National Institute of Informatics - Digital Silk Road Project
Digital Archive of Toyo Bunko Rare Books

base and almost straight but spreading sides (Pl. XVI). Their width, which
varies from about 4 to 6½ inches, allowed them to be conveniently packed into
nests. Apart from a narrow painted stripe on the edge, they have rarely any
decoration within, while that outside is confined to a narrow band below the
rim. As seen in B. ii. 136, 137,147, 153, &c. (Pl. XVI), this band contains most
frequently a device resembling a row of horns. The somewhat less schematic
form of it, seen in B. ii. 137, suggests that it is a highly stylized development
from the row of mountain sheep common on chalcolithic pottery of other sites
(see Pl. VII; also B. i. 122, Pl. XVII). Sometimes the band is filled with pairs
of triangles touching at the apex (B. ii. 132, 156), with other geometric forms
(B. ii. 138, 142, 158, 162; Pl. XVI), or with Sigmas (B. ii. 149). By itself stands
the bowl B. ii. 214 (Pl. XIV), deposited in a fragmentary state, with its row of
stylized birds divided by hachured shapes resembling an M.

The comparatively large series of jars comprises specimens showing more
individual treatment. In the large jars, B. ii. 199, 200 (Pl. XIII), standing up to
11 inches in height, geometric motifs in separate zones are combined with
stylized trees and flowers. Very frequent are a kind of garland design (B. ii.
198, 206, 207; D. 249), composite geometric patterns (B. ii. 208, 210, 212; D.
244), or, on jars of taller shape, low arches between horizontal bands (B. i. 119,
ii. 203, 204, 213; D. 250). Among painted cups those with flat bottoms and almost
straight sides (A. 117; B. ii. 163; C. 239; F. i. 264; L. ii. 293; Pls. XV–XVII) are
always decorated with zigzag designs, hachured or with fine parallel lines. Such
are found also on cups with small bases and curving sides, like B. ii. 174, 178
(Pl. XVII). The shapes of the little unpainted cups B. i. 128; E. i. 253, 254
(Pls. XVI, XVII) with their diminutive bases look distinctly archaic, recalling
cups found at Periāno-ghuṇḍai within cinerary vessels and at Sutkagēn-dōr.
They might well be reproductions of ancient ware for funerary use only.

The same observation may apply also to such undecorated small jars, like L.
i. 283, 285; B. ii. 169 (Pl. XVII), and vessels resembling truncated cones (D. 245,
246; E. i. 256; F. i. 267; Pls. XV, XVI), which could scarcely have been of much
practical use to the living. With regard to the large goblet, L. i. 279 (Pl. XV),
8 inches in diameter, it is of interest to note that it corresponds closely to a fine
goblet found at the Mehī site in a burial deposit which contained also a triple set
of conical cups of a shape similar to D. 246.⁵

On the fabric, colouring, and other technical features of the ceramic objects
from Khurāb, Mr. Fred. H. Andrews has kindly given me the following
note:

The pottery from Khurāb burials may be broadly divided into two main classes: