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Author: Stein, Aurel
Title: Ruins of Desert Cathay. Personal narrative of explorations in Central Asia and westernmost China
Place Published: London
Publisher:Macmillan & Co.
Date Published: 1912
Description:

2 volumes. xxxviii, 546 + [2] ad; xxi, [1], 517 + [2] ad pp. Profusely illustrated with plates from photographs; color plates of frescos, wall paintings, etc.; folding panoramas; 3 folding color maps. 23.5x16 cm (9?x6?"), original brick-red cloth with embossed gilt medallions on front covers, spines lettered in gilt, top edges gilt. First Edition.

Travels and investigations in central Asia, Tartary, and the outlying regions of China by the naturalized British archaeologist, born in Budapest in 1862. Inspired by Sven Hedin, Stein took part in several expeditions in Central Asia, gathering numerous artifacts and antiquities. The British Library's Stein collection of Chinese, Tibetan and Tangut manuscripts, Prakrit wooden tablets, and documents in Khotanese, Uighur, Sogdian and Eastern Turkic is the result of his travels. By some he is considered a grave robber, by others a rescuer of artifacts that would otherwise have been lost to history. He died in 1943, and is buried in Kabul, Afghanistan.

Slight bumps at spine ends and corners; hinges cracked; maps nicely preserved with only minuscule stubtears; very good.