Page:History of Indian and Eastern Architecture Vol 2.djvu/516

 432 FURTHER INDIA. BOOK VIII. What is most remarkable in this temple of Bhima is its classic character. The ogee mouldings and their decoration, the corbel bed-mould of the principal cornice and the swags underneath and the egg and tongue mouldings round the niches, are all direct transcripts from classic sources, such as those of Gandhara. That which, however, is not in accordance with classic design is the cutting of the doorway through the mouldings of the podium ; this in a more recent example, the Chandi Arjuna (Plate L.), is avoided, the doorway being reached by a short flight of steps below, and curved stone rails terminated with rising Naga heads. It is a remarkable fact that in the temples of Java there is not a single example of a pier or column. When we think of the thousands that were employed by the Dravidians in the south of India, and the Jains in the north-west, it is curious they escaped being introduced here. The early style of Orissa, as mentioned above, is nearly astylar ; but in the Java temple this is absolutely so, and, so far as I know, is the only im- portant style in the world of which this can be predicated. What is not so curious, but is also interesting, is, that there is not a true arch in the whole island. In the previous pages, the Hindu horror of an arch has often been alluded to; but then they frequently got out of the difficulty by the use of wood or iron. These materials, however, do not seem to have been used in any Javanese temple, though the wooden origin of many of the decorative features can clearly be traced in them. Thus the pilaster strips which flank the doorways and the dwarf pilasters dividing the sculptured panels of the temple podium or platform are all enriched with boldly moulded capitals, bases, and central bands, evidently derived from wooden piers or columns. The bas-reliefs also at Boro- Budur (Plate LI.) and elsewhere abound in representations of pagodas and small houses, in which both the pier and column are clearly shown carrying wooden superstructures, and in some cases an upper storey with timber roof, carried aloft on a series of moulded piers or columns. Although, therefore, in the temples of Java all the architecture is in stone the decorative features are largely derived from secular buildings in timber. It may also be mentioned here, while describing the negative characteristics of Javan art, that no mortar is ever used as a cement in these temples. It is not that they were ignorant of the use of lime, for many of their buildings are plastered and painted on the plaster, but it was never employed to give strength to construction. It is owing to this that so many of their buildings are in so ruinous a state. In an island where