1SS2.] 
P. N. Bose —Note on some earthen pots. 
227 
dance. The presence of the former would lead one to infer a large admix¬ 
ture of ashes. Pieces of human and cattle bones, small pebbles, bricks and 
a few large rolled pebbles chipped off artificially were obtained from this 
bed. The overlying alluvium (about 14 ft.) is characterised by the entire 
absence of these, and the occurrence of large rolled pebbles and freshwater 
shells. The pottery-work seen from below is found on examination to be 
composed of very thick, closely fitting circular pieces open at both ends, 
measuring 5| in. vertically, and with a diameter of a foot and a half. From 
the well enclosed by this pottery I dug out a very large number of earthen 
pots of various shapes and sizes piled up with their mouths downward, some 
quite empty, others filled partially or entirely with an argillaceous material. 
The length of the vessels varies from 11 to 7 inches, and the diameter from 
8 to 6; the diameter of the mouth which is without a lid ranges between 
5 and 3 inches. There is no ornamentation except an unsymmetrical fur¬ 
row or two an inch below the neck. See PI. XIV, XV, fig. 2—5. 
The contents of the pots when not empty are an indurated marl present¬ 
ing a vesicular appearance, and containing bones of birds and small mam¬ 
mals and fragments of charcoal. The vesicles are irregularly elongated, 
and are encrusted over with a thin yellowish-brown substance which Mr. 
Mallet of the Geological Survey (who very kindly analysed a specimen) 
considers to be the remains of some decomposed vegetable matter. Large 
numbers of ribs probably of goats and sheep and some teeth were got 
mostly from the interstices between the pots. The entire absence of human 
bones or human teeth from inside the well is notable. 
The well dug into (y in PI. XIV, fig. 1) goes down about 10 ft. into 
the lower zone of the alluvium, though the boundary-work of pottery is 
carried only 2 feet downward. Earthen pots were found from top to 
bottom all, as remarked before, with their mouths directed downward. 
As the other wells were quite inaccessible, they could not be opened up 
without excavations on a large scale for which I had no time. If similarity 
of appearance might justify us in inferring anything we would infer them 
to contain earthen vessels also similar to those obtained from the well 
just described. It would be extremely desirable to examine them, especially 
as excavations may lead to important discoveries and throw some light on 
the early history of India. I may mention in this connection that I noticed 
at one end of the section, at “ Mandal koh,” two rows of bricks (Jc in the 
diagram), as if they enclosed the door of a house. 
The points which present themselves for determination are— 
(1.) The age of the inhumed town. 
(2.) The purpose for which the well described in this paper was 
constructed, and the earthen vessels placed in it, 
(3.) The cause of inhumation. 
I have not been able to settle any of these important questions to any- 
