188 ARCHEOLOGICAL EXCAVATIONS AT ANCIENT MERV. 
THE SEPARATE EXCAVATIONS. 
UPPER DIGGING. 
A little below the surface, at a depth of 1 foot 10 inches, there was uncovered 
the remains of a brick pavement (a) in the middle of the excavation. The flat, 
square, burnt bricks—all 15 by 15 by 3 inches—were set with mortar and formed 
a Shaft I 
Galleries ‘Shaft 
N io Flower dig 
“Upper dig. 
Shaft Il 
Outer digging 
] 
y Shaft V 
on 
‘g 
yf Shaft VI 
/_ 4345 feet from shaft V to shaft VI 
a O° 1000 3000 FEET 




‘ 
Fig. 420.—Plan of Ghiaur Kala. 
only a single layer. At the same level very important finds were made—two 
marginal pieces of a large, thick-walled supply vessel, a small piece of a thin-walled 
vessel, and some pieces of animal bones, all inscribed with cursive letters in black 
color. Copper coins were also found in the same layer. I will precede the follow- 
ing description with the remark that copper coins occurred in the upper digging 
in the deeper layers down to 32 feet 7 inches. They will be considered further on 
in connection with the coins from the other point (see fig. 422). 

