South East Asia
Pottery
The production of ceramics (kheuang pan din phao) occurs throughout Laos. Artisans create both glazed and and unglazed pottery. Members of the Lao and...
Metal
A wide range of smithing occurs in Laos to produce tools, jewellery and religious items. Blacksmiths (Lao: saang tii lek) may come from a...
Embroidery
Women belonging to various ethnic groups composing the population of Laos adorn cloth with post-weaving techniques, mainly appliqué and embroidery (pak saew). Cross-, satin-,...
Kaan pak tin (court-style gold couching and embroidery)
Prior to 1975, the monarchy and nobility of Laos were patrons of the arts, and women of the court couched and embroidered clothing and...
Basketry
Members of the diverse population of Laos continue to produce a variety of baskets (ka-ta). Men of different ethnic backgrounds interlace bamboo (phai) and,...
Khaen or khene (bamboo flute)
The bamboo mouth organ (Lao: khaen) is considered an identity marker of the Lao. Men belonging to other groups residing in Laos, such as...
Songkok (velvet headgear)
Songkok, also known as Kopiah, is one type of headgears worn by males which has been accepted as ceremonial headwear especially among the Malays...
Keris
Keris or Malay dagger is one of renowned weapons among the Malays. Making a superb keris requires great skills that come from years of...
Golden silk
During the twentieth century, the Cambodian silk industry went through major phases of growth and decline. Following World War I, silk production reached one...
Textiles
Silk traditions appeared in Cambodia in the tenth century. Though Khmer weaving techniques are quite similar to the ones of the neighboring countries, the...
Sandstone
Stone carving is particularly emblematic of Cambodia owing to its important use at the Angkor site, where numerous imposing bas-reliefs were sculpted on the...
Lacquer
Dating back about three thousand years in China, the art of lacquer rapidly spread to Southeast-Asia, and is thus one of the most ancient...