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0473 Ancient Khotan : vol.1
Ancient Khotan : vol.1 / Page 473 (Grayscale High Resolution Image)

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doi: 10.20676/00000182
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Sec. viii]   LIST OF ANTIQUES EXCAVATED AT N1YA SITE   899

N. x. o6. Eating sticks. Three wooden sticks, in length respectively 7$", 8ig", and rod", round and slightly tapering towards one end. Thicker end about r. Well-preserved.

N. x. 07. Broom, made of grass, similar to D. u. o I I (see description above, p. 294), but not so well preserved. Very brittle. See Pl. LXXIII.

N. x. o8. Wing of bird. Portion of ulna and radius, and digital part of wing, with 7 principal quills, 8 secondary (over), and a few under quills of bird about size of small hawk. Length 8 ", width r g". Dry, but fairly perfect.

N. xi. I. Stick-like tablet. Obv. 3 11. Khar., black, very

cursive, coarse. Rev. 2 11. do.   or x i-1 ". Well-pre-
served ; warped.

N. xii. I. Stick-like tablet. Hole at one end. Obv. 7 columns, 3 11. each, except last, which has 2 II. Khar., very cursive ; numerals occur. Rev. Faint Khar. writing, arranged irregularly in columns of 3 II. 14i" X I". Wood well-preserved.

N. xii. 2. Guitar (Rabâb) upper portion only. Consists of a small part of the shoulder where broken from the body, the whole of the slender and tapering neck, and the head. The section of neck is similar to that of a modern violin, and the head, hollow, is pierced laterally for four pegs, three of which still remain, one being a temporary one. Round these are still wound the remains of strings, one at least of which appears to be gut. The frets conducting strings to neck are deeply grooved. The neck is split and has an ancient binding of cord round it. A small piece of veneer remains near the shoulder, and a tiny peg or dowel shows where and how another piece was affixed. (Compare this with the instrument in painted panel D. u. o10, above, p. 294). 17â"X 1f". See Pl. LXXIII.

N. xii. 3. Legs of wooden chairs. Three similar to each other are very Persepolitan in design. The upper part is a fine conventional lion (or tiger) head, supported on a very arched neck, the chest thrown forward and touched by protruding tongue. The lower portion is fashioned into a lion's hind leg, with solid hoof-like paw. Small

wings are shown at the shoulders. The crinis forms a N. x.

flat fillet-like band reaching from the wings to the fore-

head. Above the head is an upright projection cut into

a sort of hook shape at top and back, and in its lower

part immediately above the head is the mortise with dowel

holes, showing how the horizontal rails of the seat were

held. The hook-like terminal was evidently for the pur-

pose of securing a cushion by means of the well-known

palang-doris or bed ties. The fact of these hooks being

painted all round, including the ends, shows them to be

complete in their present state. V-shaped markings in

black paint up the neck (pink) represent skin or feather

markings. The leg, from the wing downwards was dark

brown or black. 17" x 3â" x Jr.

Two legs, evidently a pair, show the leg and hoof of

a horse, and above, the breast, neck, and head of a human

being; in one case a female, as indicated by the contours

and decorative line work on the breasts ; in the other,

a male, as shown by the moustache. The transition from

leg to figure is effected by the shaft of the leg spreading

into a half-open lotus, out of which the figures rise. There

are small wings indicated. Each head has a Pagri sur-

mounted by a hooked projection as above described.

Colours lac red, dark red, and black. I3" x 2" x

N. xiii. I. Rectang. cov.-tablet. Obv. Seal cay. 1" x r". Transversely x I. Khar., very indistinct ; interval in middle. Rev. 9 11. Khar., well-written ; indistinct in places. 6" x 3 ". Very soft ; broken and decayed at transverse edges.

N. xiv. I. Wedge under-tablet. Hole near point. Obv. 311. Khar., with initial form.; black, cursive, much covered by sand. Rev. 1 short 1. from sq. end. Rudely incised cross near centre. 8" x r$". Wood well-preserved, but much encrusted with sand, and very susceptible to damp.

N. xiv. oz. Oblong tablet, fragment ; obtuse point at one end, with hole ; broken at other. Blank. 44" x Well-preserved.

N. xiv. 02. Oblong tablet, fragment ; handle at one end, with hole; broken at other. Blank. 4 " x H". Well-preserved.

OBJECTS EXCAVATED

INN.v.

N. xv. 2. Wedge cov.-tablet ; hole at point ; seal cay. rim from sq. end. Obv. I 1. Khar., between sq. end and cay., very cursive. Usual char. at hole. Rev. 3 11. Khar., very cursive and blotted. 91"x 1i"x r. Wood well-preserved.

N. xv. 3. Wedge under-tablet ; hole at point. Obv. 5 ll. Khar., fairly well written, generally clear ; stained. Rev. Traces of characters, very faint, part undecipherable. 9" x I". Well-preserved.

N. xv. 4. Oblong tablet ; hole at one corner. Obv. 3 11. Khar., very cursive, clear. Rev. 11. Khar., cursive, clear. 51" x t ". Well-preserved.

N. xv. 5. Rectang. cov.-tablet ; seal cay. 2" x I", in N. xv. which remains of string. Obv. 4 II. Khar., cursive, well written, transversely at L. p. edge. Below seal r 1. cursive, clear, and a few disconnected char. Rev. 6 11. Khar., cursive, black. 6$" x 2" x ". Wood soft, dark, and chipped at ends.

N. xv. 6. Wedge cov.-tablet ; hole at point. Obv. Seal cay. rte" from sq. end. No inscription visible. Rev. Traces of several II. Khar., much faded. roâ"x 2iß" x r. Much discoloured and encrusted with sand. Wood soft.

N. xv. 6. a. Wedge tablet, fragment of, in 2 pieces ;