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0368 Ancient Khotan : vol.1
Ancient Khotan : vol.1 / Page 368 (Grayscale High Resolution Image)

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doi: 10.20676/00000182
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Date of
Rawak
remains.

306   FROM DANDAN-UILIQ TO THE NIYA RIVER   [Chap. X

The scanty remains of Rawak did not yield records which, like the Chinese documents of Dandân-Uiliq, would enable us to gauge with approximate accuracy the time when the site was deserted. Yet the coins picked up near the ruins afford useful chronological guidance. Of the six coins found five were small copper pieces without legends, of the type current under both Han dynasties and probably for some time later 1, while the sixth bears the mark of the K`ai-yüan period (713-741 A. D.). From the absence of any later issues, such as turned up at Dandân-Uiliq, and from the predominance of pieces without legends, I am inclined to infer that the settlement represented by Rawak was probably deserted somewhat earlier than that of Dandân-Uiliq. For this we might account without difficulty by its outlying and hence more exposed position.

OBJECTS FOUND AT RAWAK NEAR DANDAN-UILIQ.

D. R. D. R. or. Inscribed wooden tablet (in two pieces) ; forming under-tablet of D. R. 02. Cursive Brahmi writing, five lines, on obverse. Language, Eastern Iranian; 19-20 Ak§aras to the line. Three string-holes. Wood decaying through salt impregnation. Size 54" x 3 ". See Plate CVI.

D. R. 02. Inscribed wooden tablet, frag. of covering-tablet of D. R. o r ; on reverse three lines of cursive Brâhmi characters, 19-20 per line. On obverse raised socket for seal. â" from R. edge a small string-hole. Impregnated with salt. 5r x ii". See Plate CVI.

D. R. oor. a. Fragment of glass vessel, foot. r$" x t". b. Fragment of glass, rich blue. A" x eg".

D. R. 002. Glass and stone beads, &c. a. Opaque green glass round bead. Diam.. ". b. Small pink pebble

round bead. Diam.   C. Do., do. elongated bead.

Diam. r length 1V. d. Broken small blue glass bead. e. Small bronze rectangular plate, with rib along centre.

r x r.

D. R. 003. Stucco fragment, probably from some sculpture. Very hard plaster of Paris, with greyish marble-like surface, and traces of gilding. On back appears a perfect matrix of the coarse canvas used as a backing. The fragment has been subjected to fire. Size 3" x 3".

D. R. 004. a. Two terra•cotta fragments with traces of dark green glaze. ri"x it" ; r "x ra".

D. R. 004. Miscellaneous fragments. b. Fragment of talc. r*" x i". C. Eight small fragments of glass, showing moulded work. One piece has a tubular edge. d. Fragment of stone (crystal). e. Small gutta-shaped piece of glass, with hole at thin end. $" x A".

SECTION II.—A JUDAEO-PERSIAN DOCUMENT

Objects brought from Dandan-Uiliq.

The day I spent at Rawak did not end without further finds, though it was not this site which furnished them. On my return from the find-place of the Brâhmi document on wood I was surprised to see my camp joined again by a small party from among the men I had dismissed at Dandân-Uiliq. More enterprising than the rest, they had put off the start for Tawakkél in order to indulge freely for a day or two in the traditional pastime of ` treasure-seeking '. While thus engaged, they related, they had scraped away the sand outside the broken walls of the apartment left unexcavated at the south-east corner of the ruin D. xiii', and there, apparently among miscellaneous débris of stucco and timber dating from earlier diggings, they had come upon the two antiques which they now brought to me in the hope of a small reward. One was a piece of coarse friable stucco, of the kind used as wall plaster in all the Dandân-Uiliq structures, showing some much-effaced Chinese characters painted in three lines. The other find was a lump of thin brownish paper so closely crumpled that I found it quite impossible at the time to attempt its unfolding. On one edge, however, I could make

I For a specimen, see Plate LXXXIX, 9.   ' See above, p. 282.