This is an Old Hand Carved Wood Figurative Dep Dep Betel Mortar or Paint
Dish from Lower Sepik River of Papua New Guinea. These dishes or cups
are carved out of a single piece of wood with clan designs and ancestor
figures. Peoples throughout the Sepik region use betel nut, the fruit of
the Areca palm, which is chewed with lime made from burnt shells or
coral and other substances to produce a mild stimulant effect. Sepik
peoples create a variety of betel nut chewing accessories. This cup like
figure is a betel nut mortar, used by individuals who have lost their
teeth to aid in chewing betel nut. When chewing, the individual
periodically places the nut and a small quantity of lime in the mortar
and crushes it with a pestle to release the active ingredients before
placing it back in the mouth. Some betel nut mortars, carried by male
elders, served as marks of secular and religious authority, and are
adorned with images of spirits, ancestors, or other supernatural beings,
some also had magical properties. The dishes were also used to mix
paint when the were doing their body and face painting decorations. All
individually carved and used by the older men. The men would do the
mixing of the paint and it would be the Deities and or Ancestors holding
up the the Dep Dep dish to protect and enhance its purpose. This
Betel Nut or Paint dish would be a wonderful addition to your
collection. T
Shows age, wood has native repairs and weathered wood, but overall in good condition.
Betel Nut Dish
6" tall
2" wide
2" deep
AT
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