BETEL NUT MORTAR, Lower Sepik River, Papua New Guinea
Lower Sepik River, Papua New Guinea. These are small bowls used to crush the betel nut, together with a bean-like plant and white lime. Older people who have lost their teeth need this to be able to chew the betel nut, a mild drug. Two ancestor heads support the small bowl which is used to crush the betel nut into a paste personal item, usually carried in a small bag. Size: 13.5 cm (height) 5.8 cm (width) 7 cm (depth).