Cambodian Ikat Weaves

From the textiles of Angkor Wat we move to the 19^th century where we find documentation by colonial rulers about Khmer textiles.

Fourteen religious paintings on cotton cloth, suspended vertically down the pillars of the Buddhist vihear (temple) dated to 1877 have been documented. The French resident on the early 20^th century has recorded the offering of ‘Pidan’ canopy or banners as part of a Buddhist religious rituals.

Since Buddhism was practised in the Angkorian period, it is likely that these textiles also existed in that period, and maybe what we see today is an evolved form of the ones created then. We will never know !

Pidans usually depict the Jataka tales or the life of Buddha. Other silk textile banners are woven in geometric patterns or as ship cloths.

Some present-day Pidans :

The single Ikat technique is used to weave Pidans.

Pic 68 – 73

The textile weaving region of Cambodia is in the Takeo province, nearer to Phnom Penh than to Siem Reap. The nearby countries and the 6 hill tribes of the golden triangle produce some great supplementary weft weaving too. Someday I hope to go there to explore more khmer, siam, cham, laotian and hill tribe textiles……… One more desire added to my list !!

jm

written a few years ago!