8 PROCEEDINGS OF THE NATIONAL MUSEUM tol. 80 



One fragment is the neck of a large bottle or flask with the figure 

 of a person clinging to it. (PI. 2, a; No. 341358.) It is covered 

 with green ghize, and the orifice was molded over a stick or other 

 cylindrical object. It should be noted that glazed figures are rare 

 in the caves of Szechwan. 



A second specimen bearing green glaze is a fragment of a bell or 

 drum. (PI. 2, h; No. 341373.) The shape appears to have been 

 similar to the Chou dynasty drums in the Confucian Temple at 

 Peiping. 



Fowls are frequently represented among the clay offerings from 

 the Szechwan caves. Among others in our collection is the image of 

 a duck, supported by a circular base. (PI. 3, a; No. 342189.) On 

 the back is what resembles a small pot or vessel with a flat top. 



Chickens are frequently represented by the images found in the 

 caves of Szechwan Province. Perhaps none is more characteristic 

 than that shown in Plate 3, &, which represents a mother hen with 

 one baby chicken on her back and three others peeping from under 

 her breast. (No. 341385.) 



The dog also provided a favorite theme for the ancient sculptors 

 of Szechwan. Three such images are included in the series under 

 consideration. One is merely a head fragment (pi. 4, a; No. 341346) ; 

 another is the erect head and right foreleg of an animal at rest 

 (pi. 4, h; No. 341335) ; while the third is the well-modeled body of 

 a dog from which the head is missing (pi. 4, c; No. 342207). In the 

 case of the first two, both have flat noses and short, alert ears. Of 

 the numerous similar images examined by the writer, from the 

 Szechwan caves and from Chinese tombs dated in the Han dynasty, 

 only one had a pointed nose. Flat or pug noses, short ears, and 

 tails curled up over their backs are common ch'iracteristics of dog 

 figures from both the Szechwan caves and the Han dynasty graves. 



The image of the headless dog is especially interesting. Its tail 

 curls up over the back in true pug fashion. Harness is represented 

 by a collar around the neck and by a belt. These are joined together 

 at the back of the neck by a ring to which, presumably, a rope might 

 be tied. Several similar images having this type of leash have been 

 noted in various collections by the present writer. 



Our series includes several fragments of horses' heads and hoofs, 

 most of which are very artistically modeled. (PI. 1, a, No. 341411 ; 

 pi. 1, (\ No. 341381.) To juclo-e from these fragraonts and from 

 other specimens seen in West China, horses of the Szechwan cave 

 period were handsome, spirited animals. 



From our twentieth century point of view, none of the Szechwan 

 cave artifacts can possibly be more interesting than the images of 

 human beings. Several of those in the Smithsonian collection repre- 

 sent servants. One fragment shows the hand of a cook resting on 



