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Digital Archive of Toyo Bunko Rare Books
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On Ancient Central-Asian Tracks : vol.1 |
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The mass of beautifully figured silks, both polychrome and
damasks (Fig. 64), here recovered have since proved quite
a revelation as regards the artistic style and technical perfec-
tion of the products of Chinese silk-weaving which travelled
westwards through Lou-lan while trade still followed this
route. These relics of Chinese textile art, from the time of
Christ and before, claim special interest because they have
been preserved for us on the very route of the earliest silk
trade. But equally important is it for the student of those
early relations between the Far East and the West to note
that among the decorated fabrics there are found fragments
of exquisitely worked tapestries in wool which display a style
unmistakably Hellenistic. Whether they are of local make
or imports from Central-Asian territories farther west, we
have in them striking illustration of a cultural influence
which that ancient desert route also served for centuries,
but in the reverse direction.
The many interesting details revealed by the examination
of the technique, material and designs of these specimens,
the earliest so far known of China's decorative textile art,
have been dealt with in Innermost Asia. But among the
tapestries showing classical influence I may call attention
at least to the fine fragment of a Hermes head quite
classical in design (Fig. 65). Another tapestry piece curiously
reflects the mingling of Chinese and Western art influences,
and obviously was produced in Central Asia. Here decorative
motifs in the border, unmistakably classical, are combined
with the figure of a winged horse which is well known from
Chinese sculptures of Han times (Fig. 64B).
Continuing to the north-east for another twelve miles,
we soon left behind the last dry river-bed, once fed by the
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550
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561
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571
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578
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