Innermost Asia : vol.1 / Page 309 (Color Image)

0309	Innermost Asia : vol.1

Before I describe the finds that rewarded the fresh examination of the ancient refuse heaps, Photo-
it will be convenient to refer briefly to the supplementary photographs which I secured of the graphs of
ruins. Fig. 151 shows the remains of the large 'Ya-mén'-like structure L.A. ii⁴ in the ruined
foreground and the Stūpas L.A. x, xi in the distance. In Fig. 150 attention may be called station.
to the dead tamarisk growth covering a small cone on the deeply eroded ground on the right.
This is of interest; for, as previously noted, such remains of vegetation, at a level reduced
by wind-erosion considerably below that of the ancient surface, furnish evidence of the temporary
return of moisture centuries after the site had been abandoned and lost the protection of
living vegetation.⁵ The dead tamarisks which another view of the foreground to the south of
L.A. ii (Fig. 148) shows on a level even lower belong probably to a still later period. The
depth to which the ground has been excavated by wind-erosion around certain structures of the
site, as much as 30 to 35 feet below the original level of the third century, is strikingly demon-
strated by the photographs, Figs. 146, 156. They show the ruined Stūpas x and xi, raised as they
now appear on high terraces. The strata of clay laid bare on the sides of the latter are of geological
interest as attesting successive periods of sedimentary deposition.

While small groups of men were detached on February 12th and 13th to search the ground Finds in
in different directions for unexplored remains, I employed the rest of the labourers to clear away refuse
refuse deposits within the ancient station. Under a thin layer of drift-sand a large heap of con- heaps near
solidated refuse was discovered between the rush-wall quarters marked L.A. vi in the site plan of L.A. v.
Serindia (Pl. 23) and the almost completely eroded structure v (Fig. 147).⁶ It was from 2 to 3
feet in thickness and consisted mainly of reed-straw and other stable refuse. But amidst this we
recovered a considerable number of Chinese records, on wood and paper, including several com-
plete slips and a portion of a rectangular cover-tablet with Chinese inscription, besides a paper
fragment in Early Sogdian script. Among the miscellaneous relics found here may be mentioned
a wooden seal-case, L.A. iv. v. 03 (Pl. XVI), of a type closely resembling the seal-cases found by
me along the Tun-huang Limes; a well-made but much-repaired leather shoe, L.A. iv. v. 01
(Pl. XXVII); a sheath-like object in very fine silk, L.A. iv. v. 014; fish-bones, L.A. iv. v. 018–19;
and numerous fragments of silk and woollen fabrics. The Chinese slips (L.A. vi. i. 1–4) were
recovered in one of the rooms built of rush-walls in the structure immediately to the west of this
refuse heap, while from another part of these quarters came the miscellaneous small implements
shown in the List below under L.A. vi. v.

Encouraged by these finds, I had the big area of refuse, L.A. vi. ii, extending between L.A. vi

National Institute of Informatics - Digital Silk Road Project
Digital Archive of Toyo Bunko Rare Books

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National Institute of Informatics - Digital Silk Road Project Digital Archive of Toyo Bunko Rare Books

Citation Information

OCR Text

National Institute of Informatics - Digital Silk Road Project
Digital Archive of Toyo Bunko Rare Books