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Innermost Asia : vol.1 |
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Explora-
tions in
Sīstān.
My winter's work in that small but geographically very interesting pendant of the Tārim
basin,⁸ was successfully begun with a survey of the large ruined site on the sacred hill of Kōh-i-
Khwāja. It was rewarded by the discovery of wall-paintings and other remains going back to
Sasanian times (Chap. XXVIII). While most of the numerous ruined structures examined in the
Persian portion of the present Helmand delta were found to date from Muhammadan times (Chap.
XXIX), surveys in the desert to the once watered from a branch of the river, revealed remains
Prehistoric
remains
in desert
south.
dating from far more remote periods.⁹ There on wind-eroded ground I discovered sites of pre-
historic settlements marked by stone implements as well as by abundant painted pottery closely
linked in type with corresponding relics of chalcolithic times that have come to light in localities
so far apart as Transcaspia, Mesopotamia, Balūchistān, and Western China. And across this
area of prehistoric occupation, now all desert, I was able to trace a line of ruined watch-stations,
which certainly dates from pre-Muhammadan times and curiously recalls the ancient Chinese
Limes on the far-off Kan-su border (Chap. XXX). With a three weeks' camel ride by the caravan
route connecting Sīstān with the railhead at Nushki my journey came to an end about the end of
February, 1916.
Collection
deposited at
Srinagar.
Some four months earlier my collection of antiquities had, under R. B. Lāl Singh's watchful
care, safely arrived in Kashmīr. The fortunate circumstance that Mr. Fred H. Andrews, O.B.E.,
then and for a number of years thereafter had charge of the Technical Institute of Kashmīr at
Srinagar, made it possible for me to leave the collection in the care of that artist friend. His close
association with the custody and examination of my former collections, no less than his exceptional
familiarity with Eastern arts and crafts in general, made him once more a most valued collaborator
in the heavy and multifarious work involved in the arrangement, close study, and description of
the thousands of objects now brought together. I therefore felt very grateful when sanction was
secured for the temporary deposit of the new collection at Srinagar under Mr. Andrews' care for
the purposes above indicated.
Mr. F. H.
Andrews'
work on
antiques.
There during the years 1917–22, Mr. Andrews devoted whatever leisure he could spare from
his heavy administrative and educational duties to the preparation of the Descriptive Lists of
Antiques which are included in the present Report and which are mainly his work. In addition he
utilized his winter vacations of those years and subsequent cold-weather periods, while on special
duty under the Indian Government, for the exacting task of setting up the many fine mural paintings
Treatment
of mural
paintings.
brought away from ruined Buddhist shrines. As these wall-paintings, all executed in tempera on
mere mud plaster, were to be accommodated and exhibited at New Delhi in a temporary museum
specially erected for the purpose, very careful treatment was indispensable to assure their future
preservation from climatic and other risks.¹⁰ This labour has now been completed. But the
reproduction and interpretation of these important remains of Buddhist pictorial art in Central
Asia will claim a separate publication, now in preparation. Hence, with the exception of a number
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