National Institute of Informatics - Digital Silk Road Project
Digital Archive of Toyo Bunko Rare Books

Sec. vi] LIST OF ANTIQUES FROM CEMETERIES NEAR ASTANA   697

pearls in a green square, round a hexagonal yellow centre. Opposite point missing, but portions of the two intermediate points present, which do not interrupt pearls, but are outside the circles. In the spandrels are very angular patterns, one having berries on a scrolled stem. All are fragmentary. Colours fresh. Twill weave, coarse, stepped, but regular. Largest piece 8f" x 3".

Ast. v. I. 02. Frs. of painted silk shroud. Indigo blue ground ; subject as in Ast. ix. 2. 054 ; details slightly modified. Set-square in hand of Fu-hsi shows divisions as on a measuring rule, and compasses held by Nü-wa are more like callipers with curved limbs. Skirt at junction of bodies has scalloped edge. Between lower ends of serpentine extremities a yellow sun surrounded by linked stars just as between heads. Considerable portions are missing ; whole broken and torn into numerous frs., now mounted. Length c. 7' 9", width c. 3'.

Ast. v. I. 03. Pair of large paper shoes painted black with buff sole. Sole upturned at toe. Opening at back of heel. Sole and golosh joined by string oversewing. Old MS. paper used, with Chinese chars. very clear. [Note by Dr. L. Giles : Inside the shoe for the right foot is a Chinese inscription headed Wu pei mên (Military North Gate), and dated 7th day of the 9th moon of the ... year.

On the sole of the left shoe are references to the works of the Taoist writer Pao P`o Tzü of the 3rd-4th cent. A. D.] Size abnormal. Good condition. 13" x4". Pl. XCIII.

Ast. v. 1. 04. a. Two frs. of paper band, sewn across one another at right angles. Bands made of several thicknesses of paper, the top one painted black, and orn. with string of lozenges alternately of red and buff paper, pasted along middle. Also detached fr. of similar band, showing Chin. chars. on rev. Cross 91" x IIr", width of bands 1i".

Ast. v. I. 04. b. Two frs. of paper band, painted black on obv., with large stars composed of four pink paper lozenges set with points meeting at a common centre. Rev. buff with Chinese chars. Made of several thicknesses of waste MS., torn at both ends. Gr. fr. 8" x 2i".

Ast. v. I. 05. Fr. of plain silk, dark blue, with remains of white sewing silk. III" x 6".

Ast. v. 1. o6. Small pottery saucer, with round foot, containing in bowl remains of straw. Grey body painted black outside, roughly made. Diam. 4", h. I1".

Ast. v. 1. 07. Inscribed burnt clay slab from entrance to tomb. Surface painted grey black, and divided by fine buff lines into twenty columns filled with Chin. inscr. in red ; see App. A. Red border round whole. Broken

OBJECTS EXCAVATED

Ast. vi. oi. Silk embroidery on damask (from tomb vi). Seven triangular frs. of rich crimson bound at edges with pale blue knot-dyed silk which in some cases is extended beyond point to form streamer. Lining of plain silk muslin.

in three, but in good condition and legible except near break. 20" X 22f". Pl. LXXIV.

Ast. v. 2. oI. Fr. of figured silk, ` Sasanian ' type, from head-cover. Portions of two medallions one above the other. Field and border rich green, interrupted by blue band of weft passing across junctions.

In upper medallion, two confronted eagles or cockatrices in red, with upraised wings and tails, the latter with six green spots outlined white and yellow. Heads thrown well back, and foliate crest balanced on beak and curved backwards. Angular treatment.

As base are two reversed foliate scrolls. Border of closely set fleurs-de-lis, outside which small pearls in white and yellow. A thin line surrounds subject just within fleur-de-lis border. Above cockatrices two small confronting animals (lions ?) with trophy on foliate base between them. Extreme upper part missing.

Lower medallion : confronting seated winged lions with foliate upraised tails (cf. Ser. iv. Pl. V, Yo. 00145), white and yellow, outlined red. Base, reversed foliate scrolls. Above, object not distinguishable, but a flaming jewel to R.

Upper spandrel : on red ground confronting running deer regardant, blue with red spots and white antlers and outlines. Above and below a four-petalled yellow and white rosette with red centre and green outlines. Lower spandrel : two confronting marching animals, perhaps sheep, without spots. Colouring as in upper spandrel but green heads, and rosettes as above.

Horizontally the repeating medallions almost touch. Vertically a small square, yellow with red centre and blue outline, bridges the interval between.

Drawing, design, and weaving very good. Colours very rich and splendidly preserved. Side half of lower portion missing and rough edges at this part discoloured and perished.

As usual with this type of fabric, the colours are in successive bands, excepting the red, which runs all through. Consequently where outlines are not red they may suddenly change from white to yellow as they occur within the limits of one or the other colour band ; or, as in the case of some of the fleurs-de-lis, blue suddenly replaces green. The blue deer has one hoof green because it falls within the green band and beyond the limit of the blue.

The weave is closer than usual and plain, with faint rib, suggesting transition between older warp-rib and twill. Probably Chinese work. 71" x 31". PI. LXXVIII, LXXXI.

Ast. v. 2. 03. Fr. of silk from plain white frilled border from head-cover Ast. v. 2. or.

Ast. v. 2. 04. Fr. of plain white silk, from woman's shroud. One fr. tied in knot. Gr. fr. c. 18" x 6".

IN TOMBS OF GROUP vi

Damask is small double-lined opposing chevron, with small lozenge between opposing points, and two lozenges at wide space.

On this are embroidered, semé, in chain-stitch thin scrolls