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0170 Archaeological Researches in Sinkiang : vol.1
Archaeological Researches in Sinkiang : vol.1 / Page 170 (Grayscale High Resolution Image)

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doi: 10.20676/00000195
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shell (Bergman 1935 c, Pl. XIII : 23-29). A piece of an Anodonta, a freshwater shell, was also found here.

The glass object Pl. 28: 5 has also an exact parallel among HEDIN'S finds (Bergman Pl. XIII : 1). It is not a proper bead but has been attached to a rod of some kind as ornament. A third specimen was found by Dr. B. BoxLIN in a tower of the Tun-huang limes together with Han objects (MFEA K. 13473 : 3).

Of other glass articles there are just a couple of sherds from vessels, No. 32 : 138 is yellowish-white, translucent and has traces of large ground ovals of a kind occurring in HEDIN'S old finds from here. Two other sherds are of light green and uncoloured glass. All the glass objects are certainly importations from the eastern part of the Roman Empire, and it is interesting to observe how exactly the same Roman beads occur both in the Tarim Basin and in Sweden. It has now been proved by spectrum analysis that some of the Lou-lan glass objects from HEDIN'S old collection are certainly of western origin. This applies both to fragments of vessels and beads (Seligman 1938, Pl. IV : 7-9 and 12).

The simple bronze ring Pl. 28 : 40 occurs in several examples in HEDIN'S old collection. Now we have also got a square one, Pl. 28 : 41.

The two-looped button P1. 28: 39 has a parallel in STEIN'S collection (Stein 1928, Pl. X, Badr. 0117, from Khotan), and there is also a specimen in The HALLWYL Collection in Stockholm (I : C, z. 2) besides several in MFEA, especially K. II003: 1406 which has been gilt. This button type seems to be Chinese.

Diminutive bells are well known from this region, but the specimen PI. 28 : I I is extra small.

It may appear a little risky to reconstruct such a fragment as Pl. 28 : 38 but I am convinced that it has been of about the same shape and had the same function as those depicted in the publication of the Keishu Gold-crown Tomb (Hamada and Umehara Fig. 33), i. e. a heart-shaped hinged girdle fitting. The Korean specimens are not more precicely dated than within the Six dynasties (265-589).1 They are supposed to go back to nomad prototypes.

The two identical strap fittings Pl. 28: 34-35 of thin bronze have been fitted on a girdle or strap to suspend rings.

There are no complete belt buckles from the Lou-lan station, only three possible tongues of bronze buckles.

The leaf-shaped plate Pl. 29: 5 has iron rust at the broad end. In shape it coincides with Pl. 29 : 7 but its use is unknown.

As there is some refuse from bronze casting here as well as in many other places in the surroundings, the manufacture of various bronze articles must have taken place locally.

1 HENTZE'S opinion that the gold crown tombs are of the Han dynasty as stated in his paper in OZ 19 is difficult to understand.

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