IN JAVA; 363 



covcrable throughout the whole of the buildings. 



The next mofl powerful caufcs of dilapidations, are the earth* 

 i^uakes, fo frequent in thefe volcanic regions, under which may he 

 comprifed the conculHons, from the adive ftate of volcanos, the 

 crater of one of which is not perhaps 15 miks in a direct line from 

 the buildings, and the effe6ls of the eruptions of which may be traced 

 to within two or three miles of the tempies themfelveso 



A THIRD and effeftual fource of de{lru6lion is the removal of mate" 

 rials, for oeconomical purpofes, and of the images, and fculptures from 

 mifplaced curiofity- o^this fourcc there are ample traces, not to menti- 

 on that the neighbouring dyT^es, are chiefly compoftd of the ftones, of 

 the temples: in fome places, a Toni will be found as a xice mortar, 

 and in others the -Linga, buried in the ground to a fiifhcicnt length to 

 afford a convenient feat: at the town of Jyugyacarta I <iifcovered a 

 great many images, and traced a large portion of thern^ to Prambanan^ 

 Trom whence fome of thern, had been brought within a few years 

 vonly, 



A FOURTH fource of dedrucfeisn, which I chiiefiy flate on the ata- 

 •thority of the natives, has been the fearch for hidden treafure: evi- 

 dences indeed of ^he frequency of this praxftice, may be traced among 

 the ruins, in the pits furrounded by excavated earth, flones, and 

 rubbifh, which are fo often fecn. 



Among the caufjs of the dilapidation, of the temples of Pram" 

 hanan, I have not included, though it may at firfl fight appear -a 

 probable one, the effects of the fanaticifm of the early mahomedans: 

 my chief reafons for believing that religious zeal, had little fliare 

 in their deflruction, are in the firfl place that no marks of wilfuil and 

 malicious violence, are difcoverable cither in the temples of Pram- 

 hanan, or any other on the ifland: many of the images, which would 



