Splendour in Wood: The Buddhist Monasteries of Burma

Burmese wooden monasteries and related pavilions have not received the scholarly attention that they deserve. This is unfortunate, given the particularly 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 dilapidated condition; either the original donors have moved away or their descendants no longer have adequate financial resources to maintain a forebear's work. This book in…