Welcome to Paul's Apsara paradise. Apsaras were the celestial dancers for the God-Kings of the Khmer civilization who ruled the kingdom of Angkor in present day Cambodia a thousand years ago.
The rulers of Angkor were prolific palace and temple builders, and the walls of their buildings were covered with sculptures and bas-reliefs. Some represented stories from the life of the Buddha, or, on earlier temples, tales from the Ramayana. Some, however were dedicated to the Apsara, the embodiment on Earth of divine beauty.
Despite the depradations of wars and the passing of a thousand seasons, many fine examples of these Apsara sculpures still remain. The images on these pages are from a recent trip of mine to see the ancient splendors of the Kingdom of Angkor.
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