Resplendent, smiling, wreathed in writhing snakes and adorned with skulls and talismans, the amazing carved goddesses gaze down from the ancient walls of the replica of the universe that is Angkor Wat. I loved Aspara, goddess of the clouds and waters, and was surprised to see the remnants of brightly-coloured paint, only lasting this long probably because they used mineral colours, the greens of malachite, the blues of lapis lazuli, cinnabar reds and yellow from mango leaves. These walls must have been astounding when the colours were all fully present, and Angkor must have been like a giant gleaming jewel.