The Angkorian period lasted from the early ninth century to the early fifteenth century A.D. In terms of cultural accomplishments and political power, this was the golden age of Khmer civilization. The great temple cities of the Angkorian region, located near the modern town of Siemreab, are a lasting monument to the greatness of Jayavarman II's successors. (Even the Khmer Rouge, who looked on most of their country's past history and traditions with hostility, adopted a stylized Angkorian temple for the flag of Democratic Kampuchea. A similar motif is found in the flag of the PRK). The kingdom founded by Jayavarman II also gave modern-day Cambodia, or Kampuchea, its name. During the early ninth to the mid-fifteenth centuries, it was known as Kambuja, originally the name of an early north Indian state, from which the current forms of the name have been derived. During the Khmer Rouge rule, Cambodian culture was essentially destroyed, but the traditional arts are now seeing a revival.  Some of the traditional arts being revived are those of textiles, silverwork, woodcarving, stone sculpture and painting.

Cotton is used to weave krama, a rectangular scarf with colorful checks and stripes and the sampot.  Sampots are skirts for women and those made with silk usually have colorful patterns with silk or gold threads weaved throughout.Metal work was revived in the early 20th century by the French in Cambodia.  Animal-shaped boxes that hold betel, a stimulant and tonic, were popular items that silversmiths produced.