Splendour in Wood

Burmese wooden monasteries and related pavilions have not received the scholarly attention they deserve. This is unfortunate given the ephemeral nature of wood in a damp, tropical climate, with voracious insect life and the ever-present risk of floods, fire and earthquakes. Many extant structures are in a very dilapidated condition; the original donors have moved away, and/or their descendants no longer have adequate financial resources to maintain their forbears' work.