IIIF Color HighRes
National Institute of Informatics - Digital Silk Road Project
| |||||||||
|
| IIIF Color HighRes |
| The Book of Ser Marco Polo : vol.2 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
|
|
 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Citation Information
App. L. SUPPLEMENTARY NOTES ON SPECIAL SUBJECTS 595 6.—PEIN. (Vol. i. p. 192.)
Dr. M. A. Stein, of the Indian Educational Service, appears to have exactly identified the site of Pein, during his recent archaeological researches in Central Asia ; he writes (Prel. Report on a Journey of Archæological and Topog. Exploration in Chinese Turkestan, Lond., 1901, pp. 58-59) : " Various antiquarian and topographical considerations made me anxious to identify the position of the town of Pi-mo, which Hiuen-Tsiang describes as some 300 li to the east of the Khotan capital. It was probably the same place as the Pein, visited by Marco Polo. After marching back along the Keriya River for four days, I struck to the south-west, and, after three more marches, arrived in the vicinity of Lachin-Ata Mazar, a desolate little shrine in the desert to the north of the Khotan-Keriya route. Though our search was rendered difficult by the insufficiency of guides and the want of „ ater, I succeeded during the following few days in tracing the extensive ruined site which previous information had led me to look for in that vicinity. ` Uzun-Tati (` the distant Tati,') as the dJbris-covered area is locally designated, corresponds in its position and the character of its remains exactly to the description of Pi-mo. Owing to far-advanced erosion and the destruction dealt by treasure-seekers, the structural remains are very scanty indeed. But the dcsbris, including bits of glass, pottery, china, small objects in brass and stone, etc., is plentiful enough, and in conjunction with the late Chinese coins found here, leaves no doubt as to the site having been occupied up to the Middle Ages."
Our itinerary should therefore run from Khotan to Uzun Tati, and thence to Nia, leaving Kiria to the south ; indeed Kiria is not an ancient place.—H. C.
MAkCO POLO'S ITINERARY CORRECTED
~
| . 8 Votkaa. | Khotan 0 0----~ 0 81 Uzun Jung | __---x-----__.------------ 82 . l e | Táti 83 . Nia, . | ..-... |
| 37 80 | Kiria o 81 82 |
| 37 83 | |
Mr. E. J. Rapson, of the British Museum, with the kind permission of Dr. Stein, has sent me a photograph (which we reproduce) of coins and miscellaneous objects found at Uzun Tati. Coin (I) bears the nien-hao (title of reign) Pao Yuen (1038io4o) of the Emperor Jen Tsung, of the Sung Dynasty ; Coin (2) bears the szien-hao, Irien Yuen (758-760) of the Emperor Su Tsung of the T'ang Dynasty ; Coin (3) is of the time of the Khan of Turkestan, Muhammad Arslān Khan, about 441 A. Ii. =1049 A.D. From the description sent to me by Mr. Rapson and written by Mr. Andrews, I note that the miscellaneous objects include : " Two fragments of fine Chinese porcelain, highly glazed and painted with Chinese ornament in blue. That on the left is painted on both sides, and appears to be portion of rim of a bowl.
Thickness of an inch. That to the right is slightly coarser, and is probably
portion of a larger vessel. Thickness inch (nearly). A third fragment of
porcelain, shown at bottom of photo, is decorated roughly in a neutral brown colour, which has imperfectly fluxed.' It, also, appears to be Chinese. Thickness - inch (nearly).—A brass or bronze object, cast. Probably portion of a clasp or buckle.—A brass finger ring containing a piece of mottled green glass held loosely in place by a turned-over denticulated rim. The metal is very thin."—H. C.
VOL. II. 2 P 2
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Copyright (C) 2003-2019 National Institute of Informatics and The Toyo Bunko. All Rights Reserved.