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23.
[[underlined]]dChapter II.[[/underlined]]
of a staff or pole.
We saw no mirrors, and various persons have since specifically stated that none ^[[was]] [[strikethrough]] were [[/strikethrough]] included among the multitude of objects unearthed at Hsin Chêng Hsien.

[[underlined]] Inscriptions. [[/underlined]]
The surfaces of many of the bronzes before us were still partially encrusted with dried earth. Beneath this, I suggested in the course of our inspection, there might be concealed inscriptions which had as yet escaped notice. One such, already found, was thereupon shown to us ^[[(fig 7 [[strikethrough]] 8 [[/strikethrough]]) [[strikethrough]](pl. XIX) [[/strikethrough]]. It consisted of seven characters of archaic form, incised on the rim of a shallow rectangular vessel (called a [[underlined]]fang ch`i [[/underlined]] 方器), [strikethrough] (fig. 6) [/strikethrough]] like a tray, with everted sides and ends and bearing ring handles. This particular vessel differed in type and general appearance from any of the others which we saw.

A second inscription was subsequently found (although I have not seen it myself) on the [[underlined]] lao ting [[/underlined]] already mentioned (see page 20 and footnote 7). This inscription seems originally to have comprised some 40 characters, of which however considerably less than half could be made out (10). It therefore throws no additional light on any aspect of the Hsin
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(10) Regarding this vessel and its inscription (including a representation of a rubbing) [[underlined]] cf. [[/underlined]] vol. I, pl. 21 and the two pages immediately following, of the [[underlined]] Hsin Chêng ku ch`i t`u lu. [[/underlined]]
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Chêng find.

[[underlined]]Probable Dating of the Interment. [[/underlined]]
Upon the difference in appearance, just noted, between the inscribed [[underlined]] fang ch`i [[/underlined]] and the bronzes associated with it the late Mr.