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

ravines due to erosion, it stretches for about 240 yards from east to west, has a
maximum width of some 200 yards, and rises to a height of 34 feet at its western
extremity. The slopes to the north have in places been dug into for manuring
earth. Plentiful potsherds could be picked up on the surface of the mound, and
among them a considerable number of fragments showing painted decoration
of unmistakably chalcolithic type (for specimens see Pl. XXV). In both plain and
painted ware the body varies in colour between red, cream, and grey, the latter
being generally of finer clay. The patterns are mostly painted in black or brown
on the body itself, as is always the case on the pieces of fine grey clay (Nur. 2,
8, 57, 72). But in some fragments the design is applied over a cream slip
(Nur. 1, 28). This slip appears also in a few pieces with polychrome decoration
in light red and dark brown (Nur. 35, 67). Brown and black bands without
the use of slip are seen combined in 32, 40, 71.
The decorative motifs used are all geometrical. They comprise zigzags and
hachured triangles arranged in rows (1, 38, 41, 53), herring-bone (8, 23), or
upright set in panels (28). Of interest is the appearance of Sigmas in a row (37,
47) and of the 'fringed fan' pattern (31) as known from Khurāb and other
Balūchistān sites, here, too, used on the inside surface. All the pottery seems
wheel-made. The few flint blades or scrapers found confirm prehistoric occupa-
tion, as does also the negative evidence furnished by the total absence of glazed
ware. By its position the mound of Nūrābād serves to bridge as it were the great
gap between the sites of prehistoric settlement traced in Rūdbār and the nearest
of those since examined by me to the west in Fārs. Hence I must specially regret
that neither the limitations of work imposed nor the time to be spared would
allow of a proper investigation of the mound.
Report received of other old remains induced me to proceed from here farther
up the Bulūk tract. The tappa near the ziārat of Mahadābād, reached after cover-
ing 3 miles over bare ground crossed by qanāts, proved a natural terrace of clay
occupied by decayed Muhammadan tombs. Bulūk, a fortified hamlet with a mill
and large garden, 2 miles beyond to the east-south-east, was next visited. To
the north of the walled garden a stretch of slightly raised ground, measuring
about 350 by 260 yards, was found strewn with fragments of burnt bricks,
broken pottery, and rubble from decayed walls. Plentiful fragments of glazed
ware, mostly in varied tints of green and blue, together with small pieces of
relievo-decorated pottery, produced from moulds and closely resembling that
found at the site of medieval Jīruft, attested occupation in Muhammadan
times. The place must have been of some importance as it apparently gave
its name to the whole tract, or else was thus called from being once its chief
place. Another 3 miles to the south-west took us across gravel dasht and some