This is a rare authentic 1960's rice paper and charcoal rubbing of a devata aspara stone bas-relief at the Angkor Wat temple complex. It is professionally framed in a silver metal frame with protective glass.
Asparas are female spirits of the clouds and waters in Hindu and Buddhist culture. They are often equated to fairies, nymphs, and angels in western culture. Asparas belong to the group of Hindu-Buddhist heavenly beings known as Devatas, which often occur in Hindu epics and also some Buddhist holy scriptures.
The Angkor Wat temple complex is one of the largest religious monuments in the world. Originally constructed as a Hindu temple dedicated to the god Vishnu, it was gradually transformed into a Buddhist temple towards the end of the 12th century. The temple is admired for the grandeur and harmony of its architecture, its extensive stone bas-reliefs, and for the numerous devatas adorning its walls.
Angor Wat was declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1992. The Cambodian government created a management authority responsible for protecting the Angkor Archaeological Park in 1995, which banned the creation and export any new bas-relief rubbings as a part of its conservation efforts. Though charcoal rubbings such as this one were considered non-destructive, other rubbing methods using dyes stained carvings over time.
A picture of an actual stone bas-relief at Angkor Wat of a similar style to this rubbing appears in the last images, along with a woman dressed as a modern day aspara at the temple.
Frame Dimensions: Length 17 and 1/2 inches, Width 10 inches, Height 1 and 1/4 inches