Title
Machanu-shaped box
Year/Period
early 20th century
Region
Cambodia
Object Type
Material
Technique
Dimension
Object size: 6.5 x 7 x 6.5 cm
Accession No.
2014-00716
Collection of
This small box is made in the shape of Machanu, a character from the Thai and Cambodian versions of the Ramayana who was the son of monkey god Hanuman and the mermaid Sawannamacha. It is crafted as a kind of grotesque, with protruding teeth, and a fish tail poking out from the corner. Silversmithing has been practiced in Cambodia for centuries, though the metal itself was likely imported from China or northern Vietnam. Silver animal boxes like this one are very popular in Cambodia, and are often used as part of a betel set.
