Title
Tobacco box
Year/Period
Early 20th century
Region
Sumatra
Accession No.
XXXX-03458
Collection of
This tobacco box is decorated with embossed floral motif. Shreds of tobacco were rolled into a little ball and slipped under the upper lip to provide change of flavour in the mouth and to clean the teeth. Though it does not form part of the betel quid, fine shredded tobacco leaves were added occasionally. Tobacco boxes were cast, both for domestic and travelling purposes, and it inadvertently became part of betel chewing paraphernalia.
