Sculptures from the temples are scattered far and wide throughout
Java, and it is one of the greatest difficulties of the archaeologist
to determine the origin of many of the most interesting specimens.
This, too, is often the case with those that have found their way to
the museums of Java and Europe (Batavia, Leiden, Haarlem, Berlin,
&c.). Minor relics of the past are to be found alike in the palaces of
the nobles and the huts of the highland peasants. Zodiac cups of
copper or bronze dating from the 12th or 13th century are in daily use
among the Tenggerese. The musical instruments used by the musicians of
the native courts are often prized on account of their great
antiquity.
As many of the Chinese came from China centuries ago and have not
ceased to hold intercourse with their native country, the houses of
the wealthier men among them are often rich in ancient specimens of
Chinese art. The special exhibition organized by Henri Borel and other
enthusiasts showed how much of value in this matter might be brought
together in spite of the reluctance of the owners to commit the
sacrilege of exposing to public gaze the images of their ancestral
gods and heroes. Borel has given exquisite examples of images of
Kwan-yin (the Chinese Virgin-Goddess), of Buddhas, of the ghoulish god
of literature, of Lie-tai-Peh (the Chinese poet who has gone to live
in the planet Venus), &c., in illustration of his papers in _L'Art
flamand et hollandais_, pt. v. (1900), a translation of his monograph
published at Batavia.
AUTHORITIES.--Besides the special works quoted _passim_, see Sir
Stamford Raffles, _History of Java_ (London, 1830); F. Junghuhn,
_Java: seine Gestalt, Pflanzendecke, und innere Bauart_ (Ger. trans.
by J. K. Hasskarl, Leipzig, 1854-1857); P. J. Veth, _Java,
Geographisch, ethnologisch, historisch_ (2nd ed., Haarlem, 1896-1903),
a masterly compendium originally based largely on Junghuhn's
descriptions; L. van Deventer, _Geschiedenis der Nederlanders op Java_
(2nd ed., Haarlem, 1895); L. W. C. van den Berg, _Le Hadhramout et les
colonies arabes dans l'archipel indien_ (Batavia, 1886); E. R.
Scidmore, _Java, the Garden of the East_ (New York, 1898); J.
Chailley-Bert, _Java et ses habitants_ (Paris, 1900); C. Day, _The
Policy and Administration of the Dutch in Java_ (London, 1904); E. S.
de Klerck, _De Java-Oorlog van_ 1825-1830 (Batavia, 1905);
_Encyclopaedie v. N. Indië_, art. "Java;" _Guide à travers
l'Exposition de Paris_ (The Hague, 1900), with articles by specialists
on each department of the Dutch colonies, more particularly Java;
_Koloniale Verslagen en Regeerings-almanak van N. Indië_, being
official publications of the Dutch and Dutch East-Indian Government
(see also MALAY ARCHIPELAGO). (H. A. W.; O. J. R. H.)
FOOTNOTES:
[1] It must be observed that Bavian, &c., are mere conventional
appendices to Java.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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