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- devotional imagery or sculptures, although the surging popularity and influ�ence of Buddhist imagery was more crucial in convincing Shinto clergy that they must follow suit.
Although the structural form of ancient Shinto shrines is unknown, it is quite likely that they resembled domestic dwellings. Later shrines, however, were distinguished by horn-like finials called chigiand ridge billets called katsuogi on the roof ridge, which never appeared on private residences. The chigi, found on each end of the roof, are inter-sectional timbers originally supported from the ground to provide additional stability for the roof-ridge. Katsuogi are short, round pieces of wood placed on the straw-thatched shrine roofs, originally as weights. Both have gradually become purely ornamental.
Among the oldest and most venerated Shinto shrines in Japan are the Ise and Izumo Shrines. The Ise Shrine, which is highly esteemed by both the imperial court and the common people, is the centre of the Shinto cult and is the foremost of all Japanese shrines. It was probably modelled after a ruling class dwelling or maybe even the emperor�s palace. It was established as the shrine of the Sun Goddess of the emperors around the late fifth to early sixth centuries. Much of its early architectural style has been faithfully preserved by the unique practise (known as shikinen sengu) of rebuilding the shrine on an adjacent, alternate lot every twenty years to ensure ritual purity and to maintain it in a state of perfection. Once the new shrine was finished, the old one was dismantled. Shikinen sengu was carried out at many Shinto shrines throughout the country, but the enormous cost, the difficulty of getting the special lumber and of assembling experienced craftsmen eventually put an end to this practice between the fourteenth and sixteenth centures. From this time on, shrines were made of more permanent materials. The Ise Shrine alone has been regularly rebuilt every twenty years for the last thirteen centuries, except for a span of about 120 years in the fifteenth and sixteenth centuries. Its most recent reconstruction, the 60th, took place in 1973. It required 13,200 trees and employed about 300 shrine carpenters for almost 10 years. The purest example of early Japanese architecture, Ise is famed for its simple form and use of natural materials.
The Great Shrine of Izumo, Japan�s oldest, is dedicated to the god Ona- muchi-no-Mikoto. According to ancient records, Emperor Suinin rebuilt the shrine around the first century A.D. in the same style as his palace. This particular style of shrine is known as Oyashiro or Taisha.
The styles of Shinto shrines vary according to their location and the date of their first construction. Some shrines adopted new elements and became more refined in successive reconstructions. The earliest Shinto shrines, with their simple lines, were unaffected by the appearance of Buddhist architecture in the early sixth century, but later models feature the curved lines of Buddhist buildings. From the outset Buddhism and Shinto compromised with each other�s faith; their styles in architecture also intermingled from aboutthe eighth century. Buddhist temple buildings were constructed inside Shrine precincts or, conversely, a Shinto shrine might be erected in a Buddhist temple compound to provide the protection of the local kami.
The early proximity of Buddhist temples and Shinto shrines encouraged the incorporation of native Shinto gods into the Buddhist pantheon. This resulted
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