Frontispiece Ancient Buddhist painting on silk, recovered from the ‘Caves of the Thousand Buddhas’, Tun-huang. It shows the Bodhisattva Avalokitesvara, as seen in a dream, guiding a pious soul to his heaven (colour) Frontispiece
1 Muz-tagh-ata peak seen from southern end of Little Kara-köl Lake Facing.4
2 Eroded ranges of outer K̒un-lun, seen from above Yagan-dawan Facing.4
3 Head of Kashkul Glacier with its névé-beds, looking towards north-east Facing.6
4 View to south from forest-clad ridge above Khazan-gol Valley Facing.10
5 Entrance to Bazar of Borache, Khotan Oasis Facing.10
6 Panoramic view taken in southern portion of Niya Site, showing remains of ruined dwelling after excavation Facing.12
7 My caravan marching over high dunes in Taklamakan Desert, south of Tarim River Facing.22
8 My camels crossing salt-encrusted bed of dried-up Lop Sea Facing.22
9 Kharoshthi document on rectangular double-tablet, from hidden archive Facing.28
10 Baltit, chief place of Hunza, with Mir's Castle and glacier-clad peaks above Ultar Valley in distance Facing.38
11 My companions of the second expedition and myself in the desert north of Chira Facing.39
12 View from Malakand Fort, looking north into the Swat Valley Facing.40
13 View of Lowarai Pass from approach on south Facing.41
14 Panoramic view of the Darkot and Chatiboi Glaciers taken from the foot of the Rukang Spur, looking south and south-west Facing.44
15 Oxus source glaciers seen from mouth of Wakhjir Valley Facing.46
16 Afghan escort with baggage preparing to cross affluent of Oxus Facing.46
17 Chinese fort of Tash-kurghan, seen from near left bank of river Facing.47
18 Ruined wall and bastion of Kiz-kurghan, seen from south-west Facing.47
19 P̒an Ta-jên, Tao-t̒ai of Aksu, my old patron and friend Facing.48
20 Chiang Ssŭ-yeh, my Chinese secretary on the second expedition Facing.48
21 Exiled malefactors from Khotan and Taghlik herdsmen, Karanghu-tagh Facing.49
22 Pakhpo hillmen anthropometrically examined at Kök-yar Facing.49
23 Panoramic view of end portion of Otrughul Glacier, at head of Nissa Valley, taken from detritus slope facing the western flank of the glacier Facing.51
24 Panoramic view taken from snowy col on watershed of main K̒un-lun range, north of the uppermost Kara-kash Valley Facing.52
25 Head of Nissa Valley seen from Tam-öghil grazing ground Facing.56
26 Fragments of terra-cotta figurines and decorated pottery from Yotkan Facing.57
27 Frescoed walls of passage enclosing Buddhist shrine, Dandan-oilik Facing.60
28 Cella of Buddhist shrine, Dandan-oilik, with pedestal for stucco image Facing.60
29 Mural painting of legendary scene and stucco image of ‘Guardian of the North’ in Buddhist shrine, Dandan-oilik Facing.61
30 Painted panel representing legendary king of sacred rats, excavated at Dandan-oilik Facing.62
31 Painted panel representing legend of Chinese ‘Silk Princess’, excavated at Dandan-oilik Facing.62
32 Painted panel representing Persian Bodhisattva (Rustam) Facing.64
33A Leaf of Buddhist canonical text in Khotanese language Facing.68
33B Fragment of document in cursive Brahmi script, Dandan-oilik Facing.68
34 Chinese records dated A.D. 781-2, Dandan-oilik Facing.68
35 Portion of ancient residence, Niya Site, before excavation Facing.74
36 Ancient refuse heap within ruined dwelling, Niya Site, in course of excavation Facing.74
37 Ruined house, Niya Site, first find-place of inscribed tablets, after excavation Facing.76
