Indian Antiquary Vol 61

Author(s): Richard Carnac Temple, Charles E A W Oldham, S Krishnaswami Aiyangar, Devadatta Ramkrishna Bhandarka
Publisher: Swati Publications

Page 70

THE INDIAN ANTIQUARY
[MARCII, 1932
reached Charchan, some 250 miles farther east, only to receive the mortifying news that the Nanking Government had cancelled his passport and insisted on his return to India, the official communication reproducing what he describes Ag a series of unjustified allegations. Forced to return to Kashgar, he determined to take the longer route, skirting the Lop desert, and so round by the northern caravan route along the southern skirts of the T'ienshan. In this way he was able to collect useful data bearing upon the hydrographic changes that have resulted in most of the water of the Tarim river joining the Konche-darya, and so flowing into tho Lop desert in the vicinity of the ancient Lou-lan site. Moreover, he was able to carry a chain of exact longitude, determined by Astronomical observations and time signals, all round the Târim basin, a work of great geographical value, which will enable corrections to be made in many of the atlee sheets previously prepared Ly him and printed by the Survey of India. By the closs of April, by dint of dogged perseverance in the face of the obstacles placed in his way, he had succeeded in completing a tour of some 2,000 miles round the Taklamakán, and in supplementing his earlier researches by useful surveys and finds on the southern edge of the dosert beyond Niya.
Undauntod by what must have been a grievous disappointment, Sir Aurel writes cheerfully on his roturn to Kashmir, and he is already planning further tours of exploration and rosearch in other directions. Ho also tells of an important find, two milos west of Gilgit cantonments, of ancient Sanskrit texts written mostly on birch-bark, & separate note on which is printed. He further records the discovery of some interesting antiques in Yasin, within what appears to have been one of a number of Buddhist burial cairns, and of which we hope to publish an account later.
C. E. A.W.O.
packed in what appears to have boen a wooden box. At this stage the digging was fortunately stopped by the local authorities and the MSS., as yet undis. turbed, removed to the office of the Wazir of Gilgit.
Rapid examination by Sir Aurel Stoin has shown the bulk of the manuscripts to consist of Sanskrit texts written on oblong leaves of birch-bark of the Indian pothí type. Most of these bundles of duly paginated folia are likely to contain Buddhist canonical texts and the like. In many of them the writing is of a type of Brahmi script familiar from manuscript remains excavated at ruined Buddhist sites of Chinese Turkestên. Others show an early form of the Brahmi writing known in Kashinir as Sarada and once prevailing all through the hill tracts in the extreme northwest of India. Palæographie indications in the case of the former manuscripts suggest that some may date back to the sixth century A.D., if not earlier. Caroful examination by competent specialists may help to settle the approximate dating of later manuscripts, and thus the time when the deposit was made.
Of special interost is a póth written in Central Asian Brahmi on paper. The two of this material distinctly indicates that the manuscript was written in Eastern Turkestan. The manufacture of paper, first invented in China at the very beginning of the second century A.D., was introduced there by the fourth century, if not before.
The structural character of the stúpa and the filling up of a domed chamber within with masses of clay model stúpaa, etc., exactly corresponds to what is shown by Buddhist ruins of the same type dating from early modiaeval times in Turkestan and westernmost China. The practice of placing largo deposits of sacred manuscripts and uther votive offerings in the interior of stúpas is curiously illustrated by one of the fine Buddhist paintings on silk recovered by Sir Aurel Stein on his second Central Asian expedition from the cave shrines of the Thousand Buddhas of Tun-huang.
The large number of ancient manuscripts discovered and their remarkably good preservation, due largely to the dryness of the climate and perhaps also to lingering respect among the Hindukush hill people for relics of their pre-Islamic past, make this find at Gilgit one of exceptional interest. The completo clearing of the stúpa, and of three smaller ones immediately adjoining and as yet unopenec, awaits arrangements by the Kashmir Dart:&r. It must be hoped that its Rosearch and Archaeological Department will be able to have the task carried out with systematic care and that the reproduction and editing of the valuable materials rocovered will be entrusted to fully competont scholars. The publication of similar but far less abundant manu. script materials from Chinese Turkestan, and in a single cose from the Peshawar district, which the late Dr. Hoernle edited under the orders of the Govornment of India, provides an admirable model.
IMPORTANT FIND OF EARLY BIRCH-BARK
MSS. NEAR GILGIT. An important archaeological discovery in the Hindåkush region is reported by Sir Aurel Stein, who has been able, on returning from his travels in Chinese Turkestan, to inspect the site and the relics 80 far recovered. In the last days of May boys watching flocks aborto Naupůr village, some two miles wost of Gilgit cantonmont, mocidontally cleared a piece of timber sticking out from the top of a small stone covered mound. Furthor digging done by villagors laid bare a circular chamber within what was a Buddhist ståpa or memorial tower filled with hundreds of small votive stupas and relievo plaques common at Buddhist ruins of Central Asia. In the course of this "irresponsible excav&- tion" a mass of ancient MSS. was laid bare, closely