Traditionel dressed dancer in Siem Reap

Traditionel dressed dancer in Siem Reap

Typical female, or néang, costume consists of a silk garment called a sâmpót it is a type of sarong intricately woven with gold and silver threads. The sâmpót is wrapped around the lower body, pleated in the front and secured with a gold belt. Worn over the left shoulder is a shawl-like garment called a sbai (also known as the khnâng, literally 'back cover'), it is the most decorative part of the costume, embroidered extensively with tiny beads and sequins; the usual embroidery pattern for the sbai these days is a diamond pattern, but in the past there were floral patterns too. Under the sbai is a silk undershirt called an av with only a short sleeve on the left arm. Around the neck is an embroidered collar called a srâng kâr.

(The diapositive was scanned by Nikon CoolScan 5000ED, original Kodachrome 50 ASA, captured Dec. 2001.)