In 1927; Sappho Marchal; the 23-year-old daughter of Henri Marchal who was over璼eeing restoration of monuments at Angkor Wat at the time; published a book on the hair璼tyles; clothes and jewelry of 1;737 images of various apsara she had recorded on the walls and columns of Angkor Wat. It remains probably the most complete account of the many apsara; thevada and other celestial females at Angkor Wat to the present day.

Only one of the 1;737 apsara is smiling and showing her teeth. She is located on the inner side of the west portico; just south of the gopuram; almost concealed behind the gateway. It is now generally accepted that many of the apsara represented or were otherwise based upon real women of the Angkor court; but the reason for the - slightly bizarre - toothy grin remains a mystery.

Perhaps one of the Angkor stonemasons was in the mood to create something different for a change; or perhaps he had a real earthly maiden in mind - or on his mind.