Oval Brass Betel Nut Container

Brass betel nut container was designed to securely store the ingredients for preparing a betel quid (kinangan). It features smaller compartments for betel leaves (daun sirih), lime (kapur), areca nut (pinang), and gambier (gambir), each shaped like a mangosteen. A metal pounder with a handle and sharpened tip was used to crush the nut inside a tall hollow cylinder. Beyond its practical use, this container symbolized status and prestige, as betel chewing and offering betel were essential rituals in daily life and ceremonies, playing a key role in social and business etiquette. In Palembang, Sumatra, betel chewing dates back to the 19th century, as evidenced by the Palembang Sultanate, where the sultan’s betel container was a prized possession, carried and guarded by his servants

circa 1950
Origin: Palembang, South Sumatra
Material: Brass
Dimension:
Storage 18,2 x 14,5 x 4 cm
Lime Container 2,8 x 3 x 3 cm
Container A 5,7 x 5,2 x 5,2 cm
Container B 5,5 x 5,3 x 5,3 cm
Container C 7 x 6 x 6 cm
Container D 6,7 x 5,2 x 5,2 cm
Cone 9 x 6 x 3,8 cm
Decor 12,9 x 2,6 x 2,6 cm