48 AGE OF JAVAN MONUMENTS.
Paragraph 3. —Remains of Ancient Artqn Java.
The remains of ancient art discovered in Java afford an
authentic confirmation of the principal facts recorded in
history, though they do not lead us to any precise notions on
the chronology, of the Javan states.
The remains o f ancient palaces and royal tombs, but particularly
of ancient temples, of numerous images of stone
and brass, and of inscriptions on the same- materials, all
dedicated to religion, point out the seats of the native states,
and -tradition has preserved their names. The chief states
which existed in the three centuries preceding the conversion:
to Islam were Doho, Brambanan, Madang-Kamolan, Jangola^
Singhasari, Pajajaran, and Majopahit. The last, which was
the most famous Indo-Javanese state, was destroyed A. i). 147%
after a duration, as Mr. Crawfurd supposes, of a century and
a half. Its sovereigns extended far the influence of their
arms and arts. Palembang, founded by them in Sumatra,
was colonised by Javanese. The ruins of Doho are top
markable; they are referred by Mr. Crawfurd to the year
1195 b. c.#
The religion of Java was a modified Buddhism, or-perhaps
the original form of that worship. Idols of the Hindfi'gods
received adoration, particularly Siva, but without the appalling
and indecent ceremonies, and the images of Buddha represent
him, not as a deified person, but as a reforming saint.
From these observations Mr. Crawfurd concludes that the
Buddhism of the Javanese was the primitive form of that
religion, which was set forth, not as the worship of a new
divinity, but as a reformation of the Brahminical system of
the Hindus,—a proof that the religions of Brahma and
Buddha are essentially the same, the one being only a modification
of the other^ If this be correct, the religions of
the Burmahs, Siamese, and Singhalese must be considered
as_ distortions and corruptions of genuine Buddhism.
* Crawfurd, History of the Indian Archipelago, vol. ii. p. 299.
f History of the Indian Archipelago, ii. p. 298.
QUIT I ES J lv A. 49
The antiquities ,of Java,consist of temples-, of images, and
of inscriptions!” ƒ
The architectural remains,;. are scattered over the best part
of theiisland .fi'om Cheribon?torthe* western -extremity. They
Hfei.abundant in* the..-most fefctil<l*.spots-uatUthe mountain
Praha, in; Mataram, Pajangj and Malang‘.*i;Tfe@y teemf four
kinds. 1, large groupes of small templesy of hewn- stone, each
occupied fey a statue; •' 2, high temples ©frgreat size/'ef Hewn
stoney%cenpymg the/sunimits of hiltej Ry high temples of
brick,with: an excavation*, .% rude templtes tef -more ittecent
,eops(truetioa.,
The images and figures discovered fin these.temples have in
many instances a genuine Hindhstytemnd decorations In
mahy^of them thei worship 6f. Siva t and i Duc^Jisrpourtrayfedy
and seems to ha®e| been, joedebrjated gg: hut : Buddhispisappefars
to. have been/ th e . most prevalent 1 sect, a Mi*iCrawfurd has-
dTawp^some inferences .from these.remains calculated, as he
tfeinks, to,throw Jlghtjorn thf Javan history.-, v
tThe, ancient.anscriptionS., founda.in Java are,axrcmdmg>to
Mr* Crawfurd,* ipf >fbnr kitMs. 1. The first (are-Sanskrit
inspriptipos jn d h q lh a va-neguri character. pjjh The secondare
inscriptions in the ancient Javanesevor Kawi. 3.*The third
are inscriptions. in'the* present Javanese,; but ito an antiquated
and brnba^ons form.2 4. The fourth tee i inscriptions which
cannot be deciphered, and are probably; composed in the
character in which the ||unda; language. 4s writteue
It does not appear that any of the remains t of ancient art
enable us to carry back- the date of Javao^e.^mviIi^®&)n’ son
Hindu models to ,a very remote {period. . There tee none'so
ancient as the undoubted date of Indian coImMsation.
We shall hereafter; proceed to inquire intov the. priimtive
state of the Archipqlagp and its inhabitteits pbuti we iaust
first consider the. facts which .bear;,: upon a > very, < obscure
sufeject,—namely, the history,, as far -’-as it > is poss ibie to
collect anything that can bear that name, of the Malayo-
Polynesian tribes, situated be^oqd the sphere of influence
exercised by Java and the Kawi literature.
* Crawfurd’s Hist, ofhhe Indian Archipelago, vol. ii, p.24.
VOL. V.