Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
entirely of stone, and elaborately carved. Near the base is 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 beautifully executed, some of the figures of animals in par-
ticular being easily recognisable and very accurate. The general design, as far as the ruined
state of the upper part will permit of its being seen, is very good, effect being given by an
immense number and variety of projecting or retreating courses of squared stones in place
of mouldings. The size of this structure is about thirty feet square by twenty high, and as the
traveller comes suddenly upon it on a small elevation by the roadside, overshadowed by gi-
gantic trees, overrun with plants and creepers, and closely backed by the gloomy forest, he
is struck by the solemnity and picturesque beauty 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 exterminated 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 number and beauty of the architectural remains in Java.
They have never been popularly illustrated or described, and it will therefore take most per-
sons by surprise to learn that they far surpass those of Central America, perhaps even those
of India. To give some idea of these ruins, and perchance to excite wealthy amateurs to ex-
plore them thoroughly and obtain by photography an accurate record of their beautiful
sculptures before it is too late, I will enumerate the most important, as briefly described in
Sir Stamford Raffles' 'History of Java.'
BRAMBANAM
Near the centre of Java, between the native capitals of Djoko-kerta and Surakerta, is the vil-
lage 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 separate
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 sol-
id stone, everywhere decorated with carvings and bas-reliefs, and adorned with numbers of
statues, many of which still remain entire. At Chandi Sewa, or the 'Thousand Temples,' are
many fine colossal figures. Captain Baker, who surveyed these ruins, said he had never in
his life seen 'such stupendous and finished specimens of human labour, and of the science
and taste of ages long since forgot, crowded together in so small a compass as in this spot.'
They cover a space of nearly six hundred feet square, and consist of an outer row of eighty-
four small temples, a second row of seventy-six, a third of sixty-four, a fourth of forty-four,
and the fifth forming an inner parallelogram of twenty-eight, in all two hundred and ninety-
