Very common sun-burnt earthenware, more earth than clay, and very light, is found in great quantities everywhere in the ruins, most of this having no decoration. Old Makalanga smeared the body of a pot with several thin coats of different-coloured clays, and sections of such pottery show the lines of smearings very distinctly. The best quality of pottery was found on one of the lowest floors in the Elliptical Temple. The fragments are very heavy for their size, and the surface is coated with soapstone clay, giving them a light greenish-grey colour. These must be exceedingly old if not ancient. The china discovered includes Nankin china identical in every particular with the Nankin china discovered at these ruins by Mr. Bent and others, and with that found in Mazoe and so many other districts where there still exist distinct evidences of occupation by the early Portuguese. The china, or porcelain, is covered completely with a highly rich glaze of bright blue and sea-green shades, and the articles when pieced together resemble in shape, an ordinary soup-plate. The edges are bevelled in sections of circles, the bevels extending in fluted form to the base, where can be seen evidences of the use of the potter’s wheel. The fragments found represent three different plates. These were discovered at some depth, but not on any ancient floor. One find made among the Arab belongings in Renders Ruins consists of excellent china of a light brown colour, about a quarter of an inch thick, and covered with a high glaze of blue, white, and gold enamel, the white forming the background. There are at least four bands of pattern encircling what was a large open bowl with upright edges. The conjectured Arab lettering is laid on with blue enamel and is outlined with fine scroll-work tracery in gold. The inside is glazed white, and has lines of faint blue enamel artistically drawn without being of any set pattern. The pattern on the lowest band is of palm fronds in brown paint and in outline only.[39] [Illustration] Some very thin pottery covered with white enamel some inches only down from the rim towards the outer and inner base, with thick perpendicular bars of dull blue glaze. Excellent pottery of brown clay, very thickly covered with glaze of sea-green and deep lake colours, was found near the same spot. 10. A MEDIÆVAL ARAB TRADING STATION