Antique Indonesian Chip-Carved Wooden Betel Nut Box — Geometric Decoration, Divided Interior, 22x14x10cm

• An antique chip-carved wooden betel nut box from the Indonesian archipelago, dating to the 19th or early 20th century. Standing 22cm long, 14cm wide and 10cm tall, this is a substantial and finely worked prestige object of the type associated with high social status across Southeast Asian cultures where betel nut chewing was a ceremonial and social ritual.
  
  
• The exterior is covered on every surface with dense chip-carved geometric decoration — X-cross borders running along all edges, interlocking geometric grid patterns on the body, and a central rosette medallion within a circular octagonal frame on the lid. The scalloped base adds an architectural sophistication to the overall form.
• The carving is confident and deeply incised throughout, with a natural aged patina consistent with genuine age and use.
• The interior is divided into separate compartments — the traditional configuration for storing the betel nut, lime paste, and betel leaf separately — confirming the functional and ceremonial purpose of the piece.
  
  

• Acquired directly from a retired Chinese antique collector based in Malang, Java, Indonesia. No further provenance documentation.