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DECEMBER, 1891.]
MISCELLANEA.
MISCELLANEA.
PROGRESS OF EUROPEAN SCHOLARSHIP. No. 26.
Journal of the Eastern Section of the Russian Archeological Society, Vol. V. (Parts 1-4). (4) PROCEEDINGS.
Papers read: (I) V. A. Shukofsky: on the Persian versions of the old Russian tale, "Shemjaka's Judgment." (11) D. Th. Kobeko: on the expedition of Karelin to the south-eastern coast of the Caspian. (III) Baron V. R. Rosen: on M. Snouck Hurgronje's "Mekka." (IV) Baron V. R. Rosen: Some notes on the Musalmân versions of "Barlaam and Joasaph." (V) S. F. Oldenburg on the Pâli version of "Shemjaka's Judgment." (VI) Baron V. R. Rosen: on the oldest Grammars of the Turkish and Mongol Languages written in Arabic. (VII) V. V. Radlof: on the Turkish titles given to Uigur Khâns between 764 A.D. and 849 A.D., from the history of the Tan Dynasty. (VIII) A. J. Harkavy: on MSS. materials for a biography of Sayyid al-Fayûmî in the Imperial Public Library. (IX.) Baron V. R.
کتاب اختراع .Bosen : on an Arabic satirical work
(X) N. P. Likhatchef: on some caldrons found in Bulgar. (XI) N. S. Golenishef: on an inscription of Darius found in Egypt. (XII) A. G. Toumansky: on the Bâbîs in Askhâbåd. (XIII) A. Th. Shebounin on the Kufic Kurån from Samarkand now in the (Russian) Imperial Public Library. (XIV) S. F. Oldenburg on the Persian versions of the Kitab-iSindbad. (XV) Baron V. R. Rosen: on a passage in the History of al-Meraghi relating to the translation of the "Book of Kalilah and Dimnah" into Arabic. (XVI) V. A. Shukofsky on his archæological excursion to the Transcaspian Provinces. (XVII) V. V. Radlof: on an Uigur stone inscription brought by N. M. Jadrintzef from the ruins of Karakorum.
(B) ARTICLES.
I.-Central Asia and the Further East.
1. The expedition of Karelin to the South-Eastern Coast of the Caspian in 1836, by D. Kobeko. Karelin, for some time an officer in the Artillery, afterwards in the service of Khân Jangêr, and finally in the (Russian) Home Office, died in 1872. He made three journeys to different points of the Caspian coasts and one to the Altai. He left accounts of his travels, some of which are published; and a set of drawings, relat
1 This expedition has been most successful. A large quantity of inscriptions has been found. M. Radlof is
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ing to his expedition in 1836, is now in the library of the Scientific Committee of the Treasury Office. The scientific results of his travels are interesting and important, and his diaries may even now be consulted with profit. As to political results, there were none; since all the different measures he proposed with a view to consolidate Russian influence on the Caspian were rejected by the Foreign Office.
2. On two stones with Chinese inscriptions, by E. Koch (with one plate and two lithographs). In the summer 1889, M. N. Jadrintzef brought home with him two inscribed stones found in the ruins now called Khara Balgasun on the upper part of the Orkhon River. According to M. Koch they bear inscriptions belonging to the time of the Uigur rulers of Mongolia, between 761 A.D. and 840 A.D. Unfortunately the stones are in such a damaged state as to defy a complete decipherment. One of them bears, besides the Chinese inscription, some lines in Uigur characters, and these lines are now the oldest known Turki document.
3. Titles and names of the Uigur Khdns, by M. Radlof. In this article the author supplies us, from the Chinese history of the Tan Dynasty, with the names and titles of 12 Uigur Khane, which he completely restores from the corrupt Chinese transliteration. These Turki words, bearing a close resemblance to the language of the Kudatku-Bilik (composed some 300 years later), corroborate most happily the stone documents just mentioned. In an additional note M. Radlof gives a transcript and translation of what is left of the Uigur inscriptions. His conclusions are: (1) The Uigurs spoke a Turki dialect closely allied to the language preserved in the Kudatku-Bilik. (2) Indications from Chinese writers, informing us of an Uigur alphabet in the VIIIth Century, A. D., are quite trustworthy. This alphabet of the Northern Uigurs is identical with the alphabet of the Uigurs of Eastern Turkistán, propagated by the Nestorians and adopted in the XIIIth Century by the Mongols. The existence of Uigur stone documents of the VIIIth Century in Northern Mongolia is deemed to be so important a fact, that the Imperial Academy of Sciences has decided upon sending an expedition with a view of exploring the ruins, which are supposed to belong to the once famous Karakorum. The expedition started from St. Petersburg in April 1891.1
going to publish shortly a detailed account of the work done by the expedition.-15th Dec. 1891; S. d'o.
