I was not familiar with Aurel Stein, an archaeologist, whose remarkable journey along the Silk Road brought the Diamond Sutra of A.D. 868 and other treasures to England. Thief, or savior, you decide, as you put yourself in his time period. Without his heroics, perhaps a vast wealth of information would have been lost.
His discovery was made in the Caves of the Thousand Buddhas, near Dunhuang, in China. Unfortunately, what was once remote is now a tourist attraction. The scrolls have been removed for study and safe-keeping. Thanks to modern technology, you can see what is ancient, right here.
http://idp.bl.uk
Considering what Stein went through, it is quite amazing that we have access to the past at our fingertips, thought I found it did require some ingenuity to explore the site, as there is an incredible amount of information here, and the project is ongoing.