国立情報学研究所 - ディジタル・シルクロード・プロジェクト
『東洋文庫所蔵』貴重書デジタルアーカイブ

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There is even a short goat-like beard. The spiral of the upper lip has been discussed many times in animal figurations from the Steppes.

Among burial statuettes there are other game and domestic animals of northern Asia. We are again at the beginning of the II millennium with Plate XXXIV no. 5 . In spite of the stylization and the bad proportions of the body, it is possible to recognise this animal as a ram by its curved horns. The ram-head of Plate XXXIV no. 4 appears much too big, and the simplification is extreme, even the horns are smooth. The degeneracy of this work tempts one to replace the II millennium date by terming it " of no period ".

It is exceptional to find the head of a ruminant combined with the fangs, claws and body of a wild animal (Plate XXXIV no. 6). Such a figure must have served in the tomb as a guardian animal, and the lifted and alert head seems to agree with this supposition. A surface so geometrically treated with regular grooves is only possible in the II millennium.

b) Small sculpture in the round.

Small figures in the round will be added here as there is always the possility of their having formed part of the burial paraphernalia. Their small size certainly made them easy to transport, a fact that makes it difficult to associate them with any one artistic centre.

The horse (Plate XXXVI no. i) is purely Chinese in form, well modeled, very realistic, that is, entirely in the style of then Han period. Similar pieces have been found in Korea (4). The date of this repliqua, so closely allied to its model, should be between the Han and T'ang dynasties. The way in which the tiny stag is treated (Plate XXXV no. 2) places it in the same period. However, the fact that this animal was chosen tempts one to connect it with northern Asia. A reminder of China of the period of the Six Dynasties is apparent in the man with upraised arms (Plate XXXV no. 3). His long jacket, buttoned at the side, is ornamented in front with dotted lines, a decoration that is usually associated with the Ch'in period, but which has survived into much later times, as we have already often mentioned. It is of particular interest that a small case hangs from the middle of the belt through which a dagger is thrust obliquely.

We reach the T'ang period with the life-like sculpture of a frog (Plate XXXV no. 4). A contemporary insect (Plate XXXV no. S) has an arrangement at the back with which to fasten it, and it may therefore be either a burial object or an applique.

2) Pendant drops.

Once again the purpose of these objects is as uncertain as their centre of inspiration. The very realistic horse (Plate XXXV no. 6) is reproduced in an identical manner by specimens from excavations in northern Korea (5), and our example belongs, therefore, between Han and T'ang. It seems probable that this object was meant to be suspended, as the tail has purposely been formed into a