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

closely resembling by their shape and painted decoration, with cross lines on the
inside, those common at Shāhī-tump. From previously disturbed deposits may
have come two metal articles found quite apart, one part of a badly corroded
cup and the other a large flat plaque which might have formed part of a
mirror.

Considerations of time imposed by regard for the programme ahead obliged
me to restrict our stay at Khurāb to three days, and excavation work to the
limited ground where, as already mentioned, the previous burrowing of villagers
afforded definite indications of ancient remains. But the results of the work
practicable under these conditions were sufficiently consistent to settle essential
points concerning the character of the site. It is certain that the remains found
so close to the surface are those of a burial-ground of chalcolithic times. From
the way in which human bones, where traceable, were disposed, it may be
concluded that the prevailing custom was fractional burial of the bodies of the
dead previously exposed. It deserves to be specially noted that while copper or
bronze objects among the funerary deposits were comparatively frequent, not a
single stone implement was discovered at the site. It would scarcely be safe to
take this negative fact for evidence of a comparatively late phase of chalcolithic
civilization, were it not for some points of resemblance displayed by the
ceramic ware to the pottery found in the funerary deposits of Shāhī-tump which,
by their very position on the top of a considerable mound, are shown to belong
to a later period.⁴

Before touching upon such points of contact it will be convenient to describe
the several types of vessels prevalent among the funerary furniture of Khurāb.
Here, too, as at Shāhī-tump and among the vastly more abundant painted pottery
from the burial deposits of Susa I, a close relation is observed between the shape
of the vessel and the scheme of decoration used on it. The consequent limitation
of motifs can obviously be best explained by the convention which tradition
fostered by long-continued observance of religious rites is bound to establish
and preserve. Thus in the type represented by the numerous shallow flat-
bottomed bowls the painted decoration of the inside consists in the middle
either of a Svastika usually 'fringed' (see B. ii. 159; c. 232, 235; Pl. XII)
or else of 'fringed' M shapes variously disposed and varying in number (B. ii.
151, 152, 155, 157; Pl. XIV). It is probable that these two motifs had a sym-
bolic significance, but this has yet to be ascertained. There is much uniformity
also in the painted designs running below the edges of these bowls which
measure up to 8–9 inches in diameter.

A particularly frequent type is represented by deeper bowls having a small