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These Papers are mainly concerned with excavations undertaken by David Stronach and John Hansman at Šahr-e Qumis in 1971 and 1976, and by David Stronach at Pasargadae in 1963. There is also the manuscript for Hansman's book, "Julfār, an Arabian Port", and more recent correspondence between Hansman and RAS Archivist, Nancy Charley.

Copy of the 'Notes of Excavation at Muqeyer during January and February 1858'. A handwritten manuscript with pencil drawings describing Taylor's excavations at Tell el-Muqayyar, Iraq, in ancient times known as Ur. This is a description of later excavations, not those first written about by Taylor (wrongly attributed as J.E. Taylor) in the 1855 Journal of the Royal Asiatic Society, under the title Notes on the Ruins of Muqeyer.

Paper originally titled "Description of the various classes of vessels constructed and employed by the natives of the coasts of Coromandel, Malabar and the island of Ceylon, for their coasting navigation". John Edye catalogues, classifies and provides short descriptions (with original drafts) of the main river and ocean-going vessels used in Southern India in 1829. The vessels covered range from fishing canoes to ocean-going Dhows and Baggalahs, and provide a comprehensive overview.

Papers of John Drew Bate with some allied correspondence of his Daughter, E.E. Bate.

John Drew Bate was not only an active missionary, but also interested in the wider culture of India and, in particular, the Hindi language. These papers reflect his interests, comprising mainly of notes and manuscripts for sermons, articles and books. He is particularly known for authoring the Hindi Dictionary, first published in 1875 with a later edition in 1918. His handwritten notes for this dictionary are included in the papers, along with Manuscript notes for a book on Islamic Studies.

• Copy of inscriptions from the East, West and South Walls of a "large cave" in Nanaghat. This document is dated as being in Edinburgh in 1877.
• Collection of Urdu letters which have been identified as dating to around 1866 and being addressed from Punjab. They appear to be petitions from soldiers addressed to the British authorities. There are 8 letters.
• Collection of John Dowson's notebooks. They include three of Dowson's personal English-language notebooks dated to 1844, which tell the story of Drona from the first book of the Mahabharata (possibly copied from another source). There is also a fourth notebook in Urdu which seems to be a diary, journal or copies of more letters, and includes a 1 page Urdu-English dictionary.

The papers consist of two sets of manuscripts and notes:

• Draft Manuscript and Notes towards a book on the Azerbaijan Crisis
• Draft Manuscript and Notes for a book on Old Tehran made by John Cecil Cloake and Margaret Cloake during his posting to Tehran with allied Correspondence.

Parts 2,3,4 and 5 of the 'Etymological Vocabulary of Chinese, Japanese, Korean and Ainu' by Johannes Rahder of Yale University. The second and third parts were privately printed in 1959, the fourth in 1960 and the fifth in 1962, all in New Haven Connecticut, USA. These are typed manuscripts.

• Part 2 runs from page 75-157 with ten pages of Abbreviations and a title page. On this first page of the text is the handwritten note 'pages 1-74 form the first part of J. Rahder's Etymological Vocabulary of Chinese, Japanese, Korean and Ainu (first edition printed in Tokyo 1956 as Monograph 16 of Monumenta Nipponica, Sophia Univ; 2nd revised and enlarged edition New Haven 1960).' Foolscap sheets.
• Part 3 has a title page and 66 pages of content. Foolscap sheets.
• Part 4 has a title page, three preface pages and 38 pages of content. Foolscap sheets.
• Part 5 has a title page, 1 preface page and 45 pages of content. Sheets 28cm x 22cm.

Correspondence with J.E. Talbert concerned with him acting as a tutor, finding a partner, requiring a secretary and looking for accommodation. These are:

• Correspondence from R.A. Cottman, Dorchester, Dorset, concerning Talbert providing 'practical instruction'. Handwritten, 3 letters dated 14 June 1945, 21 June 1945 and undated.
• Correspondence with Phyllis A. Bamattre, Social Agent, Leicester and London, concerning the possibility of Talbert being introduced to a possible partner. The material contains 3 typed letters from Phyllis A. Bamattre to J.E. Talbert with accompanying instructional leaflets and lists of ladies on her books, and 1handwritten draft letter from Talbert to Bamattre given his choice to pursue further. 39 pieces, dated 14 June - 18 August 1945.
• Correspondence from Edith Evans, Eccleshall, Staffordshire, concerning a potential friendship. Handwritten, 2 letters, dated 30 July - 15 August 1945.
• Postcard from Gilbert Marshall, Secretary, D.M.C.A., Bournemouth asking Talbert for more details so he may be able to help. Typed, dated 24 August 1945.
• Correspondence concerning Talbert's advertisement for a Secretary: a typed letter from Constance M. Bird with enclosed reference, 2 pieces, dated 4 September 1945; and a handwritten letter from Joan Eyers, 1 piece, dated 4 September 1945.
• Correspondence concerning Talbert's need for accommodation: correspondence from C.A. Rich to offer a room and then withdraw the offer, 2 letters, handwritten, dated 12 and 18 September 1945; a letter from Lucy Horrell to provide particulars of a room, handwritten with typed particulars, dated 1 October 1945; and a letter from R. Thurston to inform they have received his application from the Bureau of Accommodation and can offer what he requires, handwritten, dated 21 October 1945. These are all located in the Bournemouth area.
• Envelope addressed to the Secretary, Royal Asiatic Society, 56 Queen Anne Street, London, postmarked, Bournemouth, Poole, 23 August 1947. The postage paid was inadequate and there are two postage due stamps each for four old pence. On the reverse are stickers stating, 'Medical Post'.

"Journal of a Mission to the Government of some of the Lower Provinces of Siam". A handwritten unbound manuscript of 94 sides describing James Low's Mission to the Rajah of Ligor in 1824. The manuscript is dated 1824 but there is a postscript explaining the main purpose of the mission, dated 1 January 1846. The manuscript bears many alterations and annotations. These Papers are not the same as the article, "Extracts from the Journal of a Political Mission to the Raja of Ligor in Siam. By Capt. James Low, M. N. I. and M. A. T. C.", published in the Journal of the Asiatic Society of Bengal, July 1838.

With the manuscript are photocopies of printed articles. These are: Report on Lieutenant Low's Public Mission to His Highness the Rajah of Ligor, pp.1-11, unknown source. Journal of a Public Mission to the Rajah of Ligor, pp.12-21, incomplete, unknown source.

There is a single item within these fonds presented to the Royal Asiatic Society by James Caulfeild at the same time as presenting a copy of the manuscript, Pṛthvīrāja-rāsau, to the Society. It is the "Contents of the History of Prithee Raja" (Pṛthvīrāja-rāsau), the poems of Chand. In the document Caulfeild provides a translation of a chapter as a specimen, a sketch of the contents of all the chapters and a list of the thirty-two sciences which none but the most famed for wisdom were supposed to be masters. This is a handwritten document on foolscap paper, 23 pages, 44 sides.