38 Kharoshthi documents on double-wedge tablets from ruined house, Niya Site Facing.77
39 Kharoshthi document on rectangular double-tablet, from hidden archive, Niya Site Facing.80
40 Portion of coloured woollen rug from ruined dwelling, Niya Site Facing.84
41 Ancient wooden chair from ruined residence, Niya Site Facing.84
42 Kharoshthi documents on leather, from rubbish-heap within ruined dwelling, Niya Site Facing.88
43 Carved wooden double-brackets from ruined dwellings, Niya Site Facing.88
44 Clay impressions of intaglio seals on Kharoshthi documents found at Niya Site Facing.89
45 Ruin of sand-buried dwelling, Niya Site, before excavation Facing.100
46 Room in ruined dwelling, Niya Site, in course of excavation Facing.100
47 Ancient Chinese documents on wooden tablets, from ruins of Niya and Lou-lan Sites, and of Han Limes Facing.101
48 Central hall and office room in ruined residence, Niya Site, after excavation Facing.102
49 Remains of ancient vineyard with posts carrying trellis, Niya Site Facing.106
50 Interior of ruined Buddhist temple cella, Endere, after excavation Facing.106
51 Base of ancient Buddhist shrine, Miran Site, from north-east, after excavation Facing.112
52 South-east corner of interior of ruined Tibetan fort, Miran, in course of excavation Facing.113
53 Hall in ruined house of Western Site, Lou-lan, with turned wooden pillars, after excavation Facing.113
54 Frescoes of winged figures from dado of passage in ruined Buddhist shrine, excavated at Miran Site (colour) B.F.119
55 Portion of fresco composition showing scene from Buddhist legend. From frieze of ruined Buddhist shrine, excavated at Miran Site (colour) B.F.121
56 Portion of frescoed dado, with lower part of frieze, on south wall of rotunda in Buddhist shrine, Miran Site Facing.124
57 Portion of fresco frieze and dado on south wall of rotunda in Buddhist shrine, Miran Site Facing.126
58 View to the south-east from ruined Stupa, Lou-lan Site, across wind-eroded ground Facing.134
59 Ruin of ancient dwelling and of Stupa, Lou-lan Site, seen from south Facing.136
60 Remains of ancient woven fabrics from Lou-lan Site Facing.142
61 Fragments of decorative wood-carving, partly with classical motifs, from ruined house, Lou-lan Site Facing.142
62 Pieces of architectural wood-carving, decorated in Gandhara style, from ruined Buddhist shrine, Lou-lan Site Facing.143
63 Panoramic view of interior of ruined fort L.K., Lop Desert, taken from north corner Facing.150
64A Drawing showing polychrome figured silk, from Lou-lan Cemetery Facing.152
64B Drawing showing woollen tapestry of mixed Hellenistic and Chinese design, from Lou-lan Cemetery Facing.152
65 Piece of ancient woollen tapestry, representing head of Hermes with Caduceus. From grave pit, Lou-lan Site (colour) B.F.155
66 Head of dead man, found in grave on top of Mesa, Lop Desert Facing.156
67 Body of dead man found in grave on top of Mesa, Lop Desert Facing.156
68 Heaped-up blocks of salt on surface of dried-up Lop sea bed Facing.160
69 Spring of Lowaza with ice-sheet at foot of old lake shore, on route along southern edge of salt-encrusted Lop-nor bed Facing.160
70 Ruin of ancient watch-tower, T. III, near western end of Tun-huang Limes Facing.168
71 Line of Limes wall near watch-tower, T. XIII Facing.168
72 Ruin of ancient watch-tower, T. IV. C, on western flank of Tun-huang Limes, with view to north Facing.180
