THE THOUSAND TEMPLES. 



47 



two smaller ones of the same general form. Accord- 

 ing to tlie clironology of the Javanese, it was built 

 in A. 1344. 



At Brambanan are seen extensive ruins of several 

 groups of temples, built of hoga blocks of trachyte, 

 carefully hewn and put together without any kind 

 of cement. The most wonderful of those giwps is 

 that of " The Thousand Temples." They actually 

 number two hundi'ed and ninety-six, and are situ- 

 ated on a low, rectangular teiTace, measuring five 

 hundred and forty by five hundred and ten feet, in 

 five rows, one within another ; a large central build- 

 ing, on a second terrace, overlooks the whole. This 

 was elaborately ornamented, and, before it began to 

 decay, probably formed, with those around it, one of 

 the most imposing temples ever reared in all the 

 East According to the traditions of the Javanese, 

 these buildings were erected between a. n. 1266 and 

 1296. 



These structures were doubtless planned and 

 superintended by natives of India. They were dedi- 

 cated to Hindu worship, and here the Brahmins and 

 Buddhists appear to have forgotten theb* bitter hos- 

 tility, and in some cases to have even worshipped in 

 the same temple. The Indian origin of these works 

 is fdiiher proved by images of the zebu, or humped 

 ox, which have been found here and elsewhere in 

 Java, but it does not now exist, and probably never 

 did, in any jmvt of the archipelago. 



As two Malays rowed me rapidly along in a 

 narrow, eanoe-like boat, I watched the clouds gather 

 and embrace the high head of Mount Prau. Only 



