A woman turning silkworm cocoons into silk threads at the Artisans Angkor silk farm
Besides the Angkor Archaeological Park, a main attraction in Siem Reap is the workshops and silk farm of Artisans Angkor. The organization recruits young people from rural areas in Cambodia to create traditional Khmer crafts for sale. It is free to visit both the workshops and the silk farm, and both are worth the time. The silk farm in particular is a valuable experience, as you learn how silk products are made from start to finish. You can’t help but leave with an appreciation for the tedious, time-consuming craft!
Of course in both the workshops and the silk farm there is a gift shop where you can purchase the crafts and support the organization.
-
- A woman painting a piece at the Artisans Angkor workshop
-
- Men demonstrating how pieces are plated in silver
-
- A woman carving a piece at the Artisans Angkor workshop
-
- A man carving a piece at the Artisans Angkor workshop
-
- Finished products at the Artisans Angkor workshop
-
- A sign explaining the life cycle of the silk worms
-
- Some of the silk worms at the Artisans Angkor silk farm
-
- A woman uses boiling water to separate out silk strands from the worms’ cocoons
-
- One of the contraptions used to manage the silk
-
- A machine spins the silk onto spools
-
- Samples of silk processed in different ways at the silk farm
-
- A man demonstrating how the silk is dyed
-
- Women demonstrating how a weaving frame is set up at the silk farm
-
- One of the looms at the Artisans Angkor silk farm
-
- A woman demonstrating the tedious, detailed job of weaving the silk into a final product
A Yank without a Chain 