TAKHT-i- RUSTAM 4: rock chambers (Caves at)
36.245800,68.021700
Description
A group (cluster, colony) of man-made rock chambers or grottoes excavated from solid limestone at –>Takht-i- Rustam. The troglodyte dwelling is believed to have been used by Buddhist monks as a monastery. CAVE DESCRIPTION 1: MOORCROFT & TREBECK (1842, 2: 403- 407) note several small cells … in the sides of the ditch surrounding the stupa of –>Takht-i- Rustam. CAVE DESCRIPTION 2: TALBOT (1886a: 345) mentions the remains of caves cut in the counterscarp [of the ditch surrounding the stupa], looking inwards, and on about the level of the platform. CAVE DESCRIPTION 3: YATE (1888: 321-322): A rocky hill on the north is honeycombed with caves. CAVE DESCRIPTION 4: COON (1957a: 237-238) A long series of galleries in which the monks had lived.
Documents
Bibliography 06/01/2018- Coon, Carlton Stevens 1957a, 1957b; Foucher, Alfred 1924b; Imperial Gazetteer of India 1907-1909; Levi, Peter 1972 edited 1984, 2000, 2002; Mizuno, Seiichi 1963; Moorcroft, William & Trebeck, George 1842; Talbot, M G 1886b; Talbot, M G, Maitland, P J & Simpson, William 1886; Yate, Charles Edward 1888.
Histoire
EXPLORATION HISTORY: 1824.09.06: William Moorcroft and friends visited (MOORCROFT & TREBECK 1842, 2: 402-407). 1885, November - December: M.G. TALBOT (1886b: 344-347, plate 9), writing on 2nd March 1886, explored, surveyed, mapped. 1886: Maitland (General) found carefully cut caves (IMPERIAL GAZETTEER 1907-1909, 5: 45, 68). 1954.04.05: COON (1957a: 238, 1957b), Mrs. (Elizabeth 'Lisa' K. Ralph, later Coon), Mohammed Nader Saweri Khan, Henry 'Hank' W. Coulter jr. and Mohammed Nader Saweri visited. 1970: Peter LEVI (1972 edited 1984, 2000: 86, 2002) and Bruce Chatwin, visited.