View of Pit I, in southern portion of Section of B, Mound AB, showing remains of brick lined structures and a few large earthen jars insitu.
Sahni reported: “Four large pits, each 50' square, were sunk simultaneously in a line in the southern portion of mound B, which has an average elevation of 40' above the surrounding plain, and excavated to a depth of 12' below the surface. Here, too, the structural remains had been destroyed by brick contractors, but the excavation was rewarded by a number of interesting portable antiquities.” [p. 79]
Sahni noted: “The only structures reclaimed in pit I were two cells occurring at the depths of 3' and 10' respectively, which might have been kitchens or baths, and a well preserved drain composed of brick with a gabled roof which was exposed for a length of 43' (Plate XXVI, b). It is choked up with mud mixed with charcoal and ashes, apparently the washings of a kitchen. The minor antiquities comprised four well preserved seals (P.1. 39-42) of an unusually large size and with deep cut pictographs (Plate XXVIII, figs. 21-24).” [pp. 79-80]
- Daya Ram Sahni ARASI 1924, 1925, pp. 79-80.
Note: see Mound B, Pit I for the gabled roof drain and Unicorn Seals for the four seals.
Vats extended the area of the excavations to follow the gable roofed drain, and noted that:
“Along with other excavations during the working season of 1924-25 Rai Bahadur Daya Ram Sahni sank four pits in the southern part of this mound, each measuring 50 ft. sq. Of these, I linked up Pits I and II in the year 1926-27 by sinking between them a long, narrow trench, measuring 260 ft. from east to west and varying in width from 13 to 30 ft. The reason for extending this particular part of the excavation was that in Pit I a gable-roofed drain of Stratum IV, going from west to east, had already been brought to light by the Rai Bahadur, and this I was anxious to follow up and ascertain what buildings it was connected with. Accordingly, in the year 1927-28 the whole length of this trench except 66 ft. at its eastern end, was expanded into a large rectangle measuring 194 ft. from east to west by 137 ft. from north to south (PI. XXXI)” [Vats, M.S. 1940, Vol. I, p. 145]..
In describing his excavations at this area, Vats also provided a view of his method of recording the stratum and depth, while digging:
“The main excavation was carried to an average depth of between 10 and 12 ft; the projecting tongue towards the east to a depth of 16 to 20 ft. In the Middle and Eastern sections. Stratum I goes down to 4 ft. 4 in. below the surface. Stratum II from 4 ft. 5 in. to 6 ft. 9 in. Stratum III from 6 ft. 10 in. to 9 ft. 6 in., Stratum IV from 9 ft. 7 in. to 10 ft. 10 in., and Stratum V from 10 ft. 11 in. to 12 ft. 2 in. But in the eastern tongue all antiquities found lower than 12 ft. below the surface must be relegated to the Vlth and earlier strata the limits of which it is not possible to define at present. As against this, in the Western Section Stratum I goes down to 2 ft. 8 in., Stratum II from 2 ft. 9 in. to 5 ft. 1 in., Stratum III from 5 ft. 2 jn. to 7 ft. 2 in. and Stratum IV, below which the excavation was not carried down in this section, from 7 ft. 3 in. to 10 ft. 3 in. It should be clearly understood, however, that in places the brick remains are so disconnected and fragmentary that the stratification is far from certain” [Vats, M.S. 1940, Vol. I, p. 145].
“Pits I and II, excavated by Mr. Sahni, lay in one line from north to south and have since merged in the Eastern Section of this excavation” [ibid]
Vats mentioned one antiquity specifically from Sahni’s Pit I [No. Pit-4]: “Unicorn seal with 3 pictograms. PI. LXXXIX, 117. 7/8 in. sq. No. PI-4; Depth 2 ft. 6 in. b.s.” [Vats, M.S. 1940, Vol. I, p. 146].