J 862.] Ancient Javanese Remains. J 7 



is said to have been visible on the spot when accident, in the year 

 1834, led to the discovery that a temple was concealed beneath. As 

 there is no soil bnt highly cultivated mould in the neighbourhood, 

 the ruins must have been buried by volcanic ashes. Indeed, there 

 can be little doubt that it had been covered by an eruption from the 

 nearest of the still active volcanoes, Mir Api, which, though the least 

 elevated of four magnificent cones that tower over the district of 

 Kadii, rises to a height of 9208 feet above the sea. The discoverer of 

 the temple was Mr. Hartman, the Resident (or as we should say 

 Commissioner) of Magelang, one of the ablest and most popular 

 officers of the Dutch government, and whose memory continues with 

 singular permanence in the recollection of the people. The interior 

 also of the temple was choked with soil, and according to the native 

 story that was told us, the bottom was deeply covered with bat's 

 guano, so that the labourers employed on the offensive business of 

 removing it got a rupee a day from Mr. Hartman. This would seem 

 to show that the eruption occurred long after the temple had been 

 abandoned. The adjacent soil now stands 3 or 4 feet above the base 

 of the building, but an area has been excavated all round to the 

 original level. All is now kept with that neatness and regard for 

 appearances which so eminently characterises the rulers of Java. The 

 temple is surrounded by a garden and fence, with a bungalow for 

 visitors. 



The general aspect of the temple is shown in the sketch which I pro- 

 duce, (Fig. 1), and strongly recalls that of some of the smaller ancient 

 temples in Burma. It stands on a basement of about 70 feet square 

 and from 15 to 16 feet high. The superstructure is about 45 feet 

 square externally, and its height including the basement I guessed 

 at about 65 feet. On three sides there is a very slight projection, 

 giving a quasi-cruciform plan to the building, and on the fourth a por- 

 tico now gone far to ruin, and a flight of steps descending from the 

 elevated basement. 



The entrance door is, as far as I could make out, towards the north. 

 I had no compass, and the sun was so nearly vertical, that I could 

 not satisfy myself of its precise direction. In other Buddhist tem- 

 ples that I have seen, whether in Java or Burma, the opening has 

 been to the East. 



The cube of the building has been surmounted by a pyramidal 



D 



