The Calhoun chronicle. [volume] (Grantsville, W. Va.) 1883-1984, 1902-03-04
sANo.sURlEp CITIES.
Account otthe Interesting Discoveries by
DIR. Stein.

Account orthe Interesting Discoveries by
DIR. Stein.
Our representative had an interview
with Or. NJ. A. Stein, who is return.
ing to India this week after making
preliminary arrangement of the re-
markable finds brought to light during
his recent expedition I'm Chinese Turk.
estan. The cursory examination that
has so far been possible within the
short time available reveals in a strilk.
ing manner and for the first time many
points bearing on the culture and daily
life OF localities which for many cen.
turies-some for nearly 2OOO years
have been buried under a sea OF sand,
and whose history has hitherto been
practically n blank.
Speaking of this point, DR.. Stein
says how for the first time have been
brought to light some aspects OF the
everyday life, home industries and
arts OF the inhabitants of the villages
of Chinese TurkeStan which were
abandoned at the beginning of the
Christian era. The culture of the PEG
pie was derived mainly from India,
and there can he no doubt the inhab.
itants were Buddhists. Dr. Stein
added:
"Of special interest were the refuse
heaps which we unearthed near some
ruined houses, once apparently ten.
anted by village officials - kinds of
waste paper baskets, containing hun.
dreds of documents beautifully writ
ten on wooden tablets and carefully
tied and sealed. Owing to the preser-
vative nature OF the sand many of
these were in splendid condition-the
Ink as black and the seals and string
as perfect as IL they were only few
weeks old. AS these documents are in
known Indian script, their decipher-
ing can be expected to reveal in n
fascinating manner many of the de
tails Of the ancient village life But it
Will be task requiring years of close
study, as in India itself the materials
available Of this early script have so
far been very scanty. At sites less an
cient we also found paper documents
in Sanskrit Chinese and also Tribe
tan manuscripts. In none of the exca-
vations did / find any unknown char
acters.
Round most of the sand buried
houses were brought to light carefully
planted little gardens with avenues Of
trees. fenced lanes, orchards and so
forth. II was truly astonishing. on
clearing away the sand to find under
the shriveled hedges heaps OF dried
leaves just as they had fallen in ages
Il.
same in character as those still to be
found in Turkestan to-day. The trees
were mostly poplars and peach, null
berry and apricot trees. There is no
evidence that these places Were aban-
doned owing to any sudden catastro-
phe, but their gradual desertion was
evidently to the lmposslblity of con
tinued irrigation, causing an advance
OF the sand. While articles OF real
value were, therefore, removed by their
possessors, we found in the dwelling
places many household implements of
small value, such as pitchforks. mouse
traps, boots, chairs, shoemakers' lasts.
etc.
In the ruined temples we found n
sort OF uniptentional exhibition of the
fabrics of these remote ages. for in
front Of some OF the idols were heaps
of torn shreds OF deliberately worked
silks and other fabrics which had been
deposited as votive offerings. In one
temple it was curious to note an in
stance of where a pilgrim, anxious
apparently to prOpitiate as many del
ties rs possible had torn into Dor
tions a Thibetan manuscript, which he
had divided among the various idols.
These fragments are now once more
united under glass panes.
Many colossal statues in stucco
were uncarthed from the inconsistencies
and temples. One OF the latter con-
tanned in it's cloisters over hundred
statues all over life size. While as
many as possible OF these were cleared
for the purpose OF taking photographs.
only few could be rescued. as when
The protecting sand was removed the
great stuccoes threatened to collapse.
owing to their inner wooden work hay
ing rotted away. However. interest
Ing portions of them were successfully
brought way."-London Chronicle.