User:Atcovi/ART101-A02

Aaqib F. Azeez Dr. Marshman 12/5/2022 ART101-A02

The two structures I will compare are Durham Cathedral in Durham, England, and Angkor Wat in Cambodia. Both structures existed relatively close to each other (around 1000 CE) during the Early Medieval Era. The cathedral is located towards the "bend" of the river and was created to preserve the relics of St. Cuthbert, a popular English saint. The relics were thought to have performed miracles.

The Durham Cathedral reflects the Anglo-Norman Romanesque style (similar to the Saint-Etienne Cathedral in Normandy, France), therefore it is fortified, consists of several round arches, and has a very decorative surface. The cathedral has massive piers to support the building and is decorated with massive windows to allow light to enter inside.

On the other side of the world, the Angkor Wat was developed by the Angkor empire, one of the most powerful empires in ancient Southeast Asia. This seems to be a collection of temples-built overtime by several Angkor kings for a clear, religious purpose (to approximate the plan of the universe, according to Hindu-Buddhist beliefs). The Angkor Wat is surrounded by a body of water and were decorated with scenes from Indian epics. In about every area of the temple complex, one can find statues of Hindu-Buddhist deities (Vishnu, for example). The Angkor Wat managed to preserve their luscious history against the elements of nature and is visited by tourists every year.

Both are obviously similar in that they are both religious structures. Durham Cathedral is an example of Christian worship while Angkor Wat is an example of Hindu-Buddhist worship. Both forms of worship differ greatly and approach the essence of worship differently. The cathedral is exceptionally large and is decorated with artistic patterns. The temple complex is decorated with scenes of Indian epics and idols. Both structures are placed with a surrounding body of water, indicating that both empires were dealing with invaders.

Another difference that I personally can see is that Angkor Wat seems to "unify" both Hinduism and Buddhism together through this temple complex. I've personally never seen a religious structure made in such a way. Both religions are quite similar so it’s easy for them to "unite" together. Is this why we don't see any major conflicts between Hinduism and Buddhism throughout history?