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ilo8   THE MARCHES OF OLD KUA-CHOU   [Chap.XXV

LIST OF ANTIQUES FOUND AT RUINED STUPAS AND SHRINE EAST OF SO-YANG-CH`ENG

So. a. ooi-2. Two frs. of glazed tiles from roof of temple ; soft ill-levigated drab clay covered with rough dull green glaze ; moulded in relief, part of fig. of dragon (?) having cloud-like wings. Type of technique resembles the Romano-Egyptian glazes and those of Persia in the second–ninth cents. A.D. Gr. M. 21'. Pl. IV.

So. a. 003. Fr. of glazed tile (?) in red clay with bright green glaze; represents flame common on vesica borders, beyond which is curved edge ; the glaze carried back on this behind to a point of attachment ; on back, reed markings. Fr. has been moulded separately, and attached to larger background before glazing and firing. I-1" x 1/". PL Iv.

So. a. 004. Arm of small moulded stoneware fig. (of Buddha ?) ; white clay, with translucent light green glaze. Length 1i".

So. a. 005. Fr. of glazed appliqué stucco relief (from wall of shrine ?) ; reddish-buff clay with translucent light green glaze. Moulded with three oblong bosses within a lobed field formed by a raised line with radiate border beyond ; this on roughly oval medallion affixed to flat background before glazing. (Perhaps summary representation of seated Buddha in vesica ?) r.' x 11". PI. Iv.

So. a. o06. Clay model of Stiipa ; used for votive offering. The ground-plan almost precisely that of Rawak Stûpa (see Anéienl Kholan, PL XL), though elevation considerably higher in proportion. Model stands on circular base round which runs inscr. in relief in Bràhmi(?) chars. much effaced. On this rises Stiipa base proper—its ground-plan that of a cross superimposed on a square, the

only difference from Rawak Stûpa being that the projections in recessed angles appear doubled, as the four flights of steps do not occupy whole width of ends of cross, but are slightly narrower and advanced; there are thus twenty-eight projecting angles to the ground-plan. Above this complex base a square member, its sides broken by the upward continuation of the steps ; above this the dome, passing from an octagonal to a circular form ; on top a sq. member, meant to carry challras; cf. above, p. 1105.

So. a. 009, 0010, though roughly executed, preserve the essential features of the Stûpa; So. a. 007, oo8 have lost all constructional qualities, and rank with Kha. ii. c. oo r ; vii. oolo. H. 3°, diam. at base 3". Pl. cxxxiX.

So. a. 007. Clay model of Stiipa. Circular throughout; inscr. round base ; above this, three rings of regularly impressed tooth pattern, distinguishing members of building Cf. So. a. oo6. H. 2â", diam. at base 3'

So. a. o08. Clay model of Stiipa, resembling So. a. 007. Inscr. round base ; round circular cone four rings, overlapping, of regularly impressed tooth orn. H. 3", diam. at base 2g'. Pl. cxxxix..

So. a. oog. Clay model of Stiipa. Inscr. round circular base. Ground-plan as in So. a. oo6 (q. v.), but work throughout careless and without regard to structural values. Dome misshapen. H. 2r, diam. at base 2". PI. cxxxIx.

So. a. ooro. Clay model of Stûpa. Inscr. round base. Above, as So. a. oog, but much worn ; one side broken away and dome broken. Cf. also So. a. oo6. H. 24", diam. at base 21'.

March to T'a-shih.

Cave shrines of Hsiao Chien fo-lung.

SECTION IV.—THE GROTTOES OF THE MYRIAD BUDDHAS

After my short stay at Ch`iao-tzu I resumed on June 29 the journey into the mountains on the south. The first march, all the way through a wide grassy plain with magnificent but wholly unused grazing, took me to T'a-shih. This oasis, of about the same size as Chiao-tzû but with its homesteads more scattered, receives its irrigation water partly from the river coming from the snowy range south and partly from springs rising at the foot of the outer hill range on the south-east. It is obviously the drainage feeding these springs which at an earlier period rendered possible the occupation of ground about 5 miles to the south-east, as marked on Map No. 83. A. 4. The Surveyor, who was able to visit the site on his way, reported as the only remains there some mounds, apparently from completely decayed structures of clay, rising over the gravel glacis.

At T'a-shih we struck the main route already mentioned, which connects An-hsi and the great road coming from northern Turkestan and Mongolia with Tibet across the high plateaus of Tsaidam. Ascending the left bank of the Ta-shih river it brought us next day, after more than ten miles, to a group of about ten small cave-shrines carved from the conglomerate cliff on the opposite side of the deep-cut river-bed (Fig. 241).1 The name of Hsiao Clz`ien fo-tung, or ` Little Chien-fo-tung', by

   ' In Map No. 81. n. 4 the position of Hsiao Chien-fo-tung   The latter debouches from the outer hill range about a mile

   has been shown by error about two miles too far up the river.   above the cave-shrines.