Traditional Cambodian music dates back as far as the Khmer Empire. Royal dances like the Apsara Dance are icons of the Cambodian culture as are the Mahori ensembles that accompany them. More rural forms of music include ''Chapei'' and ''Ayai''. The former is popular among the older generation and is most often a solo performance of a man plucking a Cambodian guitar (''chapei'') in between a cappella verses. The lyrics usually have moral or religious theme.