104 



JAVA. 



[chap. VI l 



the base ib a course of boldly projecting blocks, sculptured 

 in high relief, with a series of scenes which are probably 

 incidents in the life of the defunct. These are all beauti- 

 fully executed, some of ilie figures of animals in particular 

 being easily recognisable and very accurate. The general 

 design, aa far as the ruined state of the upper part will 

 permit of its being seen, is very good, effect being given 

 by an inimense number and variety of projecting or re- 

 treating courses of squared stones in place of mouldings. 

 The size of this stiiicture is aliout thirty feet square by 

 twenty high, and as the trEiveller comes suddenly upon it 

 on a small elevation by the roadside, overshadowed by 

 fjigantic trees, overrun mth plants and creepers, and 

 closely backed by the gloomy forest, he is struck by the 

 solemnity and picturesque beaut}^ of the scene, and is led 

 to ponder on the strange law of progress, which looks so 

 like retrogression, and which in so many distant parts of 

 the world has extenninated or driven out a highly artistic 

 and constructive race, to make room for one which, as far 

 as we can judge, is very far its inferior. 



Few Englishmen are aware of the inimber and beauty of 

 the archit-ectural remains in Java. They have ne%'er been 

 popularly illustmted or described, and it will tlierctoro 

 take most persons by surprise to learn that they far sur- 

 pass those of Centi'al America, perhaps even tliose of India. 

 To give some idea of the^^e ruins, and perchance to excitt* 

 wealthy amateurs to explore them thoroughly and obtain 

 by photography an accurate record of their bnautiful 

 sculptures before it is too late, 1 will enumerate the most 

 important, as briefly described in Sir StaniFurd Raffles* 

 " History of Java," 



BRAAtBANAM, — Near the centre of Java, between the 

 native capitals of Djoko-kerta and Surakerta, is the village 

 of Brambanam, near which are abundance of ruins, the 

 most important being the temples of Loro-Jongran and 

 Chandi Sewa. At Loro-Jongran there were twenty sepa- 

 rate buildings, six large and fourteen small temples. They 

 are now a mass of ruins, but the largest temples are 

 supposed to have been ninety feet high. They were all 

 constructed of solid stone, everywhere decorated with can''- 

 ings and bas-reliefs, and adorned with numbers of statues. 



