The daily chieftain. [volume] (Vinita, Ind. Ter. [Okla.]) 1898-1902, 1902-04-03
sAEDBURHD CITIES.
Account Of the Infere<tfng Diseoy-
erie. by Dr. stein I'm Chinese
Turkextam-

Our repreS sn1ztIFe has had an n
terTiew with Dr. n A. Stein. who Is re-
turning 10 India after making pre-
lirninzry arrangement Of the remark
able finds brought 10 light during his
recent expedition IN Chinese Turke-
stan. SAYS the London Chronicle. The
eurs0ry examination that has so 1ar
been possible within the short time
available reTea2in a striking manner
ard for the first time many points
bearing on the culture and daily life
Of localities which for many centu-
ries II some for nearly 1000 years =
have been buried under sea Of sand
and whose history has hitherto been
practically a blank
Speaking Of this point. Dr. Stein says
now for the frs time have been
brought 10 light some aspects Of the
everyday life. home industries and
arts OF the inhabitants Of the villages
Of Chine Sc Jurkestan which were aban-
doned al the beginning Of the Chris
tian era The culture Of The people
was derived mainly from India and
there can be no doubt the inhabitants
were Buddhists- DIR. Stein added:
@Of special interest were the refuse
heaps which we unearthed near some
ruined houses once apparently ten
snted 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 pre-
servative nature Of the sand many OF
these were in splendid condition-the
ink as black as the seals and string as
perfect as If they were only few
weeks old As these documents are in
known Indian script their decipher-
ing can be expected 10 reveal in fasci-
mating manner many Of the details OF
the ancient village life. But il viii be
a task requiring years Of close study,
as in India itself the materials avail
able of this early script have SO far
been very scanty. AT sites less ancient
we also found paper documents in
Sanskrit, Chinese and also Ihibetan
manuscripts. In none Of the excaTa-
tions did I find any unknown charac-
tiers.
houses were brought TO light careful
" planned little gardens. with ave-
nues Of trees. fenced lanes. orchards
and so forth. II was truly astonishing
on clearing away the sand 10 hnd IN
der the shriveled hedges heaps OF
dried leaves just as they had fallen in
ages gone by. The gardens were much
rhnEr
stir 10 be found in Iurkestan
to-day. The trees were mostly
poplar and peach. mulberry and
apricot trees. There Is no evi-
dence that these places we're aban-
doned owing 10 any sudden catastro-
phe. but their gradual desertion was
evidently due 10 the impossibility OF
continued irrigation. causing an ad-
vance of the sand. While articles OF
real value were therefore removed by
their possessors. we found in the dwell
ing places many household implements
of small value. such as pischforks,
mousetraps. boots. chairs, shoe
makers lasts. etc.
"In the ruined temples We found
tOTL OF - ~
fabrics OF these remote ages, for in
front OF some Of the idols were heaps
Of torn shreds Of elaborately worked
silks and other fabrics which had been
deposited as votive offerings. In one
temple il was curious TO note an in
stance where a pilgrim. anxious ap-
parentiy 10 propitiate as many de-
titles as possible. had torn into Por-
tions 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
unearthed from the monasteries and
temples One Of the latter contained
in its cloisters more than 100 stat
ues. all over life size. While as
many as possible Of these were
cleared for the purpose Of taking
photographs enly q few could be res
cued. as when the protecting sand was
removed the great stuccoes threatened
70 collapse. owing 10 their inner
wooden work having rotted away.
However. interesting portions Of them
were successfully brought away
Turkish Women Prohibited society.
The absence Of social gatherings and
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