Sand-Buried Ruins of Khotan by STEIN, Sir Aurel - 1903: Personal Narrative of a Journey of Archæological & Geographical Exploration in Chinese Turkestan.

London: T. Fisher Unwin, 1903. First edition. Octavo 8 3/4 x 5 3/4 inches; 221 x 145 mm). xlii, [1]-524 pp. With frontispiece and descriptive tissue guard. Color fold-out map at rear. Numerous black and white photographs in the text.

Original brown cloth. Front board and spine pictorially stamped and lettered in black and gilt. Top edge gilt. Extremities very slightly rubbed. Rear inner hinges just starting, with no loss of paper. Still, a near fine copy.

"The journey described in these pages was carried out in the year 1900-01, under the auspices of the Government of India. Its main object was the systematic exploration of ancient remains about Khotan and in the adjoining parts of the great desert of Chinese Turkestan. The fresh materials thus brought to light for the study of the early history and culture of those regions were so extensive that my full scientific report must, by reason of its bulk and cost, necessarily remain beyond the reach of the general public. I have therefore gladly availed myself of the permission accorded to me to publish independently the present narrative, which is intended to record for a wider class of readers my personal experiences and observations, as well as the main facts concerning my antiquarian discoveries." (From the Introduction).

HBS 68659.

$2,000.