In the second century BC, the Greek historian Antipater wrote a list of the seven greatest wonders of the ancient world; of these, only the Great Pyramid has survived. Sometimes however, civilizations can be rediscovered - and this is what happened when Borobudur, often called the eighth wonder of the world, was found again in the jungles of Java, south - east Asia.

It was in 1814 that Thomas Raffles became Governor of the island of Java. Unlike many other Europeans, he was interested in the history of the country and spent his time collecting as much information as he could.

In 1815, Thomas Raffles set off with a small party to see what he could find. They traveled for many weeks, and finally arrived at the site of Borobudur. Raffles was astonished by what he found. In front of him, almost covered by the plants and tall trees of the jungle, was one of the most magnificent buildings he had ever seen.