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

From the Lop-nor region prehistoric finds were collected by Hörner and Chen
in the winter season 1930—31 during their important surveys of the Lop desert,
which resulted, inter alia, in the only existing map of Lop-nor in its present
northern position. In 1934 Mr. Chen made a few additional finds along the lower
part of Qum-darya, and in the same season I found some places with worked
stones etc. mainly in the desert south of Yardang-bulaq.¹ They are all mentioned
in the descriptive list together with the stray finds from the historical period; in
this chapter only the main types will be discussed and such combinations of finds as
probably mark dwelling sites.

Hypothetical dwelling sites.

The most important objects for dating prehistoric cultures are as a rule the cera-
mic wares. Unfortunately very few potsherds have been collected together with
worked flints in the Lop desert. In Hörner's collection there is one instance,
K. 13363, and in my own collection there are three instances, Nos. 22, 25 and 28.
These potsherds are rather homogeneous as to their general appearance and more
worn by the moving sand than the sherds from the time of Lou-lan. This
circumstance shows either that they are of a quality inferior to that of the Lou-lan
pottery or that they have been exposed for a longer time. Both possibilities suggest
an earlier age than the Lou-lan occupation. The ware is light brownish with red and
grey stains. Rather coarse-grained sand has been used for mixing with the clay.
Most of the sherds are plain. No. 28: 1 has a raised border below the rim, and 28: 2
has had a raised décor of applied bands with striations. It is not impossible that
the decorated sherd Pl. 29: 2 is of prehistoric origin, though its surface is well-
preserved. A few more potsherds found separately and without accompanying stone
implements may also belong to this group.
We will now examine the worked flints from those localities which may be regard-
ed as probable dwelling sites. I take only those places where there is no admixture
of metal or definitely Lou-lan time pottery. The first four are situated near to the
south of Qum-darya below Yardang-bulaq. The places are mentioned in sequence
from west to east; cf. the maps Fig. 36—37.
No. 22 is just a couple of diminutive flint flakes beside a single potsherd, and No.
25 has one potsherd, an irregular flint core, a couple of flakes, the coarse knife or
bifacial implement Pl. 5: 10 and two large flint blocks with chipped-off surfaces. I