28 
Ancient Javanese Remains. 
[No. ], 
sculptured upon it, the decorations apparently having been panels ot 
diaper work chiefly. I give a sketch of the beautifully executed 
doorway, chiefly on account of the singular ornament at the lower 
angle of the door-frame, representing what I must call for shortness 
an arabesque sea monster, and exactly similar to a constant ornament 
over the openings of the great Pagan temples on the Irawadi. (See 
Fig. 8). It is found also in Southern India. The small cells or 
chapels are each about 10 or 11 feet square. Their walls are carved 
with mythological figures in bas-relief, and each has been crowned 
by a small dagoba of the genuine Buddhist pattern. They all open 
outward, except the 3d row which stands back to back with the outer 
row, # and each has contained a cross-legged Buddha, of which some 
remain. There are groups of modern temples about Calcutta and 
Burdwan, somewhat similar in general arrangement. Mr. Fergusson 
appears to doubt whether he should not class this as a Jain temple. 
I know little about Jains, but will answer for it that any Burmese 
would find himself at home in it as a monument of unmistakeable 
Buddhism. 
Guarding the outer end of the avenue, by which we approached, 
are two gigantic warders, standing or rather kneeling, about 9 feet 
in height, with club grasped in the right hand, and a snake which 
twists round the body grasped in the left, with crisped hair and great 
staring eyeballs; also closely resembling the similar figures in mar¬ 
ble and in stucco which are so common in Burma. (Fig. 9.) 
The central temple is apparently that which is represented in the 
plates to Rafflesf as the “ Great Temple at Brambanan,” whilst one 
of the cells is represented,^; as “ one of the smaller temples at Bram¬ 
banan.” It strikes me, however, that they are both very inaccurate, 
and the elaborate restoration of the great temple which is given in 
PI. 40 is, I have no hesitation in saying, preposterously improbable. 
In conclusion, as it is a point of some interest, I may note that Mr. 
Crawfurd says,§ that, though the interior vault of the temples is a false 
one, “ the builders of Brambanan had possessed the art of turning 
an elliptical arch and vault, for the entrances or doorways are all 
arched, and the roofs all vaulted.” I think this is another instance 
* This from Raffles’s plate. 
t 2d edition, PI. 39. 
J PI. 41. § History of Indian Archipelago, II. 196. 