73 Ruin of ancient Chinese fort, marking the position of the ‘Jade Gate’, seen from north-east Facing.180
74 Ruined watch-tower, T. XII. A, with remains of adjoining quarters and stairs, Tun-huang Limes Facing.186
75 Ancient implements and articles of equipment, excavated mainly from ruined watch-stations of early Chinese border line, Tun-huang Facing.187
76 Early Sogdian document on paper, from watch-station T. XII. A, Tun-huang Limes Facing.187
77 Southernmost Nan-shan range, seen from across basin of Su-lo-ho headwaters Facing.190
78 Ruins of ancient Chinese magazine, T. XVIII, Tun-huang Limes, seen from south Facing.190
79 Rows of small Buddhist cave-temples, seen from the shrine of a colossal Buddha, in southern group of ‘Thousand Buddhas’ Site, Tun-huang Facing.194
80 Ruined Buddhist grottoes, near Wang Tao-shih's cave-temple, ‘Thousand Buddhas’, Tun-huang Facing.195
81 Interior of temple cella, ‘Caves of the Thousand Buddhas’, showing platform with stucco images and paintings on west wall and ceiling Facing.196
82 Tempera painting showing procession of over-life-size Bodhisattvas, on wall of temple porch, ‘Caves of the Thousand Buddhas’ Facing.197
83 Mural paintings representing Jataka scenes and divine assemblages in corner of large temple cella, ‘Caves of the Thousand Buddhas’ Facing.200
84 Ruined watch-tower, T. IX, on Chinese Limes, N.W. of Tun-huang Facing.201
85 Wang Tao-shih, Taoist priest at the ‘Caves of the Thousand Buddhas’ Facing.201
86 Cella and porch of Wang Tao-shih's temple, ‘Caves of the Thousand Buddhas’, Tun-huang Facing.204
87, 88 Ancient Buddhist banners of painted silk gauze, representing Bodhisattvas. From the walled-up chapel, ‘Caves of the Thousand Buddhas’, Tun-huang (colour) B.F.207
89 Ancient embroidery picture on silk, showing the Buddha between disciples and Bodhisattvas, with the donors in adoration below. From the walled-up chapel, ‘Caves of the Thousand Buddhas’, Tun-huang (colour) B.F.209
90 Specimens of ancient embroidery and tapestries, from the ‘Caves of the Thousand Buddhas’, Tun-huang (colour) B.F.213
91 Chinese manuscripts and blockprints from walled-up temple library of the ‘Caves of the Thousand Buddhas’ Facing.214
92 Ancient manuscripts in Sanskrit, Central-Asian Brahmi, Sogdian, Manichaean-Turkish, Runic Turkish, Uigur, Tibetan, from walled-up temple library, ‘Caves of the Thousand Buddhas’ Facing.215
93, 94 Ancient Buddhist banners of silk gauze, showing legendary scenes from the life of the Buddha. Recovered from the walled-up chapel, ‘Caves of the Thousand Buddhas’ (colour) B.F.221
95, 96 Ancient Buddhist banners of painted silk gauze, showing scenes from the life-story of the Buddha. Recovered from the walled-up chapel, ‘Caves of the Thousand Buddhas’, Tun-huang (colour) B.F.223
97 Ancient Buddhist banner of silk gauze, showing the Bodhisattva Manjusri. From the ‘Caves of the Thousand Buddhas’, Tun-huang (colour) Facing.226
98 Ancient Buddhist painting on silk, showing the Bodhisattva Kshitigarbha. From the ‘Caves of the Thousand Buddhas’, Tun-huang (colour) B.F.227
99 Ancient Buddhist banners of silk gauze, representing Virupaksha, regent of the south. From the walled-up chapel, ‘Caves of the Thousand Buddhas’, Tun-huang (colour) Facing.N.N.228
100 Ancient Buddhist painting on silk, showing Vaisravana, Regent of the North, moving with divine host across the ocean. Recovered from the walled-up chapel, ‘Caves of the Thousand Buddhas’, Tun-huang (colour) B.F.229
