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

264

THE NIYA SITE   [Chap. VI

N. xxvi. ii. I. Wedge under-tablet. Obv. flat surface. Traces of Khar. (?) writing. Rev. rounded. Traces of Khar. (?) writing. Much encrusted with sand. 174" x

7• 1" I~ X.

N. xxvi. iii. I. Wooden double-bracket or cantilever. Hollowed and cut in three for transit. Carved in relief on sides and underneath. Side i. Three panels. Centre; from central vase rise twelve long stems, six on each side, curving out and down, ending alternately in pear-shaped fruit covered with saw-tooth pattern, and in broad leaves with incised veins ; stems alternately plain and beaded ; to R., beaded stem joins leaf; to L., fruit. Side panels each bear similar monster standing in attitude to spring, facing centre. Long neck, long crocodile's jaw with teeth and tongue protruding. Mane rendered by deep V-shaped incisions. Small upright wing curved forward (like that of archaic Corinthian horse). Long back. Long tail brought forward over back. On paws four and five claws. Between panels upright zigzag band. Below panels plain fillet, then moulding with long billets divided by bevelled squares, below which plain fillet. Side ii. Central panel ; similar design but only five stems on each side of vase. Side panels ; similar beasts but without wings, with larger heads and thicker necks. One much damaged. Similar mouldings. Under-surface. Centre plain with round hole to take post-head. At one end ; within plain border, a broad frame of saw-tooth pattern enclosing plain panel wherein crossed diagonals of bead-work between plain fillets. Cross-row of bead-work. Sq. panel with rude double incised squares at corners ; in centre a sunk circle containing twelve-petalled rosette. Then broad cross-band of saw-toothed chip-carving between two rows of inward-pointing dog's-tooth ornament. Cross-row of beads. At the other end ; within plain fillet border, cross-band of outward-pointing dog's-tooth ornament. Sunk sq. panel with raised diagonals of bead-work between plain fillets. Then two cross-bands of Vandyke separated by plain band. Then in oblong panel, having bead frame within narrow plain fillet, a flower (lotus) with four double petals and four sepals, twelve stamens in corolla and central boss. Carving coarse chip-work, executed with long driving strokes. 8' 34" X 84" X I4". Mortise-hole, diam. 4". Pl. XVIII.

N. xxvi. vi. i. Oblong tablet, each end wedge-shaped. Hole near narrower end. Obv. flat. Three 11. Khar., clear. Rev. bark mostly left on rounded surface. Two 11. Khar. on bark, faint. 1 I" x 14" x A". Pl. XXVI.

N. xxvi. vi. 2. Oblong tablet. Bark on long edges. Hole at corner. Obv. nine Il. Khar. written across, distinct. Rev. six 11. Khar. written across, distinct. 44" X 14" X 4". Pl. XXVII.

N. xxvi. vi. g. Wedge under-tablet. Obv. four 11. Khar. Rev. one 1. Khar. by sq. end. Good condition, writing clear. 71" x IA" x A".

N. xxvi. vi. 4. Oblong tablet. Bark on long edges. Obv. three cols. (3, 4, 4 II.) Khar. Rev. blank. Good con-

dition. Beginnings of hole at corner. 5 " X i " X l" PI . xxVI.

N. xxvi. vi. 5. Oblong tablet, pierced near one end. Obv. three Il. Khar. and single separate line at bottom ; faded, but clear. Rev. blank. Well preserved. 34" x 14" X â".

N. xxvi. vi. 6. Oblong tablet, with hole near wedge-shaped end. Obv. rounded, one 1. Khar. Rev. flat, four cols. (four 11. each) Khar. Good condition. 88" X s" X s".

N. xxvi. vi. 7. Oblong tablet, with one end roughly pointed, other sq. and pierced. Obv. blank. Rev. two

11. Khar., faded. Well preserved. 5" x Irz." x

N. xxvi. vi. 8. Oblong tablet, with hole near rounded end. Obv. rounded, two wide columns (three Il. each) Khar., and one 1. Khar. across rounded end. Rev. flat, five cols. Khar. (four of 3 11., one of 2). Good condition. 64" X 4" x An.

N. xxvi. vi. 9. Oblong tablet, pierced at pointed end. Obv. three II. Khar. Rev. one 1. Khar. Writing black and clear. Well preserved. 44" x 4" x â".

N. xxvi. vi. so. Oblong tablet, ends roughly trimmed. Obv. three 11. Khar., black but encrusted. Rev. one I. Khar., clear. Hard and well preserved. a4" X ITV X s". Pl. XXVI.

N. xxvi. vi. i1. Slip-shaped tablet, edges untrimmed. Ends pointed, one pierced. Obv. two 11. Khar. Rev.

blank. Writing faded but clear. hard. 74" X fa" x r.

N. xxvi. vi. 12. Wooden fire-stick, female, like N. xxiv. X. oor. Hole pierced at one end. One fire-hole by one edge, half worn down, and along other edge of same side beginnings of four holes. 44" X I4"

N. xxvi. vi. 53. Oblong tablet, with hole at rounded end. On each side two cols. Khar. writing ; very faint. Wood hard. 7ia" x 2" x *".

N. xxvi. vi. 4. Wedge-shaped tablet, roughly made, with seal caw. (Iii" x i") empty. Blank. Well preserved. 64" x Iig" x r. PI. xxVII.

N. xxvi. vi. 15. Slip-shaped tablet. Obv. one and a half 11. Khar. lengthways. Rev. two Il. Khar. lengthways. x I8"XA".

N. xxvi. vi. 16. Label-shaped tablet, pierced near middle. Obv. (rounded) three short II. Khar. arranged columnwise. Rev. one 1. Khar. Letters dim but legible. Well preserved. 4" X 4" X A.

N. xxvi. vi. 17. Label-shaped tablet, formed by splitting piece of branch vertically ; one end roughly rounded, other pointed and pierced. Obv. rounded, three 11. Khar. much encrusted. Rev. six Il. Khar. in two columns. Hard and well preserved. 54" x r" X fu".

N. xxvi. vi. 18. Oblong tablet, pierced at one end. Obv. three il. Khar., faded. Rev. three Il. Khar., faded. Well preserved. 4i" x I4" X ".

Pierced and split ; wood