国立情報学研究所 - ディジタル・シルクロード・プロジェクト
『東洋文庫所蔵』貴重書デジタルアーカイブ

at the Chinese frontier that does not exist in the centre of civilization. The reason
for this phenomenon is in the fact that the people who produced this art, while
not sharing the cultural life of the Chinese, still remained under conditions par-
ticularly favourable to a preservation of ancient forms. Very often the social
element, in our case the preference for hunting and cattle raising, is a determin-
ing factor of this art.

Undoubtedly the relatively primitive state of these frontier people would not
have been sufficient reason for the preservation of the different uses and varied
ornaments, if the objects had been destined solely for practical purposes. This
is only possible in exceptional cases. There are two principal categories of utiliza-
tion that have very much in common. One is the equipment of the dead, the
burial object; the other the scorceror's instrument, the equipment of the
schamane. The ritual purpose in both cases explains the survival of the ancient
forms and motives. It is always possible that in the course of time the original
meaning had been forgotten.

An extraordinary amount of burial equipment is found in all the civilizations
of antiquity. Numerous texts have proved it for China; Herodotus, for example,
has proved it for the western Steppes. In the two extremes of the Steppes docu-
mental information has been confirmed by numerous discoveries. One that
approaches fairly close to our region is that of Pasirik in the Altai (1). It is of
particular interest in that it has given us in great quantity certain objects designed
for burial, such as harness ornaments, pendants, and similar articles. At Pasirik
the purely burial aim is corroborated by the material used, wood among others.
Because of their fragility, such objects could never have been used for the
purpose to which they seem adapted, as for instance a bit. On the other hand
resplendent gilding could easily give them the appearance of precious metal.

It is not at all surprising that sorcerors' instruments should follow ancient
models both in material and in ornamentation. Even of a recent date there are
descriptions of schamanistic practises to which we might turn here. The latest
publication in a western European language is that of Nioradse, who especially
mentions Chinese texts according to which "the ancient Turkish tribes like
their neighbours, the Huns for instance, adhered to schamanism" (2).

1) Material and technique.

It is certain that all the bronzes reproduced here have come from the ground.
Experience gained in the study of European antiquities as well as of well known
Chinese objects, has taught us that metal surfaces undergo considerable change
when they have been in the ground for 2000 years. The study in Russian and
Siberian museums of the results from trustworthy excavations lead us to the
same conclusion. What is surprising, is that among the Chinese frontier bronzes
there is a considerable number having but slight if any patina. The metal is
generally a brownish yellow tarnished with black. It is evident that bronzes with