Description

Burma-Myanmar 19th C Small Silver Bronze Jar

Betelnut burnt lime silver bronze jar

Still containing burnt lime ‘powder’ for betelnut users

Estimated end 19th Century

Archeological find – provenance : Burma

Material : bronze, copper and iron

Size : 6.5cm H x 4.2cm diameter – lid : 4cm diameter

Is in extra fine condition but uncleaned

Betel nuts are still today the drug for the less fortunate and had to be cleaved (cut), ground and mixed to be chewed. The betel nut is in fact not a nut but the seed of the betel palm and belongs to the order of stone fruits

The flesh of the small betel nut is chewed together with burnt lime and sometimes with the addition of tobacco and certain spices. Ground shells, coral or limestone rocks serve as the raw material for the lime. To tone down the betel’s bitter taste, honey or sweet fruits may be added to the chewing mixture. Saliva and especially the added lime provide rapid absorption of the addictive substance areciline !

You can immediately recognize the regular user by red teeth, lips and mouth caused by the juices of the betel nut. Yet a word of warning is in order, because all that chewing is not only bad for the teeth, but also increases the risk of cancer in the mouth, esophagus and stomach. An increased heart rate, nausea and belching are common side effects of this stimulant.