Bagan has been a centuries of lacquerware production for centuries. Ancient lacquerware bowls are on display in the lacquerware museum in Bagan. The lacquer sap is fromm the Melanhorrea Usitata tree found in cool regions. There are basically three types: gold on balck , either in relief or smooth designs, patterns etched with a stylus and filled with various colours or else painted on the surface; and solid colour wares.
Several layers of lacquer are applied over the frame of Bamboo strips .whether in etched work or plain one. Each layer of lacquer is allowed to dry for weeks and sometimes months for the multi-coloured designs , workmen etch lines in the polished surface that are later filled with colours. For the relief work, clay made of fine wood ash is mixed with a little lacquer and formed into strings. They are coiled and pasted onto the surface and later gilded with tissue-thin gold leaf . Unique to Bagan are flexible cups and bowled made by weaving strands of horsehair with the Bamboo.