The breechclout was a kind of Khmer traditional cloth, which the sovereign and its people have been wearing customarily since the prehistoric period.
In the present day, even though this dress had been abandoned by the modern people, we have noted that the majority of Mon-Khmer populations of Mondolkiri, Ratanakiri, South Vietnam, and Lao still continue to dress with it.
Even if they endorsed the culture and civilization of Indian (Kalinja), the Khmer of the Angkorian era did not abandon the attributes of our genuine civilization, considered as our own magnificent tradition since the ancient times. Both men and women, of the royal family and ordinary people alike used to wear breechclouts during Angkorian period.
There are testimonies giving evidence of the breechclout custom, in the sculptures of Banteay Chhmar, Angkor Wat, and Bayon temples. The powerful king, the constructor of thousand temples in the era of The Great Kingdom of Angkor, Jayavaraman VII, also were a breechclout similar to the ones worn by his subjects . This demonstrates that in spite of the influence of Indian civilization upon Khmer culture, the breechclout tradition perdured.
We initially lacked confidence concerning the source of the breechclout as originating from the foundation of culture in the prehistoric era, but we did not have any certain evidences to emphasize the truth.
Therefore, now it is become accurate since we have made discoveries giving evidence of this cultural reality such as colored painting on the septum of the mountains, figures of Stone Age people, and other objects made of bronze.
By looking at the sculptures of the Pre-Angkorian and Angkorian period, we will perceive the popularity of the use the breechclout. For instance, the sculpture of Narayana in Srithep City (Thailand today) and some in Angkor Borei (Takeo), the cultural inheritance of Funan (Nokor Phnom) period.
In conclusion, the popularity of using breechclout by the king as well as the citizens, is not mean Khmer did not know how to dress with the wrap-around skirt (Sampot) or Sarong made of raw-silk or to wear pluricoloured clothes . The breechclout custom above is a cultural testimony of the Khmer traditional mode of dressing since ancient times. (M.Tranet).
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