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

Sec. vii]

LIST OF ANTIQUES FROM MIRAN FORT   481

split ; distance between holes same as that between pegs. Clearly maker, having split one end, tried the other, and splitting that, bound it. 2" (with handle 54") X ~" X

M. 1. viii. oo8-0oxo. Three wooden weaving sticks, like M. 1. vii. 005. a. 009 differs in that at thick end it is cut rather sq. in section. Gr. length 8", thickness . " to r.

M. I. viii. oox1. Wooden writing slip, blank ; at each end is hole and on each edge bark. 8k" x f4" x

M. I. viii. 0012. Wooden pen made of split twig, trimmed to a point. 4" X -j " to T".

M. 1. viii. 0013. Wooden bridge of musical instru. ment (part of), for sympathetic strings ; edge serrated with nicks r. 1}e" apart ; triangular in section. See Appendix H. 5" X ÿ" X r.

M. I. viii. 0014. Cylindrical lacquered wooden box, part of side, black outside and red inside ; both ends of fr. have been trimmed to sharp edge, but use is not clear.

3é"X4"xi".

M. 1. viii. 0015. Wooden stick, trimmed to leave projecting button on each end ; much worn in middle as by cord, prob. used for tightening knots. 5â x A". PI. LI.

M. 1. viii. 0016. Section of reed with pith withdrawn. 2g"XI"

M. 1. viii. 0017. Fr. of silk brocade ; ground buff, pattern of rosettes and hexagonal cartouches (?) in blue-green yellow, and other colours faded beyond recognition. In weave a double cloth, resembling brocade of Ch. 009, etc.; well-defined twill face, front and back cloths firmly bonded together ; pattern seems similar to that of M. Tagh. a. iv. 00177. 3" x 3". Pl. C%I.

M. I. viii. 0018. Part of vertebrae of bird (?).

1" X~.

M. I. viii. 0019. Rib bone, prob. of rabbit. Length 3.".

M. 1. viii. 0020. Flat piece of horn curved to very gradual crescent ; oblong hole in middle, prob. for a thong-end. 3" X" X TV. Pl. LI.

*M. 1. ix. 002. Leather scale armour, twenty pieces, all now separate except two pairs which have long sides attached ; cf. M. 1. oo68, 0069, xxiv. 0040, etc. Lacquered inside with thin coat of red over black ; outside black, over red, over black ; latter coats visible where orn. scraped away, as in M.1.0069,etc.; here orn. consists of two (or three) comma-shaped figs. one above another, about ." from one long side. Pair of holes near each corner, parallel to long edge, for lateral lacing; another pair (or one large hole) parallel to short edge, and about one-third down from it, for vertical lacing; instead of latter, four longer scales have two holes, one-third of way respectively from each end.

Method of attachment of overlapping long sides is as follows :-From the top of the previous joint the thong is

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brought from behind through the lower of the two holes near top corner, passed down in front and to back again through lower hole of bottom corner ; then brought up behind and to front again through the upper of the top corner holes, lastly to the back through the lower top corner hole, through which it was first brought. It is then carried along behind for attachment of next scale.

This method of lacing makes no use of the upper of the bottom corner holes, and is therefore prob. not the method orig. employed. Condition good.

Scale (average) 2 j" x 2'.

M. i. ix. 003. Leather scale armour, twenty-four pieces; cf. M. r. 0069, xxiv. 0040, etc. Six scales are of ordinary size (average 24" x 24"), three being still joined by long edges ; seven of greater length (average 3h-" x 1~"), two being joined ; seven of still greater length (average 4" x 2h"), three still joined; and the remainder are frs.

Smaller scales much resemble M. r. ix. 002, but have only one coat of lacquer (black), with orn. of two shallow elliptical rings sunk in the black, and higher centre lacquered red. Three holes at equal intervals down long edge for lateral lacing, and bronze rivet (apparently ornamental) half-way between the ornamental rings ; lacing which remains in long sides too disjointed to show method employed.

The longér scales resemble these ; but for vertical lacing there are one (or two) pairs of holes placed along top end, and another hole or pair of holes parallel to this, towards middle of scale. The longest scales have additional rivets, orns., and holes in proportion to their length. Condition very fair. PI. L.

M. 1. ix. 004. Fr. of leather armour scale, as M. 1. ix. 003, etc.; orn. (sunk in.black lacquered surface, with red centres) consists of an ellipse and a crescent with tips turned towards ellipse ; crescent prob. part of larger orn. Gr. M. 1i".

M. I. ix. oo8. Piece of strong woollen fabric, faded red (herring-bone) twill weave ; cf. M. r. 0083. b. ; ragged and patched. 1' 6" x x' 5". Pl. XLVIII.

M. I. ix.oog. Wooden stick, flattened at one end and bound round with fibre ; bound round also twice at other end where it is split, and where a groove was cut in end ; prob. part of an arrow ; cf. M. Tagh. b. 007. 71"

M.I. x. 006. Fr. of leather armour scale, same pattern as M. . ix. 002, but most of black lacquer gone from

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front ; also large square hole near middle.   2"
(broken) r ".

M. I. xii. 002. Fr. of fine buff silk, even texture, much encrusted with sand, plain weave. 'or x 8".

M. 1. xii. 003. Fr. of buff silk; much crumpled and sand-clogged, showing traces of printed pattern in faded indigo; plain weave ; dirty and decayed. Gr. M. 5.".

M. 1. xii. 004. Fr. of buff silk, soft ; corners knotted ; plain weave, finely corded. 7k" x c. 7".

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