74, 110, Pl. CXIII), or tilted obliquely

when the base extends from one boundary line to the other
and the apex falls between (Md. (R.R.) i. 011 ; iii. 018, Pl.
CXIII).

iv. Lozenge, square, and rectangle (K.G. 0131 ; Md. ii.
03, 8 ; R.R. iii. 03 ; xviii. 04 ; S.S. 09, 148, Pl. CXIII ;
Md. (R.R.) ii. 021 ; S.S. 06, Pl. CXIV).

B. Curved Lines. i. Semicircles, arranged in zones, the
diameter formed by the upper and lower boundary lines
alternately (R.R. ix. 02 ; S.S. 024, Pl. CXIII ; S.S. 02,
Pl. CXIV).

ii. Narrow leaf, rather like a willow-leaf, always placed
in chevron order, bases and tips alternately touching. Pro-
bably derived from interlacing reversed semicircles (R.R. iii.
05 ; ix. 02, Pl. CXIII).

iii. Broad leaf, a variation of above. The full leaf always
used vertically, strongly between boundary lines, with some-
times half leaves placed horizontally, the mid-rib coinciding
with boundary lines, and in pairs, one against upper boundary
and one against lower (Md. (R.R.) ii. 018 ; iii. 04, Pl. CXIII).

iv. Festoons. These are usually formed by pairs of lines
which form quasi-crescent curves, sometimes looping down-
wards (K.G. 047 ; Md. (R.R.) ii. 013 ; R.R. xvii. 01, Pl. CXIII ;
K.G. 0137, Pl. CXIV), at others arching upwards (Md. (R.R.) ii.
040, Pl. CXIII). A kind of fringe of short lines springs from
the outer side of one or both lines. In other examples the
space between the lines is hatched.

v. S-shaped curves occur on a few fragments. The S may
be turned to right or left, and is rather elongated. A band
of zigzag runs across each loop, and in one example (R.R.
viii. 012, Pl. CXIII) the space thus enclosed in each end
is cross-hatched. This pattern is placed arbitrarily at any
angle and apparently singly (K.G. 01, Pl. CXIV).

vi. Scrolls. Freely growing scrolls are rare, but one
fragment shows a group of three bold vertical lines, with
flattened scrolls right and left and with secondary scrolls
growing out of these. At the junctions of scrolls are always
two short projecting spines, like rootlets on an ivy stem (S.S.
04, Pl. CXIII). Another example shows a voluted scroll with
fringe on upper side of outer curve (Md. (R.R.) ii. 02, Pl. CXIV).
Two fragments have roughly drawn small scrolls suggesting a
small plant, or grass (K.G. 058, Pl. CXIII ; K.G. 010, Pl. CXIV).

vii. Meandering leaf. There is a very highly developed
meandering leaf pattern which runs in regular curves round
the body of a vessel, the mid-rib being raised in a keel-shaped
ridge, and painted with a broad solid band of black. Serrated
leaf edges are boldly painted in the hollows, and the ground

ii 6 G