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

Other
eroded
structures.

appeared to have been of larger size, but had suffered very badly through erosion. One of the
two rooms of which the walls of timber and wattle could still be made out measured 40 feet
by 28, and the other may have been equally large. Even where the timber wall foundations
still retained their position, the ground was swept completely clear by the wind. The force of its
erosive action was attested by the fact that the soil to the south of the ruin was scooped out to a
depth of 22 feet below the original ground level as marked by the floor of the building. Among
the big Toghrak beams and other timber scattered over the slopes, two badly splintered capitals
with voluted ends could just be distinguished. There, too, a number of pieces of iron household
utensils (L.M. iv. 01–5, Pl. XXIV, XXVI) were picked up, together with a few bronze fragments.
The only other structure of the site, L.M. v, situated about 330 yards to the north of L.M. iv,
had also, as Fig. 135 shows, undergone far-advanced erosion. Among the much-withered timber
pieces some double-bracket capitals and pillar bases of the usual shape were barely recognizable.

Area over
which ruins
scattered.

The extent of the ground, fully a mile from north-west to south-west, over which the ruined
dwellings just described were found scattered, appears to me in itself a sufficient indication that the
settlement to which they belonged was one of some local importance. It was only by reason of the
uniformly massive construction of their timber framework that their remains had survived the
destructive effects of wind-erosion. Just as at the Niya Site and at other ruined settlements explored
in the south of the Taklamakān, it may be assumed that the extant ruins are those only of the
more substantial buildings, while the mud-built dwellings serving the needs of the great majority
of the inhabitants have been completely effaced by the same powerful agent. This conclusion
is fully supported by the great number of small miscellaneous objects of the 'Tati' type that could
be picked up at the site practically within a single day and without such systematic search as a
longer stay would have permitted. Among such finds six Chinese coins may be mentioned in the
first place. They are all of the inscribed and large Wu-chu type, which belongs to Han times and the
immediately succeeding period. The numismatic evidence agrees therefore with the evidence furnished
by the manuscript finds in Kharoṣṭhī and Sogdian, in its bearing on the chronology of this Site.

Numis-
matic
evidence.

Miscel-
laneous
small finds.

To the period of occupation contemporary with that of the Lou-lan station may also be ascribed
the very numerous fragments of glass vessels and glass beads (L.M. 025, 027, 071–101, 0134;
L.K.–L.M. 01–13) in a variety of colours or gilded, some cut or showing raised patterns (Pl. XXIV).
The spout in fine blue glass, L.M. 070 (Pl. XXIV), deserves special mention. The fragment of glass
slag, L.M. 034, might suggest local manufacture. Among ceramic remains, the fragments of
green-glazed pottery, L.M. 042, 0122, and of faceted grey stoneware, L.M. 054, may claim interest.
Remains of small objects in paste, L.M. 063–9, 0133, are also represented. The numerous bronze
relics include the finely modelled anthemion ornament, L.M. 0119 (Pl. XXIV); a 'cat-bell', L.M.
0131 (Pl. XXIV), similar to that found at the L.A. station; the bezel of a jewel, L.M. 0129 (Pl.
XXIV); the neatly made ear-pick, L.M. 0150 (Pl. XXVI), &c. Iron implements are also represented,
L.M. 051, 0145–7 (Pl. XXIV, XXVI). By the side of these remains manifestly belonging to the
period of early intercourse with China and the West we find, just as at other Lou-lan sites, far older
stages of civilization illustrated by miscellaneous relics of the stone age which wind-erosion has laid
bare. The well-made stone arrow-heads, L.M. 010, 0155, are probably neolithic, while the numerous
'knife-blades', L.M. 012–24, 0156, and jade celts, L.M. 04, 043, 055 (Pl. XXII), manifestly date
back to an earlier epoch. The stone cores, L.L.–L.M. 1. 01 (Pl. XXII), L.M. 06–9, point to local
manufacture.

Stone age
remains.

The presence of stone age remains at and around L.M. must obviously be considered in con-
nexion with the corresponding finds made on the ground extending south-eastwards to L.K. as
well as with those which were so plentiful on our march of December 15, 1906, to the north of