Some of the objects found by Dr. M. A. Stein in Central Asia.
6.—Pein. (Vol. i. p. 192.)
Dr. M. A. Stein, of the Indian Educational Service, appears to have exactly identified the site of Pein, during his recent archæological researches in Central Asia; he writes (Prel. Report on a Journey of Archæological and Topog. Exploration in Chinese Turkestan, Lond., 1901, pp. 58–59): “Various antiquarian and topographical considerations made me anxious to identify the position of the town of Pi-mo, which Hiuen-Tsiang describes as some 300 li to the east of the Khotan capital. It was probably the same place as the Pein, visited by Marco Polo. After marching back along the Keriya River for four days, I struck to the south-west, and, after three more marches, arrived in the vicinity of Lachin-Ata Mazar, a desolate little shrine in the desert to the north of the Khotan-Keriya route. Though our search was rendered difficult by the insufficiency of guides and the want of water, I succeeded during the following few days in tracing the extensive ruined site which previous information had led me to look for in that vicinity. ‘Uzun-Tati’ (‘the distant Tati,’) as the débris-covered area is locally designated, corresponds in its position and the character of its remains exactly to the description of Pi-mo. Owing to far-advanced erosion and the destruction dealt by treasure-seekers, the structural remains are very scanty indeed. But the débris, including bits of glass, pottery, china, small objects in brass and stone, etc., is plentiful enough, and in conjunction with the late Chinese coins found here, leaves no doubt as to the site having been occupied up to the Middle Ages.”
Our itinerary should therefore run from Khotan to Uzun Tati, and thence to Nia, leaving Kiria to the south; indeed Kiria is not an ancient place.—H. C.
MARCO POLO’S ITINERARY CORRECTED
Mr. E. J. Rapson, of the British Museum, with the kind permission of Dr. Stein, has sent me a photograph (which we reproduce) of coins and miscellaneous objects found at Uzun Tati. Coin (1) bears the nien-hao (title of reign) Pao Yuen (1038–1040) of the Emperor Jen Tsung, of the Sung Dynasty; Coin (2) bears the nien-hao, K’ien Yuen (758–760) of the Emperor Su Tsung of the T’ang Dynasty; Coin (3) is of the time of the Khan of Turkestan, Muhammad Arslān Khan, about 441 A.H. = 1049 A.D. From the description sent to me by Mr. Rapson and written by Mr. Andrews, I note that the miscellaneous objects include: “Two fragments of fine Chinese porcelain, highly glazed and painted with Chinese ornament in blue. That on the left is painted on both sides, and appears to be portion of rim of a bowl. Thickness ³⁄₃₂ of an inch. That to the right is slightly coarser, and is probably portion of a larger vessel. Thickness ¼ inch (nearly). A third fragment of porcelain, shown at bottom of photo, is decorated roughly in a neutral brown colour, which has imperfectly ‘fluxed.’ It, also, appears to be Chinese. Thickness ⅛ inch (nearly).—A brass or bronze object, cast. Probably portion of a clasp or buckle.—A brass finger ring containing a piece of mottled green glass held loosely in place by a turned-over denticulated rim. The metal is very thin.”—H. C.
7.—Fire-arms. (Vol. i. p. 342.)
From a paper on Siam’s Intercourse with China, published by Lieutenant-Colonel Gerini in the Asiatic Quarterly Review for October, 1902, it would appear that fire-arms were mentioned for the first time in Siamese Records during the Lāu invasion and the siege of Swankhalôk (from 1085 to 1097 A.D.); it is too early a date for the introduction of fire-arms, though it would look “much more like an anachronism were the advent of these implements of warfare [were] placed, in blind reliance upon the Northern Chronicles, still a few centuries back. The most curious of it all is, however, the statement as to the weapons in question having been introduced into the country from China.” Following W. F. Mayers in his valuable contributions to the Jour. North-China B. R. A. S., 1869–1870, Colonel Gerini, who, of course, did not know of Dr. Schlegel’s paper, adds: “It was not until the reign of the Emperor Yung Lê, and on occasion of the invasion of Tonkin in A.D. 1407, that the Chinese acquired the knowledge of the propulsive effect of gunpowder, from their vanquished enemies.”