DOI Seite / Zitierlink:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.36954#0203
been carved many inscriptions. This is likely to be an obvious
place where travellers of ancient times would have taken a rest.
The relevant inscription is carved on a solitary rock here. Un-
fortunately, it was not decipherable under prevalent condi-
tions, but the characters are certainly Chinese.* On the rocks
nearby there are hundreds of Sogdian inscriptions, among which
the names of travellers are to be seen who went to China (DANI
1983 a: 26—28). Thus it can be inferred that this was a necessary
staging post on the ancient "Ji-bin" route ( $ dL ).
Another Chinese inscription is nearby at Chilas, 60 km to the
east of Shatial. Chilas forms somewhat of a natural basin across
which the Indus flows. The place is relatively densely populated.
There are many inscriptions on both banks, especially on the
southern side of the river. The body of inscriptions at the eastern
'gate' of Chilas basin is conventionally numbered "Chilas I" by
archaeologists. The Karakorum Highway passes through this gate:
on its northern side stands a rock precipice. The Chinese inscrip-
tion lies on a highstanding outcrop of rock on the southern side
of the Highway (DANI 1983: 52, photo No. 39, p. 59). There
seem to be five characters written vertically in two columns on
the rock. Two words out of these five are too indistinct to be
decipherable: in the right column one reads "Zhang a ru"
( 3 "4c); ^ the left, "Gao a" ( ,$? Q ). These must
simply be the names of two travellers. The characters were writ-
ten squarely, and the calligraphic style belongs between the so-
called "kai-shu" ( ^ ^* ) and "li-shu" ( ^ "^* ) forms. Accord-
ing to these stylistic grounds, the time when the inscriptions were
carved cannot be later than the Tang dynasty (618—906 A.D.).
The third Chinese inscription is at Thalpan, situated on the north-
ern bank of the Indus in the Chilas basin. The inscriptions here
are located immediately opposite those on the southern bank of
the Indus. Among the inscriptions classified as "Thalpan IV"
there are two Chinese characters which are placed beside engraved
stupas (DANI 1983: 2 35). Once more, a personal name is recog-
nized.+
* In the meantime readings by Prof. Dr. H. FRANKE and Prof. Dr. D.
SECKEL are available based on photographs made at different times of
the day. One more Chinese inscription was found nearby, (editor's remark)
+ In the meantime a further Chinese inscription was discovered by Prof.
141
place where travellers of ancient times would have taken a rest.
The relevant inscription is carved on a solitary rock here. Un-
fortunately, it was not decipherable under prevalent condi-
tions, but the characters are certainly Chinese.* On the rocks
nearby there are hundreds of Sogdian inscriptions, among which
the names of travellers are to be seen who went to China (DANI
1983 a: 26—28). Thus it can be inferred that this was a necessary
staging post on the ancient "Ji-bin" route ( $ dL ).
Another Chinese inscription is nearby at Chilas, 60 km to the
east of Shatial. Chilas forms somewhat of a natural basin across
which the Indus flows. The place is relatively densely populated.
There are many inscriptions on both banks, especially on the
southern side of the river. The body of inscriptions at the eastern
'gate' of Chilas basin is conventionally numbered "Chilas I" by
archaeologists. The Karakorum Highway passes through this gate:
on its northern side stands a rock precipice. The Chinese inscrip-
tion lies on a highstanding outcrop of rock on the southern side
of the Highway (DANI 1983: 52, photo No. 39, p. 59). There
seem to be five characters written vertically in two columns on
the rock. Two words out of these five are too indistinct to be
decipherable: in the right column one reads "Zhang a ru"
( 3 "4c); ^ the left, "Gao a" ( ,$? Q ). These must
simply be the names of two travellers. The characters were writ-
ten squarely, and the calligraphic style belongs between the so-
called "kai-shu" ( ^ ^* ) and "li-shu" ( ^ "^* ) forms. Accord-
ing to these stylistic grounds, the time when the inscriptions were
carved cannot be later than the Tang dynasty (618—906 A.D.).
The third Chinese inscription is at Thalpan, situated on the north-
ern bank of the Indus in the Chilas basin. The inscriptions here
are located immediately opposite those on the southern bank of
the Indus. Among the inscriptions classified as "Thalpan IV"
there are two Chinese characters which are placed beside engraved
stupas (DANI 1983: 2 35). Once more, a personal name is recog-
nized.+
* In the meantime readings by Prof. Dr. H. FRANKE and Prof. Dr. D.
SECKEL are available based on photographs made at different times of
the day. One more Chinese inscription was found nearby, (editor's remark)
+ In the meantime a further Chinese inscription was discovered by Prof.
141