LACQUERWARE

Traditional Myanmar lacquerware, or “Yun Hde”, is one of the country’s most famous handicrafts and has a very unique style. Myanmar Lacquerware has a long tradition and the art of Lacquerware had existed mainly at Bagan, central part of Myanmar in 11th to 13th century A.D. Myanmar Lacquerware is widely used as kitchen ware, jewelry boxes souvenirs, home decorations and petitions. One of the oldest lacquers was indeed discovered in the pagoda Mingalazedi, one of the built last with Bagan (at the 13th century). Bagan is the major center for the lacquerware industry where the handicraft is still practiced in the traditional manner. Myanmar Lacquerware is ‘hand-made products’ or ‘handicrafts’ and it is made of lacquer and molded bamboo strips. This work is difficult and time-consuming (six months to a year for a single item), involving teamwork and seven steps— making the inner parts, lacquering, drying, washing, polishing, 7 layers of lacquering and decoration.