12 M. A. Stein — Neiv inscriptions discovered by Major Deane. [No. 1, 
No. 54 comes from tlie vicinity of Ghorband which is described by 
Major Deane as a “ range of hills running parallel with the Indus for a 
short distance and northward or possibly a little N. W. from the Ilm 
and Dossira mountains.” A few of the simple characters shown by this 
inscription occur also in the Mahaban group. Others, however, in 
particular the compounded (?) signs in the first two lines which are 
attached to horizontal strokes, I have not been able to trace in the large 
number of inscriptions we already possess of that type. 
Until a larger number of inscriptions is obtained from that region, 
it must be left undecided whether we have in Nos. 52-54 fresh types of 
writing or only marked local variations of one or the other known 
group, such as M. Senart has very appropriately suggested (p> 18 note) 
in the case of Nos. 25 and 26 of his series. 
The impressions reproduced in Nos. 55-60 exhibit a series of large 
Sgraffitti which are found engraved on rocks situated close together at a 
point on the upper course of the Swat river. Most frequent among 
them are signs which seem nothing but variations of the Tri^ula 
symbol. In the largest of these ‘inscriptions’ No. 55, and also in 
No. 56 there appear a few signs which faintly resemble Devanagarl or 
Carada letters. On the whole, however, it is improbable that we 
have in these detached markings anything more than emblematic signs 
or possibly ideograms of an unknown system. 41 
Large as the number of inscriptions is, which has rewarded 
Major Deane’s search during the last two years, we look yet in vain 
among them for one which would furnish a clue to the puzzling 
characters they display in so bewildering variety. The new inscrip¬ 
tions exhibit as little as those contained in M. Senart’s publication 
any well-defined groups of characters which by their repeated occur¬ 
rence in particular positions might allow of some conclusion as to their 
significance or the character of their language. 
There are not wanting in the new inscriptions stray signs which 
show a curious resemblance to the characters of one or the other known 
alphabets. But after what M. Senart and Prof. Buhler have said on 
this point, it is scarcely necessary to emphasize how hazardous it would 
be to take the mere resemblance of a few characters, unsupported by 
other evidence, as the basis for further speculations. 
In view of these circumstances it appeared as if we should have to 
wait with resignation for the discovery of a bilingual stone or some 
other lucky accident of this kind, before we could approach even the 
preliminary question of the origin and date of these puzzling mouu- 
4 [For further information regarding the position of these rock-carvings and 
the manner of their reproduction compare the “ Supplementaiy Notes,” p. 17 below.] 
