12 THROUGH CENTRAL BORNEO 



magnificent ancient structure which at its base forms 

 a sc^uare, with the length of the side 150 metres, and rises 

 to a height of more than 30 metres. At first sight it docs 

 not seem as large as expected, but on entering the first 

 gallery one is struck by the monumental magnitude and 

 unique beauty of the edifice. 



Built uj)()n a small liill from blocks of trachyte, it 

 consists of twelve terraces rising one above another, and 

 connected by staircases. The uppermost terrace, fifteen 

 metres in diameter, has a dome. Each gallery is sur- 

 rounded by a wall adorned with niches in handsome 

 settings, each containing a life-sized Buddha, with legs 

 crossed, soles turned downward. There are 432 such 

 niches, and from this great number of statues of the 

 famous religious founder the place probably derived its 

 name, Boro Budur equals Bara Buddha (Buddhas without 

 number). 



There are no less than 1,600 bas reliefs, handsome 

 carvings in hard stone mostly representing scenes from 

 the life of Buddha and "which must," says Wallace, "oc- 

 cupy an extent of nearly three miles in length. The 

 amount of human labour and skill expended on the Great 

 Pyramids of Egypt sink into insignificance when compared 

 with that recjuired to complete this scul|)tured hill- 

 temple in the interior of Java." It dates from the eighth 

 or ninth century after Christ, and in reality is not a 

 temple, but a so-called dagoba, dedicated to the keeping 

 of some Buddhist sacred relic which was deposited in 

 the dome, its principal part. In the beautiful light of 

 afternrK)n the walk throii;;h the g.illeries was especially 



