Fonds SC57 - Copy of the Inscription from the Nestorian Stele, China

Identity area

Reference code

GB 891 SC57

Title

Copy of the Inscription from the Nestorian Stele, China

Date(s)

  • 2018 (Creation)
  • 0781 (Creation)

Level of description

Fonds

Extent and medium

Four rubbings on papers + typed explanation

Context area

Name of creator

Biographical history

Archival history

The rubbings, copies of the original ones, were bought at the Museum's Visitors shop in 2006. One bears the authentication stamp in ink.

Immediate source of acquisition or transfer

The rubbings were donated to the Society by Jacob Ghazarian on 20 November 2018.

Content and structure area

Scope and content

Four rubbings of the inscription on the Nestorian (Xi'an) Stele, China. This Tang Chinese stele, erected in 781, documents 150 years of early Christianity in China. It is a limestone block 279 centimetres (9 ft 2 in) high with text in both Chinese and Syriac describing the existence of Christian communities in several cities in northern China. The four rubbngs are of:

  • Heading - 40 x 40 cm
  • Facing front side - 200 x 90 cm
  • Left side thickness of the stone - 200 x 30 cm
  • Right side thickness of the stone - 200 x 30 cm

With the rubbings is an explanation of them sent by Jacob Ghazarian.

Appraisal, destruction and scheduling

Accruals

System of arrangement

Conditions of access and use area

Conditions governing access

Open. Please contact the archivist. Details can be found here : https://royalasiaticarchives.org/. The archive is open on Tuesdays and Fridays 10-5, and Thursdays 2-5. Access is to any researcher without appointment but it will help if an appointment is made via phone or email. Please bring photo ID.

Conditions governing reproduction

Digital photography (without flash) for research purposes may be permitted upon completion of a copyright declaration form, and with respect to current UK copyright law.

Language of material

  • Chinese
  • English
  • Syriac

Script of material

    Language and script notes

    Physical characteristics and technical requirements

    Finding aids

    Allied materials area

    Existence and location of originals

    Existence and location of copies

    Related units of description

    Within our Glass Slide Collections there is an image of this stele (Glass Slide.14/(050))

    Related descriptions

    Notes area

    Alternative identifier(s)

    Access points

    Subject access points

    Place access points

    Name access points

    Genre access points

    Description control area

    Description identifier

    Institution identifier

    Rules and/or conventions used

    Status

    Level of detail

    Dates of creation revision deletion

    This catalogue was created by Nancy Charley, RAS Archivist, in 2024.

    Language(s)

      Script(s)

        Sources

        Accession area