Volume 1

Innermost Asia : detailed report of explorations in Central Asia, Kan-su and eastern Iran, carried out and described under the orders of H.M. Indian government / by Sir Aurel Stein.

  • Stein, Aurel, Sir, 1862-1943.
Date:
1928
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Innermost Asia : detailed report of explorations in Central Asia, Kan-su and eastern Iran, carried out and described under the orders of H.M. Indian government / by Sir Aurel Stein. Source: Wellcome Collection.

    590/682 (page 466)
    Chin, chars, in black on outer side. Sharp impression of fine canvas inside. 3$ x 3 x f. Ph L. K.K. i. 02. Lacquered tray; concave, circular; of coiled cane covered with paper on both sides and lacquered red. In very bad state. Diam. 7', height c. 1 , Contents: a strainer of roughly woven canvas stretched on bent twig and bound with string. 4i” x 3J. PI. C. K.K. iii. 01. (E. of). Fr. of lacquered silk gauze, in two pieces with very even and open mesh, coated with pigment, perhaps lac, and dried under pressure ; has the appearance of extremely fine pierced zinc (unique). Mesh about 40 x 54 to sq. inch. Compare open-work fabric of M.B. x. iii. 014. Larger 2 x 2]-. K.K. iii. 02. Frs. of sheaf of corn. K.K. iv. 01. Lacquered wood bowl; saucer-shaped, with deep ring-foot lacquered inside and out fine crimson; bottom, black lacquer with three lines of Chin, chars, freely written in red, four chars, in each line, two upper ones broken. [The Chinese characters in the first and third columns read : ‘ Made by Chang Shan-fu of Wu-ch'ang SPECIMENS OF VOTIVE MINIATURE STUPAS K.K. 090-101. Twelve votive model clay Stupas; specimens collected from different Stupa ruins, also out¬ side walls. 097-099 similar to Ser. iv. PI. CXXXIX, So. A. 006. Plan: a square with a central projection on each side, brought out in three re-entering angles. Eleva¬ tion : a tall square podium supporting a stilted tapering dome, the transition from square to circle being effected through a stepped octagonal drum. Round podium, a projecting plinth brought out from upper part of podium in four steps. Base of plinth pro¬ jecting in four steps. At centre of each face of Stupa is a flight of steps, broad below and narrowing towards top of podium, to which it gives access. Steps occupy the central projections of plan. On crown of dome remains of square base of Tee. OBJECTS EXCAVATED K.K. 1. 01. Fr. of figured silk, with very fine warp and double weft of soft yarn. Pattern, floral. Colours ; salmon pink, green, yellow, and blue. Ragged. Gr. M. 18. K.K. 1. 02. Tangle of buff silk thread, two-ply, twisted. Thickness c. Jg. K.K. 1. 03. Fr. of plain silk; soft, brittle; strong yellowish green ; charred one end. Gr. M. 6J, K.K. 1. 04. Two frs. of plain silk, sewn together; both faded brick-colour, one fine close weave, the other coarser and loose. 5 x £. K.K. 1. 05. Fr. of copper (?) wire ornament, part of pendant or ear-ring. Made of a pair of fine wires running parallel; general outline of orn. oval, the wires being coiled to form scalloped outline with spiral at point of in the hsin-ssu year.’ The middle column contains two Mongolian names, Li gi, followed by a signature in the form of a monogram.—Dr. L. Giles.] Construction : round a central flat wooden disc are suc¬ cessive rings of flexible wood or cane with which curving rim is built up. Over this a coat of lacquer or paint; then a layer on back and front of open canvas made of a thin string warp and flat ribbon-like weft. Over this are succes¬ sive layers of lacquer, the final being of the colour required, and well polished. About f of dish missing. Diam. 6, height of foot §, total height 1. PI. XI. K.K. iv. 02, 03. Frs. of silk; discoloured ; without pattern. 02, tied in bow with one long end and one short, 6V xf. 03, two strips with remains of sewing, 8 x 3. K.K. viii. 02. a. Fr. of Persian MS., on buff paper, torn; [treating of the proper times for offering the various Moslem prayers, and especially the ten occasions (only seven occur on these pages) when the voluntary prayer or p jLTj jCi should not be said. Probably of the early four¬ teenth century.—Mr. E. Edwards.] 6 x 7l. Pl.CXXXVII. FROM DIFFERENT RUINS, KHARA-KHOTO The whole model stands on a rounded clay base, in one piece with it, and necessary for drawing model from mould in which it is cast. Below Stupa a band of inscription in Brahml chars., and other chars, on top of dome. 099 badly broken. 090-096, oioo-ioi are as Ser. iv. PI. CXXXIX, So. A. 008. In place of the square podium is a conical base in four tiers of miniature Stupas placed close together, the lowest tier having 31 Stupas. Below this a band of Brahml inscr., and below again a continuous band of downward hanging lotus petals forming a Padmasana. 0101 has chars, round Tee, well defined, the base of Tee itself rising in a square stepped pyramid. Av. height 3, diam. at base 2-J; 099, h. 4J, diam. at base 3I. IN TEMPLE K.K. I. 1 each scallop. There are two series of this scallop, an outer and an inner, made of continuation of same pair of wires, and centre is filled with larger double spiral. Length i£, gr. width i-lg. K.K. 1. 06. Fr. of faience, from architectural detail. A large vine leaf with stems and bracts in high relief, on a general curved surface. Red body, glazed fine green. Part of one end edge intact, otherwise broken at all sides. Rough back for ‘ keying ’ to cement. Good work. c. 12 x 12. PI. LII. K.K. 1. 07. Fr. of faience, from architectural detail. Portion of large flat scroll-work in high relief; red body glazed brown and green. Parts of two adjacent edges intact. Other parts broken. Rough at back for ‘ keying ’ to cement. ii£ x ii£. PI, LII.