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

Below the latter, in the narrow section, we find one more animal, but this time
undefinable. It is impossible to date this piece, nor a related fragment from the
Loo collection (Pl. XXV no. 2), before the beginning of the Sung period. This
second piece has a frame of two dragon-heads that surround a ring under which
is the full-faced head of a lynx. This well defined animal could not be recognised
under this schematic form, were it not found in a similar composition, but with
more naturalistic details, at Minussinsk (10).
d) Animals alone and in pairs.
The reproduction on belt-plaques of several animals of the same species, or
of one animal alone, is somewhat scarce in the Sarmatian region. On the other
hand such designs are numerous in the Jenissei valley. There are few uses and
ornaments where the affinity between Minussinsk and north China is as apparent
as on belt-plaques decorated with animals alone or in pairs. If we continue to
follow our system of chronological grouping by which we place strongly modeled
pieces at a relatively early date, Plate XXV no. 3 is then of about 500. Its contour
is the same as that of Plate XXV nos. 1 & 2, and, as in those examples, the
different bodies are difficult to distinguish. It is, however, easy to recognise
two dragon-heads at the centre, seen from above, that are biting the interlaced
legs of some other animals.
At Minussinsk there are numerous plaques that have the hook on the rounded
end, as have all the examples on Plate XXV with which we have dealt so far.
The opposite end is again straight with two corners. In the Jenissei, as in our
region, the central motive is that of a buffalo-head (Plate XXV no. 4) surrounded
by short legs. Under the head, at both sides, are the characteristic folds of flesh
ornamented by perforations. Once more we turn to about 500. This type is also
found in South Russia in the region of the Selenga river (12). Plate XXV no. 5
is one of many extraordinary inventions from the north of China. Two centre
disks are garlanded with animal-heads in groups of two. They are a combination
of bird-heads with ram-horns. Such an unnatural design certainly brings us
into the beginning of the II millennium.
Because of its excellent modeling we place the plaque of Plate XXV no. 6
near the Han period (III-IV centuries A.D.). The edge, decorated with double
lines frames two browsing horses. Only one peculiarity of Sarmatian art can
be found here, the stylization of the hooves with the grooved comma-shape design.
A repliqua of one half of this motive (Plate XXV no. 7) proves that naturalistically
modeled forms may survive, although they may have lost their plastic clearness,
their anatomical accuracy, and even their technical perfection. The very faulty
casting of this piece brings us certainly past the year 1000.
The combined forms of two outward-turned ibex (Plate XXVI no. 1) must
be of the same date as the pair of horses of Plate XXV no. 6, but such a composition
is not found at Minussinsk. The smooth and backward-arched horns are of