Antique Bronze Lime Container for Betel Chewing, Circa 1890–1910

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Description

This compact and beautifully patinated bronze container was traditionally used to hold slaked lime, an essential ingredient in the preparation … Read more This compact and beautifully patinated bronze container was traditionally used to hold slaked lime, an essential ingredient in the preparation of betel quid (paan). Cast in solid bronze with a domed, hinged lid and twin pierced side lugs, it was once suspended or attached to a larger betel set. The deep interior well retains the smooth wear of years of use, while rhythmic incised borders add quiet elegance to its utilitarian form.
Dating to the late 19th to early 20th century, this piece embodies the enduring craft traditions of South and Southeast Asia during the height of betel chewing’s cultural importance. Its balanced proportions and warm, time-worn surface make it equally compelling as a cultural artifact or as a sculptural accent in your home.

✨ Collector’s Note
For centuries across India, Burma, and Indonesia, betel chewing was a shared ritual that transcended class. A “quid” of areca nut and slaked lime, wrapped in a fresh betel leaf and often accented with clove, cardamom, or tobacco, was slowly chewed to release a mild stimulant effect.

From royalty to laborers, everyone partook. Wealthy elites kept elaborate silver or gold betel sets with gem-studded cutters, offering paan to guests as a gesture of hospitality and refinement. Common folk used simpler, sturdy containers—like this bronze example—for refreshment, sustenance, and habit.

The practice left its mark: the mixture stained saliva a vivid red and eventually blackened teeth, a transformation embraced as a sign of beauty, maturity, and devotion—much like tattoos or scarification in other cultures.

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