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

climatic conditions far more favourable to agriculture than those observed along
the coast. It might thus be reasonably assumed that a much larger population
than at present had occupied this tract in former times; and this might well
account for the remains of extensive fortifications, obviously meant for places of
refuge, to be found, as I was told, on the hills rising north of the valley.

The nearest of these, and the only one which under the prevailing conditions
of insecurity were considered accessible at the time, could be sighted on a hill
spur above the hamlet of Haraj, about 1¼ miles to the east of Asīr. On proceed-
ing towards this my attention was attracted by a low mound rising on absolutely
level ground about 500 yards to the south of the hamlet (see Plan 18). It could
scarcely be natural, and on examining its surface, largely occupied by Muham-
madan graves, this conclusion was very soon confirmed by plentiful finds of
worked flints, cores, and fragments of painted pottery, obviously prehistoric. It
was a very gratifying discovery to have come here upon evidence of manifestly
prolonged occupation in prehistoric times, after having vainly looked for such
since reaching the coast.

While the necessary arrangements were being made for trial excavations I
occupied the spare time in visiting some old remains reported to be close to
Haraj. On the narrow rocky ridge rising immediately to the east of the hamlet
to a height of about 100 feet, only foundations of roughly built walls and broken
plain pottery, both of uncertain date, could be traced. Some 300 yards to the
north, at the foot of the spur bearing the fortification already referred to, I found
a series of small caves, some eighteen in all, forming an irregular row, hewn
into the limestone rock. None were more than 6 feet deep, and the entrances so
low and narrow as to suggest tombs. The interior showed only the bare rock
floor, and no indication of age could be found. Some of these cavities seemed
never to have been finished.

The survey of the bastioned lines of wall clearly visible high up on the spur
had to be left for a later visit. But before regaining Nauba fort in the dusk I took
the opportunity to visit rapidly some low mounds sighted amidst fields about 1½
miles to the south-east of Haraj. They were found to lie close together, varying
from 110 to 150 yards in length and none rising more than 8 to 10 feet above the
surrounding ground. The low grass covering the surface impeded a close search.
As, however, apart from potsherds of well-made plain red ware, a worked flint
blade with finger-hold, a painted pottery fragment of chalcolithic type, and
several small pieces of alabaster were picked up, prehistoric occupation here, too,
appeared very probable.

Before proceeding to a trial-excavation at the Tal-i-pīr, as the ancient mound
near Haraj village is called, it seemed advisable to make, on January 24th, a