É. Apor (ed.): Stein, Aurel: Old Routes of Western Iran. (Budapest Oriental Reprints, Ser. B 2.)
Chapter I.—In Westernmost Färs
I O IN WESTERNMOST FÄRS [Chap. I bears the name of Shash-pir. After camping near the walled village of Bawäkiün to the south of the road I proceeded next morning over soaked fields and numerous shallow channels to this mound, appropriately known as Tul-i-gird (recte Tal-i-gird), ' the Circular Hillock ' (Fig. i). Fragments of painted pottery as well as some worked flints readily picked up on its surface indicated prehistoric occupation. The small size of the mound, measuring about 47 by 34 yards at its foot and rising to 27 feet, invited trial excavation. So our camp was moved the same day, November 22nd, about one mile and a half to the south, to a low limestone ridge which rises above the sodden flat of the basin and bears a small walled village also called Tul-i-gird. The rest of the day, before rain descended again, was devoted to a reconnaissance ride towards the reported mound of Tul-i-Naghära to the north-west. With the help of an adequate number of labourers gathered from the neighbouring villages, I had in the course of the following two days a trial trench, 6 feet wide, cut from the top of the mound down to the bottom on its eastern side (Plan 1). In the nine sections of the trench, arranged step-wise, an average depth of 8 feet was reached. Other shorter trenches on the south and south-west slopes were dug to a depth of about 41 feet only. Fragments of monochrome painted pottery were found in all sections from about feet from the surface downwards. Above this there were noticed amidst plain ware, mainly red or darkgrey, pieces showing broad flat ribbing not unlike that of pottery associated with burials subsequently examined at Lüristän sites yielding bronze objects. The painted pottery, of which specimens are reproduced in Pl. I, shows almost
