Page:History of the Indian Archipelago Vol 2.djvu/216

 196 ANCIENT RELTGrON OF THE of more recent construction than any of the rest. This classification is of utility, for it is connected with interesting circumstances in the history of the temples, and of the religion to which they were de- dicated. The most considerable and perfect remains of the temples of the first class are afforded in the ruins of Brambanan, situated partly in the district of Pajang, and partly in that of Mataram. Among the many groups of temples here to be traced, the most perfect and considerable is that vaguely termed by the natives of the country " the thousand temples J* The following short account of this group may serve for all others. The whole group occupies an area, which is an oblong square, of 600 English feet long, and 550 broad. It consists of four rows of small temples, inclosing in the centre a greater one, whose height is 60 feet* The temples are pyramidal buildings, all of the same character, co- vered by a profusion of sculpture, and consisting of large blocks of hewn stone. Each of the smaller tem- ples had contained a figure of Buddha, and the great central one, consisting of several apartments, figures of the principal objects of worship which, in every case that I have had an opportunity of examining, have consisted of the destroying power of the Hin- du triad, or of some of his family. To the whole group of temples there are four entrances, facing the cardinal points of the compass, and each guard-