101 Ancient silk painting, representing Avalokitesvara Bodhisattva (Kuanyin), Thousand-armed, with attendant divinities. From walled-up chapel, ‘Caves of the Thousand Buddhas’, Tun-huang Facing.230
102 Paper painting of Avalokitesvara with willow branch, from Ch̔ien-fo-tung Chapel N.N.230
103 Silk painting of Avalokitesvara Bodhisattva, from Ch̔ien-fo-tung Chapel N.N.230
104 Buddhist painting on silk, dated A.D. 864, representing groups of Bodhisattvas, with portraits of the donors below. Recovered from the walled-up chapel, ‘Caves of the Thousand Buddhas’, Tun-huang (colour) B.F.231
105 Ancient silk painting, representing Avalokitesvara Bodhisattva (Kuanyin), Thousand-armed, with attendant divinities. From walled-up chapel, ‘Caves of the Thousand Buddhas’, Tun-huang Facing.232
106 Ancient Buddhist painting, representing Buddha Amitabha enthroned between Bodhisattvas Facing.233
107 Figure of donatrix in votive Buddhist painting (Fig. 106), showing the paradise of Avalokitesvara. From the ‘Caves of the Thousand Buddhas’, Tun-huang (colour) Facing.N.N.234
108 Ancient Buddhist painting on silk, representing Buddha Bhaishajyaguru's paradise. From walled-up chapel, ‘Caves of the Thousand Buddhas’, Tun-huang B.F.235
109 Ancient Buddhist painting on silk representing Buddha Bhaishajyaguru's paradise. From walled-up chapel, ‘Caves of the Thousand Buddhas’, Tun-huang Facing.235
110 Portion of large silk painting, showing musicians in cortège of Bodhisattva. From ‘Caves of the Thousand Buddhas’ Facing.236
111 Portion of large silk painting, showing procession of Bodhisattva Manjusri. From ‘Caves of the Thousand Buddhas’ Facing.236
112 Cave-temples of Wan-fu-hsia, the ‘Myriad Buddhas’, on right bank of Shih-pao-ch̔iêng stream Facing.240
113 Frescoes in ante-chapel of a cave-temple at Wan-fu-hsia, the ‘Myriad Buddhas’ Facing.242
114 Ruined Stupa built above N.W. corner of circumvallation, Khara-khoto Facing.250
114 Stucco images of Buddha and Bodhisattva in cave-shrine, Ma-ti-ssŭ Facing.250
116 Court of temple outside Barkul, with view towards Barkul-tagh Facing.254
117 Ruins of Buddhist shrines on western side of Toyuk Gorge Facing.254
118 Chinese temple outside Nan-kou-ch̔iêng Facing.262
119 Ruined Buddhist shrine at Sirkip, Turfan Facing.262
120 Portion of mural painting in cave-shrine at Bezeklik, Turfan, as set up after removal to New Delhi Facing.264
121 Painted clay figure of lady rider, from tomb of Astana Cemetery, Turfan (colour) B.F.269
122 Central main street in ruined town of Yar-khoto, Turfan, seen from north Facing.276
123 Ruin of watch-tower on ancient Chinese route from Ying-p̔an to Korla Facing.276
124 Piece of figured ‘Sasanian’ silk fabric, found as face-cover of dead body in tomb, Astana Cemetery, Turfan (colour) B.F.279
125 Fresco panel showing scene from the life of the Buddha. From ruined Buddhist temple excavated at ‘Ming-oi’ Site, Kara-shahr (colour) B.F.279
126 Ancient pastry from tomb of Astana Cemetery, Turfan Facing.280
127 Stucco heads, showing Graeco-Buddhist art influence, from ruined shrines, Ming-oi, Kara-shahr Facing.280
128 Sel-tagh or Muz-tagh range seen from Tars-agar Pass Facing.290
129 View of Bostan-arche Valley towards Chakraghil peaks on meridional range Facing.290
130 Kirghiz anthropometrically examined at Kara-chim Facing.298