spatula lime.spatula

Carved wooden lime spatula, decorated with female figure with glass beads (red), and shell beads (red). Hunt(1981): 'Betel chewing is practised widely in Melanesia. The betal mixture consists of nut of the areca palm, fruit or leaves of the betel pepper, and lime made by burning coral or shells. The lime is kept in bamboo vessels or gourds and is taken with a wood or bone spatula.'

Macgregor,William Sir

Early: 1850 Late: 1899

Macgregor, William Sir

wood glass glass.beads shell

H: 255 mm

Melanesia New.Guinea Trobriand.Islands