Textile Description

A pidan, or ‘bitan’ as it is often pronounced, is a very special, elaborately designed pictorial silk textile used in Buddhist temples. The word pidan can be translated as ‘ceiling’ or ‘canopy’ and these textiles were often hung over, or near, the principal Buddha image in a temple. A pidan is distinguished from other silk textiles by its design of narrative scenes, which often relate to Buddhism. A pidan with religious scenes is never worn as clothing. Whereas most decorative Khmer craft, especially the decorative work in the structure of temples, is carried out by men, the weaving of ceremonial pidan was the work of women. The designs are produced by a painstaking method called ‘hol’ in the Khmer language, and known elsewhere by the term ‘íkat’. This process creates the desired pattern by tying the threads prior to dyeing. For each colour the threads must have new ties added, and/or the previous ones removed. Only after all the dyeing is finished can the weaving begin. The weaver must carefully align each new weft thread as she weaves, or the pattern will not be clear. The process thus involves much preparation and clear forethought of the design.

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Material: Tan earthenware with brown glaze

Recently, an archaeological excavation by the students of the Faculty of Archaeology and other looting by local people at Snay village (Battambang province) revealed ceramic vessels provisionally dated to two hundred years before the Christian era.

However, the ceramics of the Angkor period are well known.

Bernard-Philippe Groslier led expeditions to many sites in the Angkor complex to study objects by comparing them with the monuments where they were found. Unfortunately, his efforts did not allow him to establish a chronology of Khmer ceramics. According to his research, there were two methods of producing ceramics.

The first was a continuation of traditions from the Neolithic period, the second used a potter's wheel and firing at very high temperatures.

Despite Indian and Chinese influences, Khmer ceramics are characterised by their own shapes and decoration.

 The ancient Khmers produced three main categories of ceramics: for architectural decoration (roof tiles, decorative finial motifs, and etc.); for religious ceremonies: vases and statues; and some vessels used in daily life: cauldrons, storage containers, vases, ewers, and etc. Some ceramic objects had zoomorphic shapes such as fish, elephants, rabbits, horses and frogs.

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