This pot contains the remnants of slaked lime, which would have been used for chewing betel, a mild narcotic popular across Southeast Asia. Its heavy, dark brown glaze is typical of Khmer ceramics, although celadon green wares were also produced. Elephants were an important part of Khmer life during the time when this pot was used. They were used to transport heavy loads, and pull logs from the forest. Also, elephant fights were a prominent form of entertainment. Khmer pottery was produced mainly for local use rather than as export wares, although some pieces have been found as far away as the Malay Peninsula. Excavations have shown the earliest glazed wares were introduced by the end of the 9th century but gradually disappear after a peak in the 12th century. By the 14th century, they seem to have disappeared altogether.
