Container for Areca or Lebel. Betel paste. S.XIX

Description:
Beautiful container for areca or lebel. It is typical Hindu, probably from the regions near Bhutan, and for centuries it has been used to contain Betel paste, Doma, Opium and other spices. It is probable that this container is from a time before the First Half of the 19th century. It is made in three pieces: body, lid and chain.
The body seems to be fused in one piece, with the base quite thick integrated. It is smooth for the most part, except for a dotted line on its upper part, and five on its lower part, all of them marked with a punch.
The lid, likewise, in one piece. It has a chiseled strip in its lower part, and in its upper third, everything is worked with Hindu filigree.
The chain is current, because the original has been lost. It is silver and allows the lid and body to be independent.
It has a fantastic external patina. Inside it is caked what appears to be Areca. In its exterior it also has remains of Areca impregnated in its crevices. It has been chosen not to touch the Areca, and leave it as part of its patina.
These types of pieces are quite rare to find. These containers have been made from remote times to the present, and with the most diverse materials.
The Betel paste is made with shell lime, Bethel leaves and Areca nut, all mixed with Lima, which is chewed for its stimulating properties.
This type of stimulant paste, spread throughout Southeast Asia, there are as many variants as places where it is used.
Bethel is a creeping plant with a spike. It gives off a pleasant smell. The leaves are green and about 4 cm long. La Areca is a tree of the family of palms, whose fruit is the nut of Areca. The lime is a fruit of the citrus family. Doma is a mixture of Areca nuts, Areca and Lima leaves.
Very interesting as a collector"s item and decorative element. Spectacular in an illuminated niche, with minimalist deration.

Comments:
Due to the fact that the differences in tonalities between photos and reality are inevitable, we must bear in mind that the color tones of the photos are not exactly the same as the tones of the actual colors. The piece presents the wear and tear of its time, as well as some stains. It has small flaws. The information provided here are personal opinions not contrasted.

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