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vessel

MAS.4

clay

Overview

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Title

Fragmentary vessel with appliquŽ decoration. Only body and foot of the vessel remain, neck, rim and the two handles are missing. The body is roughly biconical, the foot flat and splayed. The decoration of the vessel consists of appliquŽ plaques as well as incised lines, dots and concentric circles. A band of oval jewels, each set within a bead border, runs round the angle of the shoulder. Above these, a band of leaf-shaped appliquŽ plaques runs around the vessel. Underneath each stump of the two handles is an appliquŽ mask showing the face of a man with a sad expression, a broad nose, bulging eyes and pointed ears with large round earrings. The vessel seems to have been mould-made, as no pottery marks are visible.;

Date

200 to 699

Find site

Yotkan

Measurement

height 20 centimetres, width 17.5 centimetres

Material

clay

Language / script

not applicable

Institution

British Museum

Provenance

Stein 1906-8

Find site identifier

Yot.

Stein site number

Yo.01.a

Find site description

Yotkan is the site of the ancient capital of Khotan, 5 miles to the west of the present-day Khotan town, on the southern arm of the Silk Road. (Serindia map no. 20, D. 4). Apart from many small terracottas and other artefacts acquired at the site of Yotkan itself, Stein bought other items from people in Khotan and elsewhere. He gave a different site id. to each of these to distinguish their provenance. On his first expedition he used the prefix Y. for this site and Yo. on his second expedition.

Short description : Yotkan is the site of the ancient capital of Khotan

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