Those temple rubbings

While in Thailand, I was lucky enough to pick up 3 that sell rubbings. 

One features two Thai women dressed in ancient Thai costumes. The other is a Thai warrior on an elephant.

The two rubbings are about 17 inches square.

Dennis King did the framing, his usual outstanding work.

I didn’t get to see the actual rubbing, although you can catch it on the internet.

My rubbings were done on rice paper, which is very flexible, but strong, and accepts ink well.

They folded well and placed in my suitcase and when opened up were good as new.

In Chiang Mai, the ancient capital, they use mulberry paper, which is a bit stronger, so they say.

Most popular in Bangkok are rubbings from the king’s complex.

In Cambodia, rubbings are made from a long relief wall that depicts various historical situations there.

In today’s world, getting the rubbings is much more difficult. Like anything else, they have developed the practice in such a way you can’t buy directly from those who do the work. 

I guess it helps to know someone important, not alien to this country.

To do good work in rubbings you need someone who is slow, careful and who understands ink.

Temple rubbings are also popular from temples in Cambodia, China and Japan.

Rubbings are not confined to just those places but take an interesting twist in rubbings of gravestones.

While in Cambodia, I didn’t have the opportunity to acquire rubbings from the temple complex at Angkor. It is possible to purchase rubbings, at a price.

I don’t recall what I paid for my five rubbings, but it was early on in a long trip, so I think the cost wasn’t very much.