This betel box has a bold geometric design painted and incised in black lacquer on a red ground. The cover and shallow base are decorated with a stylised animal at the centre, surrounded by a range of animal motifs perhaps associated with the zodiac, and various types of birds in octagonal cartouches around the walls.Betel boxes are one of the most popular forms within the vast repertoire of Burmese lacquer. The tradition of betel-chewing required approriately designed boxes, in which the necessary ingredients could be stored and presented at a range of social and ritual occasions. As in many Southeast Asian cultures, betel became a signifier of social status and likewise the betel box. In Burma, royal gifts of betel were made to favoured guests, and the ritual procession of a young monk to his novitiation ceremony was usually proceeded by a beautiful young girl who carried a betel box.
