Tobacco box

Title
Tobacco box
Year/Period
c. 1930
Region
Kelantan, Northeast Malay Peninsula
Dimension
Gross measurement: H10.0 x Dia12.7cm,
Object size: XXXX-03345-002: H7.5 x W15.5cm,
Object size: XXXX-03345-001: H3.3 x Dia12.8cm
Accession No.
XXXX-03345

This tobacco box has no discerning decorations. This may suggest that the emphasis was more on the functional shape of the object rather than on the decorative pattern.This box was used to hold tobacco when travelling.Shreds of tobacco were rolled into a little ball and slipped under the upper lip to provide change of flavour in the mouth and to clean the teeth. Though it does not form part of the betel quid, fine shredded tobacco leaves were added occasionally. Tobacco boxes were cast, both for domestic and travelling purposes, and it inadvertently became part of betel chewing paraphernalia.