A Glossary of the Tribes and Castes of the Punjab and North-West Frontier Province. Based on the census report for the Punjab, 1883, by the late Sir Denzil Ibbetson, K.C.S.I., and the census report for the Punjab 1892, by Sir Edward Maclagan, K.C.I.E., C.S.I. ROSE, H.A. (compiler).

First edition; 3 vols, large 8vo (26 x 18.5 cm); 4 plates, of which 3 coloured, final leaf of vol. I repaired, text of vol. II brittle with several tears and chips to margins, pp.123-4 loose and frayed but only a couple of words lost, pp.547-8 with loss to the outer third of the page, lacking pp.167-188, discreet stamps to reverse of title and half-title; modern brown rexine, gilt lettering to spines, a little shaken; ix, 14, [2], ii, 923, xlvii; iv, 573; [iv], 533 pp. Scarce. A rare survival of this important fragile production on the tribes of the Punjab and Pakistan. The census conducted by Sir Denzil Ibbetson (1847-1908) in 1882 was the first to use classification by occupation rather than the Brahmanic or caste system. He believed that the British adoption of the caste system, and belief in its Hindu origins, was misplaced and should be viewed as a social rather than religious construct. He wrote 'our ignorance of the customs and beliefs of the people among whom we dwell is surely in some respects a reproach to us; for not only does that ignorance deprive European science of material which it greatly needs, but it also involves a distinct loss of administrative power to ourselves'. Volumes two and three, containing the glossary of tribes from A to Z (this copy lacking twenty pages), were published first by S.T. Weston and include numerous appendices that list the different groupings or sub-groupings each tribe can fall into. The first volume, almost as big as the glossary itself, arrived five years after the second half of the glossary and contains extensive essays and notes on the people, culture, religion, and history of the Punjab and North-West Frontier Provinces. Religious sects are delved into such as Lamaism, Buddhism, sects of Jains, Nag worship, divisions amongst Islam, Sikhism, and more. The chapter on Sikhism, for example, examines belief but also history, and common stories, such as the life of Guru Nanak and the Legend of Banda Sahib, as well as details on specific shrines and important locations. Marriage and death rites, caste facial markings, decorations of buildings, and much more cultural information is included.