Dating from the 15th Century, marionette performances (zat) in Burma were used more for education and communication than entertainment, and were important for making social comments and instructions bi-directional between the King and his subjects. (The use of puppets to present otherwise taboo or sensitive subjects to a conservative audience is still embodied in contemporary Japan, where animation is far more lurid than acted films.)

Performances usually begin around 8:30 PM, and often last until dawn, depending on subject and main characters (performances are still being given in Burma), unless done for a foreign audience.

There are generally 28 different puppets in a troupe, with at least 8 more supplementary characters which can be added. They include nobility, the less than noble, and a full assortment of personalities one would find at any medieval court, as well as a menagerie of animals, ogres, and dieties.

We've put together a small collection of the more colorful and bizarre of these marionettes. Although not antiques, they have been made with traditional methods and materials, including all hand- stitching, and are of the highest quality.

For a lovely small book on the subject of the Burmese marionettes (their history, methods of construction, and social importance), with numerous illustrations, please see Ma Thanegi's The Illusion of Life.