UNDERGROUND CITY

Waikato Times, Volume 102, Issue 17277, 13 December 1927, Page 9

UNDERGROUND CITY

SN DISTANT PART OF TURKESTAN. Some years ago singular discoveries were (says. Great Thoughts) _ made by Russians in Central Asia, discoveries which have been supplemented by later expeditions. In Turkestan, on the right bank of the Amu Darya, is a chain of rocky hills near the Bokhran town of Karli. and a number of large caves, which upon examination were found to lead to -a minderground city, built apparently long before the Christian era. According to effigies, inscriptions, and designs upon the gold and- silver money unearthed- from among the ruins, the existence of the town dates hack to some twp centuries before the birth of Christ. The underground Bokhran city is little over a mile long, and is composed of an enormous labyrinth of corridors, streels, and squares surrounded by houses and other buildings,, Iwo or Hircc stories high. The edifices conlain all kinds of domestic utensils, pots, urns, vases, and the like. In some- of Ihc streets falls of earth and rock have ’ obstructed the passages, but generally} it is possible to walk about freely wi'ihout so much as lowering the head to avoid humps. The high' degree of civilisation attained by Die inhabitants of ihc city is shown by the fact that they built in several stories, by the symmetry of the streets and squares, by the beauty of the baked; clay and metal utensils, and by the ornaments and coins which have been found. Long centuries ago this city, so carefully concealed in Ihc bowels of the earth, provided an entire population with a -refuge from the incursions of nomadic savages and robbers. Invaders would have found it difficult to plunder such a well-guarded and well-hidden city.