Tobacco box

Title
Tobacco box
Year/Period
c. 1910
Region
Bukit Tinggi, western Sumatra
Dimension
Object size: L12.2 x H4.2 x W6.0cm
Accession No.
XXXX-04002

This tobacco box is decorated with incised 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.