Minaret of Jam Archaeological Project: photos

Photographs

Mountains south of Jam

The solid geology in the immediate vicinity of the minaret is composed of hard crystalline metamorphic rocks, dominated by quartz and white mica, with varying amounts of mafic minerals (predominantly hornblende and pyroxene). A short way up the Jam Rud this gives way to marine sediments, predominantly red and tea-green marls (calcareous mudstones). We extracted clay fraction from a sample of these marls for petrographic comparison with the fabrics of Ghurid ceramics. Because of the proximity of the Hari Rud Fault, the geology is highly fractured. (Dr Kevin White)

This photo shows the North Bank of the Hari Rud, pock-marked by robber holes, and the flat land to the east of the minaret where we have found evidence of a large courtyard building.

The Jam Rud can just be made out, a narrow stream just to the west of the minaret, although it, rather than the Hari Rud presents the major erosive threat to the foundations of the minaret.

Fortunately, the area around Jam has not been affected by earthquakes, despite being close to major fault lines.

Valley on the way from Chaghcharan to Jam

This idyllic valley is on the 'road' from Chaghcharan to Jam. The 'road' is in fact little more than a dirt track which becomes progressively rougher and merges with wadi beds, the nearer you get to Jam.

The black tents (similar to the 'Bayt al-Sha^cr" - literally, House of Hair - of Arabia and the Levant) and grazing flocks belong to Kuchi nomads. Small irrigation channels mark the boundary between lush grass and arid semi-desert.