Editing Khmer architecture (section)

===Brick===
The earliest Angkorian temples were made mainly of brick. Good examples are the temple towers of [[Preah Ko]], [[Lolei]] and [[Bakong]] at [[Hariharalaya]], and Chóp Mạt in [[Tay Ninh]]. Decorations were usually carved into a stucco applied to the brick, rather than into the brick itself.<ref>Freeman and Jacques, ''Ancient Angkor'', p. 27.</ref> This was because bricks were a softer material, and did not lend themselves to sculpting, as opposed to stones of different kinds such as the Sandstones or the Granites. However, the tenets of the Sacred Architecture as enunciated in the Vedas and the Shastras, require no adhesives to be used while building blocks are assembled one over the other to create the Temples, as such bricks have been used only in relatively smaller temples such as Lolei and The Preah Ko. Besides, strength of bricks is much lesser as compared to the stones (mentioned here-in) and the former degrade with age.

Angkor's neighbor state of [[Champa]] was also the home to numerous brick temples that are similar in style to those of Angkor. The most extensive ruins are at [[Mỹ Sơn]] in [[Vietnam]]. A Cham story tells of the time that the two countries settled an armed conflict by means of a tower-building contest proposed by the Cham King [[Po klaung garai|Po Klaung Garai]]. While the Khmer built a standard brick tower, Po Klaung Garai directed his people to build an impressive replica of paper and wood.