The Hand of the Artisan: An Encyclopedia of Cambodian Handicrafts

The Hand of the Artisan: An Encyclopedia of Cambodian Handicrafts

Chapter 1: The Spirit of the Clay: Cambodia's Ancient Art of Pottery Before the first great stone was laid at Angkor, before the glint of royal gold and the whisper of woven silk, there was the clay. The art of pottery is one of humanity’s oldest and most essential crafts, and in Cambodia, it is a tradition that stretches back thousands of years into the depths of prehistory. It is an art form born of necessity, but one that carries within its simple, humble forms the very spirit of the land and the enduring touch of the artisan’s hand. From the functional cooking pots that have nourished families for generations to the elegant glazed ceramics that once adorned the temples, the story of Cambodian pottery is a story of the earth itself, a testament to resilience, utility, and a quiet, enduring beauty. An Ancient Legacy in Earthenware Archaeological evidence confirms a legacy of pottery in Cambodia that long predates the rise of the Khmer Empire. Excavations have unearthed earthenware …