国立情報学研究所 - ディジタル・シルクロード・プロジェクト
『東洋文庫所蔵』貴重書デジタルアーカイブ

Extensive
cultivation
of Kara-
dōbe.

Beyond, where the valley widens out somewhat, the big village area of Kara-dōbe was entered,
stretching away to the south-west for a distance of probably close on ten miles. Its stream, coming
from Toghucha, carried here far more water than where I had seen it above the ruined town ; the
increase in volume is due to the abundance of springs which come to light in or near its deep-cut
bed where it passes through the lands of Lapchuk. For nearly four miles the road led through
rich gardens and orchards, and the number of farms looked quite double that of Lapchuk. I had
a very cordial welcome at Kara-dōbe, and found the villagers, far off from the high road and
unaffected by Chinese ways as they are, communicative enough. But they could tell of no old
remains apart from two ruined watch-towers. These could be sighted to the south and south-east,
far away in the distance, rising on long desert spurs which overlook the widening valley. That the
latter descends towards the Shona-nōr depression seemed probable from the look of the ground.
That no water from this side reaches so far now is certain. Yet the existence of those conspicuous
towers points to routes through the desert by which raids, etc., may have once been practicable from
the south.

OBJECTS EXCAVATED AT ARA-TAM RUINS

A. 001. Fresco fr. from edge of wall. On white ground
are two ribbons, faint pink with vague blue markings,
outlined in black; one ending in spiral. Much faded.
6″×3½″.

A. I. 001-2. Stucco relief frs.; two palmette finials
of five leaves; upper three straight, two lower spiral.
Green with chocolate edging; round edge, traces of red
background. Lower part of 002 broken off, and colour
mostly lost. Soft grey clay. 001, 3″×2¼″; 002,
2½″×2″.

A. I. 003. Stucco relief fr. Jewel orn. with round
central boss surrounded by floral border; remains of green
paint. Soft grey clay. Diam. 1⅜″.

A. I. 004. Stucco relief fr. Medallion from head-dress,
covered with intricate relief pattern of spiral lines; plenti-
ful traces of red; much worn. Soft grey clay with upright
wooden support. 2¾″×2⅝″.

A. I. 005. Stucco relief fr. Tassel; traces of yellow
paint. Soft grey clay. 2⅜″×1⅜″.

A. I. 006. Stucco relief fr. Part of border. Edge blue;
front shows on blue ground, scale pattern outlined in red
on white; traces of vermilion in corner. Broken and
worn. Soft grey clay facing over red clay and fibre
backing. 3⅜″×2″.

A. I. 007. Stucco relief fr. of drapery; folds curve to
L. and R., blue; down centre a heavy perpendicular over-
fall of red. Colour much lost. Soft grey clay over red
clay and fibre backing. 6″×5″.

A. I. 008. Stucco relief fr. Legs from loins downwards
of human fig. in profile to L., R. knee raised as in climbing.

From large vesica, the flame border of which shows below
feet of fig. Loin-cloth green, lower drapery red with
black markings to accentuate moulded folds; shoes pink.
Double border of flames, inner green, outer red. Drab
clay. 7″×4″. Pl. CXXXIX.

A. I. 009. Stucco relief fr., showing three tricoloured
ribbons (blue, red, and green) interlaced; only traces of
colour. Soft grey clay over red clay backing. 4″×2¼″.

A. I. 0010. Stucco relief fr. Top-knot (?) from head-
dress resembling Mi. xi. 003; blue. Soft grey clay on
red clay and fibre backing. 3″×1¼″.

A. I. 0011. Stucco relief fr. End of drapery fold; blue.
Soft grey clay over red clay and fibre backing. 2″×1¼″.

A. I. 0012. Stucco relief fr. Edge of vesica (?); spiral
pattern in green and red. Soft grey clay. 1¾″×1¾″.

A. I. 0013. Fresco fr. showing on white ground ends of
looped or floating scarves; copper-green outlined black,
or olive lined with blue. Adjoining latter are four toes of
human foot, white outlined black, and orange at tips,
roughly drawn. Traces of orange and red on edge below
(unintelligible), and of scattered flowers on background.
Much worn. 7″×5″.

A. II. 001. a–b. Stucco relief frs. a. L. side-lock of
hair-dress of human fig.; cf. Mi. xi. 003. Black paint.
3½″×2″. b. Top-knot of same; traces of black paint.
Soft red clay plentifully mixed with fibre. 3¼″×3″.

A. III. vii. 001. Frescoed slab of soft red clay and fibre,
wedge-shaped in section; painted on each side with
coarse floral scroll-work in red and green, outlined black.
Broken both ends. 1″×6″×1⅔″ to ⅜″.