Identity area
Reference code
Title
Date(s)
- 2018 (Creation)
- 781 (Creation)
Level of description
Extent and medium
Four rubbings on papers + typed explanation
Context area
Name of creator
Biographical history
Repository
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))
Notes area
Alternative identifier(s)
Access points
Subject access points
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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.