Silversmith Adventure

[thetraveler]

We, myself and three friends, were cruising Inle Lake to see the sights and specifically to visit the Intha people crafts businesses.

Intha people live in stilt houses in this shallow lake and either farm the man-made islands or work as skilled silver and goldsmiths.







I saw a bracelet I would like to give as a gift to the women in the family and the shopkeeper, a beautiful woman in her 30's, was a bit taken aback when I asked for six of them but said they had the silver and could make the six bracelets if I cared to come back. I asked if I could stay and watch and there was no problem with that.

So they started by squeezing a rough silver ingot through various dimensions in this press,

[thetraveler]

Once they got the silver down to a relatively small dimension, they began drawing it through this die into successively fine wire.



Finer and finer, all by hand - or foot as it happened.





And then began the process of weaving the wire into a fine wesh.

[thetraveler]

When it progressed to the soldering stage, it was a mixture of charcoal blocks and modern gas pipes.


And eventually to assembly

[thetraveler]

It was really thrilling to see a fine result proceed right from an ingot of silver to the woven image.

Along with the final bracelets they gave me six little hand-made bags. Once home, I packaged up the bracelets individually in photo storage boxes sitting in the little bags and with a dozen photos of the process.

I'm fairly certain that I got as big a kick of the bracelets as any recipient.

The proprietor kept strict inventory records, weighing the ingot and wire on a primitive balance scale that looked older than anyone in our group.

[Sergio M.]

Lew,

A very interesting read and the visuals to go along with it.

Sergio

[Shadowman]

Nice rich captures.

[rpcrowe]

Great documentary with some really nice images...

I like all the images but, #3 blows my mind how he uses his toes like fingers

[thetraveler]

Another issue that always amazed me is that these people live most without running water and certainly no hot water yet they are scrupulously clean.


Here, in the shadow of the only auto overpass I saw in Yangon, one can get pedicures, manicures and ear cleaning for virtually nothing.

[rpcrowe]

Another issue that always amazed me is that these people live most without running water and certainly no hot water yet they are scrupulously clean.

I noticed how neat and clean their work space is. Image number two shows a working area that is certainly neater and cleaner than would be expected. I also thought that they must be exceptionally careful of the brazier they are using. Their building would go up like kindling if they were not careful...

[Kaye Leggett]

Another issue that always amazed me is that these people live most without running water and certainly no hot water yet they are scrupulously clean.


Here, in the shadow of the only auto overpass I saw in Yangon, one can get pedicures, manicures and ear cleaning for virtually nothing.

Just goes to prove, us westerners aren't so clever as we like to think