During last winter I made some archaeological researches in the upper part of the Indus Valley, and the results of my investigations are herein published.Some years ago, Major D. H. Gordon, a British officer on duty in the NW. Frontier Province of India, discovered that archaeological remains were coming from a mound called Sari-Dheri, near Charsadda, in the district of Peshawar. He published certain of these, which he bought from the native villagers, with what information he could gather concerning the location of the finds. These, in his opinion, belonged to the Graeco-Buddhist culture, that Hellenistic civilization which arose in India after the conquest of Alexander the Great. Now I agree with Major Gordon that some of these terra-cottas belong to the Hellenistic school of Gandharian art, towards the beginning of our era, but I believe that others among these objects, which show definitely an archaic style and technique, are far more ancient. They represent, in fact, a new aspect of the Indus chalcolithic civilization, of which, hitherto, no traces had been found in the north (Fig. I)
JSTOR is a not-for-profit service that helps scholars, researchers, and students discover, use, and build upon a wide range of content in a trusted digital archive. We use information technology and tools to increase productivity and facilitate new forms of scholarship. For more information about JSTOR, please contact support@jstor.org.. British Institute for the Study of Iraq is collaborating with JSTOR to digitize, preserve and extend access to Iraq. URING last winter I made some archaeological researches in the upper part of the Indus Valley,2 and the results of my investigations are herein published.Some years ago, Major D. H. Gordon, a British officer on duty in the NW. Frontier Province of India, discovered that archaeological remains were coming from a mound called Sari-Dheri, near Charsadda, in the district of Peshawar. He published certain of these, which he bought from the native villagers, with what information he could gather concerning the location of the finds.3 These, in his opinion, belonged to the Graeco-Buddhist culture, that Hellenistic civilization which arose in India after the conquest of Alexander the Great. Now I agree with Major Gordon that some of these terracottas belong to the Hellenistic school of Gandharian art, towards the beginning of our era, but I believe that others among these objects, which show definitely an archaic style and technique, are far more ancient. They represent, in fact, a new aspect of the Indus chalcolithic civilization, of which, hitherto, no traces had been found in the north (Fig. i).It is not surprising that this civilization should be found higher up along the Indus Valley, nor that it should be found in those spots where, later on, more recent populations have settled and left historical remains. On this point I wish to lay emphasis upon the fact, generally not considered, that during the first excavations at Harappa were found, not only dozens, but even hundreds of Indo-Scythian coins.4 These indicate a recent occupation of a site which is, on the other hand, correctly recorded as prehistoric, and the same has been the case, I think, for Sari-Dheri.Sari-Dheri, a site situated along the road which leads from Charsadda to Mardan, is composed of two mounds: one towards the West (Plate I, i) and another towards the East (ib. 2). Both are of great dimensions, about I50 ft. in superficies, and 24 to 40 ft. in height. As Major Gordon has pointed out, the villagers are gradually destroying them, using the earth as manure for their fields. Almost two-thirds of the western mound have already been removed, and the remaining third offers difficulties for investigation, owing to two reasons. First, because the highest part of the mound (ib. 3) allows a view into the harems of the Mohammedan village lying at its foot and therefore, although I personally was allowed to make an examination of the top, my workers had to remain below; secondly, because the portion of the mound that remains accessible to the men is crowded with tombs. It is l A communication read before the...
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