For the Khmers, shadow puppetry is the oldest and most revered form of “storytelling,” dating all the way back to the seventh century. The pre-Angkorian shadow play “Sbek Thom” was staged in rice fields or temples on three or four occasions per year, including the Khmer New Year, the birthday of the King, and the veneration of notable people. In 2008, the “Sbek thom” was added to the UNESCO list of Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity because of the remarkable non-articulated leather puppets that come to life through the exact movements of the animators. Today you will have the chance to chat with some artisans from the area and observe the creation of Khmer leather puppets, or Sbaek. Hear how the local artisans describe their processes, including how they sketch, how they carve, and how they manipulate the light and shadow within the panel to make the figures visible.

Notes:

• Suggested time: 10:00 or 15:00
• Duration: 1 hour (visit and interaction with the artisan only), combinable with sightseeing in Phnom Penh 
• Accessibility: All vehicle types