É. Apor (ed.): Stein, Aurel: Old Routes of Western Iran. (Budapest Oriental Reprints, Ser. B 2.)

Chapter II. —In Kohgalu Tracts

Sec. ii] BEHBEHÄN AND ARRAJÄN BRIDGE 79 which rise above the plain of the valley, and so were obviously of artificial origin. At the mounds of Tal-i-Manjanik and Tal-i-ShlräzI, both to the east of the town, the surface finds of broken pottery either pointed to occupation down to medieval times or, where comprising also some fragments of painted ware of earlier type, were too scanty to encourage trial excavation. But at the small mound of Tal-i-Hasanach, situated about miles to the north of the town and about 13 feet high (see Plan 2), trenches cut down from its centre yielded a considerable quantity of monochrome painted fragments of pottery closely resembling in type the ware characteristic of chalcolithic sites in Färs. The painted patterns comprise a great variety of geometrical designs, as shown by the specimens reproduced in 11, 12, 13, 16, 18, 24, Pl. I; but animal figures and rows of stylized birds also occur (see 15, 21, 22, 25, Pl. I). The shape of the bowl, the inside of which is shown in 13, is reconstructed in 2, Pl. XXVII. The fabric is mainly of buff colour, and the vessels have ring bases. Among associated implements were flint ' blades ' and two flakes of obsidian. The result of this short excavation, which available labour permitted to be carried down to half the height of the mound, sufficed to prove that the chalcolithic civilization previously traced over a great portion of southern Iran had its extension also into parts near the head of the Gulf. A subsequent trial excavation at the low but much larger mound of Tal-i-Muhammad Taki to the south-east yielded only fragments of unpainted coarse ware, besides flint chips and small pieces of alabaster cups. On Christmas Day we were at last able to leave