For the millions of tourists who have seen the intricate stone carvings on the temples of Angkor, it would be no surprise to discover that Khmer stone carving is considered among the finest in the world. Between the 9th and 13th centuries, carvers of the Angkor and pre-Angkorian periods were unrivaled.
The land is rich in sandstone, and few empires could match the productivity seen during Angkor period when millions of sandstone blocks were used to build hundreds of majestistic temples.
Thanks partly to the survival of those works of art, contemporary stone carvers have maintained the quality of their ancient ancestors. While modern creations have emerged, the local stone carvers of the Angkor area are dedicated to learning and retaining the techniques, styles and designs of the master carvers who created the lasting monuments that make the area a tourist Mecca.
The wide range of Khmer stone carving available at the Fair Trade Village includes statues, candleholders, and decorative items with Angkorian patterns.
