KHUMBANI CAVE

Herbert Daniel Gebauer - 06/01/2018

Khumbani (note 1), named after the khumbs or rain-water holes in the limestone slopes of the hills, is a limestone cave (or rock shelter) which contains rock art (geometrical paintings or undeciphered inscriptions) in red ochre on white lime-wash. CAVE DESCRIPTION: We clambered up the rocks, past the water holes to a narrow gorge where the two cliffs met overhead and provided a cool shelter over a smooth, wide ledge of rock that was polished with centuries of wear… Mohammed [Mondrani] and I… went in search of Khumbani, but if he hadn't shown me the way I might have searched for months without finding it. Higher and higher we scrambled, edging along narrow ledges clinging to the side of the cliff, ducking to crawl through low tunnels, wriggling under falls of rock that looked impassable and finally emerging into a kind of deep, dry well surrounded by high limestone walls in one of which a shallow cave had been formed with an overhang probably worn away by centuries of wind and rain. he rocky floor was covered with sand and I poked about in vain for potsherds or flints or something to indicate early occupation. 'Shepards come here and they have found old pots but they used them or took them away,' Mohammed told me, then pointed to the roof of the overhang. 'See up there, writing — what does it say, Memsahib? Where is the treasure?' I felt a surge of exited triumph as I craned my neck to study the roof some twenty-five feet [about 7.5 m] above the floor. It has been treated with a white lime-wash that formed the ground for a series of what appeared to be finger-paintings in red ochre, geometrical designs, some like Chinese characters, others like swastikas together with a few pin-men who appeared to be hunting. About a year later, I returned, bringing with me Jean-Marie and Ginette Casal, leaders of the French Archaeological Delegation with whom I had worked in Afghanistan. Even in that short time more of the roof had fallen [according to memory?], but for hem, too, this was unlike anything they could identify … (MATHESON 1967 edited 1980, 1997, 2002: 150-151; forwarded by Paul Edmunds 2000.11 personal correspondence) SITUATION: At a place called Truk (note 2), which lies, according to Sylvia A. Matheson, at an unknown distance in an unrecognised direction on a way which leads from an unspecified place to Dera Bugti (note 3).hem, too, this was unlike anything they could identify … (MATHESON 1967 edited 1980, 1997, 2002: 150-151; forwarded by Paul Edmunds 2000.11 personal correspondence) SITUATION: At a place called Truk (note 2), which lies, according to Sylvia A. Matheson, at an unknown distance in an unrecognised direction on a way which leads from an unspecified place to Dera Bugti (note 3).