Ruins of Desert Cathay: Personal Narrative of Explorations in Central Asia and Westernmost China, in Two Volumes

Two volume set. Includes 342 illustrations, 6 panoramas and 3 maps. "Between 1900 and 1930, Sir M(ark) Aurel Stein, renowned Hungarian-British archaeologist, mounted four major exploratory expeditions in central Asia. He investigated ancient caravan routes between China and the West, followed in the footstephs of Marco Polo, traced Alexander the Great's eastern campaigns, mapped thousands of square miles of unknown terrain, and uncovered a wealth of manuscripts, paintings, art and other relics that testified to the ancient interchange between India, China and the classical West. In addition to major archaeological accomplishments, the expedition did invaluable mapping of little-known or unexplored regions, including the Nan Shan and Kun Lun mountain ranges of western China."--rear wrapper