Shahr-i Gholghola: Bathhouse

Along the western side of the Citadel are several buildings and a deep depression that is possibly the location of a large constructed well such as the ones known from Qala-i Bist and Trakhun. While we could not confirm the existence of the well, we did excavate a hammam, or bathhouse, extending from the western wall of the Palace near that depression.

The bathhouse, constructed of baked brick and heavily plastered, was approximately 30 m long. It had two entry halls leading to cold, tepid, and hot rooms. At its western end was a water tank and a furnace for heating the water. The rooms of the bathhouse, dated to Ghaznavid times from the ceramics we found, were heavily plastered and contained niches with benches for sitting. The bathhouse was reconstructed at a later date, possibly during Timurid times, with a higher flooring and new underfloor channels. We found a cache of eight disembodied human skulls sitting atop the mound of ash next to the furnace.

Lower Palace

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