TK1586 - Offering this Bamboo lime powder container which has been used and handled so much that the traditional Kaif motif, which tells of his clan and ancestors, has almost completely worn from sight.

He has hand carved the top and capped the base with redwood.

Tall and skinny perfect for storing incense sticks.

18cm tall x  2.5cm dia.

7" tall x 1" dia.

35g / 1.2oz.

Local buyers can combine another item or 2 of a similar weight up to a total of 500g, which must include packaging, to travel in this parcel for no additional cost.

If you wish to gather multiple treasures try using the ADD TO CART/BASKET function instead of BUY IT NOW. To combine postage, select Request total from seller in your shopping cart. I can then send you an invoice with the new combined postage cost.

International clients are welcome. We will source the most economical way to get your treasure to you.

Place of Lime / Betel Nut / Tobacco / Siri - TEMPAT KAPUR / KAL AU: In these humble pieces we find Timorese art at its most unaffected. The art of betel nut chewing and its accessories finds no equal when it comes to Timor. Rich in meaning and deeply embedded in its culture, the Atoni have elevated the rituals surrounding it to great heights artistically as well as ceremonially. Still made and used daily, created by hand from bamboo, bone, coconut shell, gourd, buffalo horn and wood each is a unique and original masterpiece in its own right.

I am Julie and have been collecting Timorese Treasures in the field since 1990 when I won a prize for overseas travel in a pub in Darwin [true]. I had no idea at the time that I had stumbled upon an Aladdin's cave of authentic traditional tribal textiles and treasures. I have been returning annually ever since [well most years] and been witness to many changes across the last 3 decades. Who knows when we will be able to travel there again to obtain such treasures?

NOTE: We use recycled packaging and have to cover ebay's fees as they include postage/freight costs in their final fee [16%] [go figure!]

Clearly none of us are sure what will happen post COVID, but I do know that the villagers, carvers and weavers up in the mountains will be grateful when some outside dollars come into their informal/circular economy. Therefore, every purchase you choose to make with me will benefit the Atoni [people of West Timor] as soon as I can get back there.

I distribute reading glasses and nutritious food seeds as the soil in the western half of Timor is very poor and water a precious resource. Please contact me if you wish to contribute.