via Phnom Penh Post, 23 April 2023: Cambodian artisan Til Channlin has made a career out of creating replicas of weapons used in the ancient Khmer Empire, such as bows, spears, swords and crossbows. The artist aims to revive the knowledge of how to make and use the weapons, and educate future generations about their history, as well as to sell his work to visitors.
The carvings on the walls of the Kingdom’s temple are windows into the way of life of Cambodia’s Khmer ancestors. Like the historic records of nearly all great civilisations, war – and the weapons with which it was fought – plays a significant role in the stories told by the ornate carvings that can be found at Angkor Archaeological Park.
Til Channlin, from Siem Reap province’s Chrey village, in Prasat Bakong district’s Kandek commune, has been fascinated with the weapons of the ancient Khmer since he was a young boy.
The ornate carvings that can be seen in the temples depict a range of martial tools, from swords and spears to bows and crossbows. Channlin now dedicates himself to creating authentic replicas of each of the weapons.
His replicas are attracting the interest of many visitors, and he has even earned praise from a grand master of Lbokator, the UNESCO-listed military fighting style of the ancient Khmer.
Source: Ancient weapons make return in Siem Reap | Phnom Penh Post
