Made of 'Maipung' or burlwood With silver-gilt fittings 3.50cm high x 12cm long x 7cm deep >> Some scratches to the wood, commensurate with age and use Provenance: Acquired by the seller in 1956 from the Dowager Empress Hoang thi Cuc the mother of the abdicated Emperor Bao Dai of Vietnam Note: Betel chewing was known in the colonial days as betel-nut chewing. The art of paan or betel chewing dates back to the pre-Vedic Saivite Harappan empire. It requires three different plants used in combination: the betel nut which is the seed of the areca palm, the betel leaf which comes from the pan plant, and lime. It acts as a mouth freshener, helps digestion and creates a sense of euphoria. A betel chewer is recognised by the red staining of the mouth, gum, teeth and lips. Generating a large amount of saliva, the excess juices are spat out. These little morsels are sold on the streets or market. In traditional Indian households, a good host would offer a silver tray piled with a pyramid of paan after a sumptuous meal. The chewing of betel leaf is more popular among the South Indians