Shaping the Stein collection’s Dunhuang corpus (2): the items from Cave 17’s ‘miscellaneous’ bundles

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In a previous blog post , we looked at the instrumental role played by Wang Yuanlu during the selection of the items from the Cave 17. Wang, who directly chose from the small repository what to hand over to Stein for inspection, was very keen to divert his attention from the so-called ‘regular’ bundles, which were composed for the most part of Buddhist sutras in Chinese and Tibetan. During their first ever transaction, which took place between 21 May and 6 June 1907, Wang Yuanlu therefore began by handing over the ‘miscellaneous’ bundles, which he seemed to hold in low estimation. To Stein’s delight, these contained mixed and diverse materials, such as manuscripts in non-Chinese languages, illustrated scrolls, paintings, drawings, ex-votos, textiles, etc. Stein picked out any of the items that jumped at him as being particularly interesting and made sure to put them aside for ‘further examination’, the phrase that he used to refer to their removal in his transaction with Wang. This ...
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Wakhan Fort

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Issue XX of the AKTC Afghanistan newsletter has a report on the survey of the Kansir Fort in the Wakhan, believed by Stein to be an 8th-century Tibetan fort. The Wakhan was the site of a battle between the Chinese and Tibetan armies in 747, which I wrote about in The Soldier's Tale and visited a few years ago (my blog picture is taken there). The battle started on the banks of the Amu Darya (Oxus River) and continued up the valley, over the Baroghil Pass, now on the borders of Pakistan and Afghanistan, and then across the glacial Dakhot Pass. Forbidding topography.

Excellent news that AKTC are preparing a survey and drawings of the fort. The French Archaeological Institute are said to be interested in excavating there - Stein would have been very jealous!

Comments

  1. vintage ringsJune 23, 2011 at 6:02 PM

    Awesome ! It is looking to be very lovely place. I am going to Afghanistan next week. I heard lot about the jewelry of this country..Is it true ??? I will certainly go for it ..

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