Box and Cover
18th century (made)
| Place of origin |
This circular box and cover is made of brass decorated with coloured lac, a natural resin. It was made in India, somewhere in the Mughal empire, in the 18th century. It was probably intended to be used as a container for pan (pronounced paan). The offering of pan formed an important part of courtly ceremonial, and was offered to mark the point at which guests departed. It refers to small packets made of edible leaves wrapped round a mixture of chopped areca nuts and spices, and is used as a digestif throughout South and Southeast Asia.
Object details
| Object type | |
| Materials and techniques | |
| Brief description | Box and cover, brass inlaid with lac, Mughal 18th c. |
| Physical description | The circular brass box and domed cover both have twelve ribs. The cover is attached to the box by a hinge, two chains and a hasp fastening. The decoration on each rib is an engraved flowering plant under a cusped or lobed arch. The flowers are filled with orange lac and the leaves and stems with black lac. At the top of the cover is a low projecting cone decorated with an orange and black rosette. |
| Dimensions |
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| Style | |
| Credit line | Bought (Richard Collection) |
| Subject depicted | |
| Summary | This circular box and cover is made of brass decorated with coloured lac, a natural resin. It was made in India, somewhere in the Mughal empire, in the 18th century. It was probably intended to be used as a container for pan (pronounced paan). The offering of pan formed an important part of courtly ceremonial, and was offered to mark the point at which guests departed. It refers to small packets made of edible leaves wrapped round a mixture of chopped areca nuts and spices, and is used as a digestif throughout South and Southeast Asia. |
| Bibliographic reference | Skelton, Robert, et al, The Indian Heritage. Court life and Arts under Mughal Rule London: The Victoria and Albert Museum, 1982
Stronge, Susan, p.149, cat.503, and illus. p.159
Mark Zebrowski, Gold, Silver & Bronze from Mughal India, Alexandria Press in association with Laurence King, London 1997, pl. 465, 493 |
| Collection | |
| Accession number | 747-1889 |
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| Record created | January 27, 2006 |
| Record URL |
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