View of mound B showing the narrow space at the west end of the twin chatti the small earthen jar fixed among bricks.
View of a rectangular structure, with walls of bricks and an embedded earthen jar at the corner. Sahni described the structures below the Early Historic Period in section B of Mound AB in great detail, and this may be a part of that which he described as a ‘solidly built niche measuring 5’2” x 8’4” in the Vth stratum (as Vats specified, see Vats 1940: 139). Of the excavations in this area Sahni stated:
“All the remains laid bare below this level are clearly assignable to the Indo-Sumerian period and the first monument of this kind was a square brick platform with a large earthen urn (B.1486) resting upon it mouth downwards (Plate XXV, c).”
Note: ARASI 1924-25, p. 78. Plate XXV c is Large Earthen Jar.
“On the next or third Stratum from the top special interest attaches to a double rectangular sepulchre (10' from north to south and 4' from east to west, Plate XXV, d).” [ibid; see Sculptures in western portion for this ‘rectangular sepulchre’]
“It comprises two distinct compartments one of which had an irregularly shaped relic chamber 1’ 5” X 1’ 4"X 1' 2". … The next lower stratum revealed a solidly built niche measuring 5'2'’x S'4'’ externally and composed of bricks of the usual size of 11"x 5 ½ "x 2 ½ ", but repaired at a somewhat later date with larger bricks measuring 14" x 7” x 3 ½”. On the paved floor of this niche I picked up an earthen urn (B.1342) containing bones and by the side of it a number of smaller vessels with pointed bases which also contained pieces of bones and charcoal. About this level the excavations revealed a large number of fragments of undulating stone rings of varying sizes which according to Sir John Marshall must have been used for worship. Human bones were found scattered all over the trench … How these bones came to be buried here remains inexplicable. They might be the remnants of a big animal sacrifice.” [pp. 78-79]
- Daya Ram Sahni ARASI 1924-25, pp. 78-9.
Vats described Sahni’s excavations of the stratum with the “solidly build” niche as:
“Very little is left of the IVth stratum. The next stratum below revealed, in squares P 18/2 and 7, a solidly built niche at a depth of 24 ft. below the summit of the mound. It measures 8 ft. 4 in. by 5 ft. 2 in. externally, and is composed of bricks of the usual size, viz., 11 x 5 ½ x 2 ½ in. Later, it was repaired with larger bricks measuring 14 x 7 x 3 ½ in. On its paved floor Mr. Sahni found a broken, medium-sized earthenware jar, a number of goblets with pointed bases, numerous potsherds and charcoal. Some bones were also found in these vessels. Special interest, however, attaches to a number of fragments mostly of undulating grey stone rings of different sizes, arc-shaped pieces of red standstone with raised flat bands in parallel curves (PI. LXXXIII, 33 and 35), and some objects of yellow limestone … To the east of these finds were recovered some more red sandstone objects of smaller size with shapes suggestive of round lingams” (p. 139).
- Vats, M.S. 1940, Vol. I.
NOTE: Pointed goblets and ring-stones were the prominent antiquities from this area.