Is near built on Ethereum?

Could you please clarify for me if the Near protocol is actually built upon the Ethereum blockchain? I'm trying to understand the technical foundation of Near and how it differs, if at all, from other cryptocurrencies that might be based on Ethereum. Would it be accurate to say that Near leverages Ethereum's technology in some way, or is it a completely independent platform? I'm particularly interested in knowing if Near's architecture incorporates any elements from Ethereum's design, and if so, how does this influence its functionality and scalability? Thank you for your assistance in helping me gain a deeper understanding of this topic.