Innermost Asia : vol.2 / 92 ページ（カラー画像）

0092	Innermost Asia : vol.2
極奥アジア : vol.2

The main features of the central portion of this group, which consists of a large cella flanked on
either side by a row of vaulted rooms with small rock-cut recesses behind them, have been described
by Professor Grünwedel.¹⁴ The mural paintings, already much injured, which he was able to
examine in the exposed structures marked by him as A and B, b, had since suffered even worse
damage, and the detached temples, C, D, once standing in front of them, had been reduced to
almost shapeless masses of debris.¹⁵ On the other hand, a number of smaller ruins occupying the
north-eastern end of the main terrace appeared to have remained in much the same state of advanced
decay in which I remembered to have seen them on my cursory visit in November, 1907, and these
I decided to have cleared.

Clearing of
shrines
Toy. iv. i, ii. The first structure opened, i in the sketch-plan Pl. 27, was a small cella, 12 feet square, con-
taining the plinth of a Stūpa, 8½ feet in diameter, which had proved to have been burrowed into.
On the floor below were discovered a convolute of Chinese manuscript leaves and fragments of
Chinese and Uigur texts. The approach to this cella lay through a small shrine, ii, once vaulted,
measuring 16 feet by 7 ; this showed at its south-western end a recess which had once been occupied
by a large image, as indicated by a stepped base in front. Of this image nothing survived but
a portion of the lotus pedestal and remains of the feet. But in the layer of sand covering the floor
of the room large numbers of small relievo fragments in stucco were recovered, mostly painted or
gilded, which must have fallen from a decorative frieze high up on the walls before destruction
overtook these.

Fragments
of stucco
relievos. In various ways these small fragments recalled the remains of the relievo friezes that had once
adorned the walls of the temple cellas and passages Mi. x–xii at the Ming-oi site of Kara-shahr.¹⁶
Here, however, the scale of the figures filling the frieze must have been considerably smaller,
in proportion to the reduced size of the shrine. It is impossible from the mass of stucco fragments
to form any definite notion as to the scenes represented in the decorative scheme. So much, however,
is clear, that human figures, as well as representations of the dead, must have been very numerous
among them. Evidence of the former is afforded by the many small heads, Toy. iv. 072–122 ;
ii. 08, 9, 58–60, &c. (Pl. LXXII), of different types and sizes, most of them apparently appliqué,
and the hands, ii. 034–40, arms, 09, 17 ; ii. 080–94, and feet, ii. 017–33 (Pl. LXXII), also differing
in size. The numerous skulls, 026–39, 52–8, &c. (Pl. LXXII), and the cadavers, 024–5 (Pl. LXXII),
suggest work in the Tantric taste. Remains of monsters are represented by fragments like ii.
011–15, 58 (Pl. LXXII). Among the few fragments of animal figures, the bird 07 (Pl. LXXII) may
be mentioned. Ornamental details in the shape of jewels, rosettes, bands, &c., from drapery,
010–16, 70, 123–40, &c. (Pl. LXXII), are abundant and often richly coloured. The curling flames
08, 18–23, ii. 041–53 (Pl. LXXII), probably belonged to haloes. Among arms and implements,
which dropped to safety at an early stage owing to their detached modelling, we find the Vajra,
0141 (Pl. LXXII), halberd points, 0142–3 ; ii. 0105, and mallet, 0144 (Pl. LXXII). Architectural
fragments, ii. 073, and three votive relievos in clay, ii. 076–8 (Pl. LXXII), showing Buddha or
Mañjuśrī, may also be mentioned. Of the frescoes that once adorned the walls, only small pieces,
ii. 01–6, executed in rich colours with details in raised gold, have escaped destruction ; in one of
them, ii. 01, part of Vaiśravaṇa's banner is recognizable.

Passage
Toy. iv. iii. The passage, iii, leading into a small rock-cut shrine northward from which wall paintings
appeared to have been removed, was next cleared. It yielded only some Chinese manuscript

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