Travels with Tricia

Two pairs of devatas (goddesses) are shown carved into Angkor Wat in Cambodia.

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The Devatas and Apsaras of Angkor Wat in Black & White

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Tricia A. Mitchell

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The 1,796 female figures rendered in sandstone on Angkor Wat’s pillars and walls have weathered war and a harsh tropical environment for more than 800 years. During my first visit to Angkor Wat in 2009, I was struck by the beauty and individuality of these devatas, which decorate the largest religious building in the world. When I visited Cambodia again last month, I was just as intrigued.

I wonder how many artisans it took to carve these bas-relief figures?

Are they modeled after real women of centuries past? If so, and if they could speak, what stories would these women tell?

Some scholars have concluded that the beautiful, mystical women adorning Angkor Wat are heavenly goddesses, whereas others on the website Devata question if they are actual representations of real women who lived during the Angkor Empire.

Peruse this gallery of black & white images to see for yourself.

Where in the World?

Photography & text © Tricia A. Mitchell. All rights reserved.

Tricia A. Mitchell Avatar

About the author

Hi! My name is Tricia Mitchell. I delight in telling stories about my slow travels through more than 65 countries. Some of my highlights have included sharing meals with locals in Armenia, Cambodia, and Tunisia; sipping sparkling wine with French cousins in Alsace; milking goats in a sleepy Bulgarian village; and training with a Japanese mine-clearance team in Laos. My husband, Shawn, and I are based in France’s Loire Valley.

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14 responses to “The Devatas and Apsaras of Angkor Wat in Black & White”

  1. ashleypaige4 Avatar
    ashleypaige4

    I love these pictures, and thanks for sharing! I’ve been dying to go to Angkor Wat, and these are yet another source of inspiration!

    Reply
    1. Tricia A. Mitchell Avatar
      Tricia A. Mitchell

      Ashleypaige, so happy you enjoyed the pictures. Here’s hoping that you’ll make it to Angkor soon. It’s a magical place, with special people! I’ll be doing more series of Angkor shots in the coming days – currently in between marathon bus trips in Vietnam! :)

      Reply
  2. marinachetner Avatar
    marinachetner

    Great images Tricia – the dark tones turned out so well in your photos!

    Reply
  3. Tricia A. Mitchell Avatar
    Tricia A. Mitchell

    Thanks, Marina! The detail of the devata carvings is quite incredible isn’t it? I could photograph these all day…

    Reply
  4. Bama Avatar
    Bama

    Angkor Wat truly is a wonderful place! Before I went, I visited Angkor National Museum in downtown Siem Reap, and that gave me a wealth of knowledge to better kick in the trip. Apsaras are indeed mysterious creature, and based on what they said apsaras are the by product of the churning of the milk ocean to obtain the elixir of life.

    Reply
    1. Tricia A. Mitchell Avatar
      Tricia A. Mitchell

      Bama, I don’t know how we missed this museum in Siem Reap! Certainly, it’ll be something we’ll have to visit the next time we’re in Cambodia.

      Reply
      1. Bama Avatar
        Bama

        It’s very worth a visit, Tricia. It’s even better and more informative than the state museum in Phnom Penh. Don’t miss it the next time you go to Siem Reap. :)

      2. Tricia A. Mitchell Avatar
        Tricia A. Mitchell

        Noted on our ‘must-see list.’ :)

  5. Dalo 2013 Avatar
    Dalo 2013

    One of the most awe-inspiring places I have ever visited… The Aspara mystic left me spell-bound, and I hope to return…there is so much to see in Cambodia and other parts of SE Asia. Great shots!

    Reply
    1. Tricia A. Mitchell Avatar
      Tricia A. Mitchell

      Randall, I agree about there being so much to see in that region. I’ve been lucky enough to have spent about 5 months there, and still feel as though we only scratched the surface. When was your last time in Cambodia?

      Reply
      1. Dalo 2013 Avatar
        Dalo 2013

        I was in Cambodia about 7 years ago…and hope to travel back this spring or fall. I loved it. Just visited Myanmar, and that too exceeded my expectations greatly. Are you based in SE Asia?

      2. Tricia A. Mitchell Avatar
        Tricia A. Mitchell

        No, at the moment we’re based in Croatia, but we’ll be moving on in early March.

        In late 2011, we embarked on a 5-month sabbatical that took us through a bit of India and 7 countries in SE Asia. We’d also hoped to get to Myanmar, but the visa paperwork didn’t come through soon enough. I’ll be looking forward to reading your thoughts and seeing your imagery from the country, though. How long were you there?

      3. Dalo 2013 Avatar
        Dalo 2013

        I was in Myanmar for 15 days, and loved every one of them. Great people, and the diversity of the country surprised me. Much to see out there, and you are sure doing it right!

      4. Tricia A. Mitchell Avatar
        Tricia A. Mitchell

        Randall, I finally had the opportunity to peruse your brilliants shots of Bagan yesterday. How wonderful that you had the chance to explore the country with your sister. I’m hoping we will have the opportunity to visit there before it loses its authenticity.