In Myanmar there's a tradition of making lacquerware bowls, cups, boxes, and more that dates back to the 11th Century. The framework is made up of thin bamboo strips, before it undergoes a process of applying a lacquer they derive from lacquer trees.
The lacquer from the lacquer trees is coated on the bamboo framework. Each coat takes around a week to dry and all in all they will use around 19 coats of lacquer.
Men are responsible for the hard details, like shapes and patterns. Then it is passed to women who engrave the fine details. Some of the designs used date back to the 11th century and depict Buddha’s former existence.
Even a cup takes up to a year to complete. If you ever visit Bagan, I highly recommend visiting a lacquerware workshop. The one we visited is called Ever Stand, and they were incredibly welcoming.
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