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

with earth and loose stones fragments of pottery, both plain and glazed, turned
up at depths of 1 to 3 feet from the top. Neither bones nor any objects definitely
recognizable as funerary deposits were discovered. In view of this negative
result no further infringement of the official order seemed advisable. But the
probability of these little mounds being meant for burial cairns deserves to be
kept in view.

The other observation relates to the abundant chips and flakes of reddish
chalcedony which, as has been frequently noticed by others, are to be found on
the surface of the ground in various localities about Reshire and Sabzābād and
elsewhere also.¹¹ That their plentiful occurrence indicated the existence of a
long-standing local industry dealing with the cutting of such semi-precious
stones has been recognized for years past; and beads as well as seals made from
this material are said to be often collected about Bushire and offered for sale.
Mr. Jackson, a local resident, had told me of the occurrence of unworked
chalcedony in layers of clay, known as 'Shiraz mud', to be found exposed in
places on the sea-shore. It was of interest to me to find this statement confirmed
by my being able to pick up an unworked lump of the stone embedded in an
outcrop of such a stratum under the sandstone cliffs that rise to some 17 or
18 feet above the shore close to the west of the so-called Portuguese fort of
Reshire (Rīshahr).¹² In view of the well-established local character of this
industry and its obvious dependence on export, it would be of interest to secure
archaeological evidence as to how far the distribution of its products by early
trade can be traced.

By the middle of March it had become only too clear that the removal of the
difficulties placed in the way of resumed field-work could not be hoped for
through efforts made from Bushire. But before arranging to return to Kashmīr,
where the summer could be best utilized by me for writing work, it appeared
advisable to pay a short visit to Shīrāz and make a final effort to obtain per-
mission to resume work by explaining my objective personally to the Governor-
General of Fārs Province. I accordingly left Bushire on March 21st for Shīrāz,
gratefully appreciating for the time the escape from the moist heat of the Gulf
coast. The advent of Naurōz, the Persian New Year, religiously observed
throughout the land as a prolonged official holiday, would not allow immediate
personal conduct to be gained with that high functionary. But fortunately the