A SILVER BETEL BOX WITH SCENES FROM THE SAMA JATAKALOWER BURMA (MYANMAR), CIRCA 1910 6 7/8 in. (17.5 cm) high; 7 1/4 in. (18.5 cm) diameter; 40 troy oz (1,242 grams) approximate weight The Sama Jataka's linear narrative was an ideal subject for silversmiths. Arranged into niches, the bowl shows: the ascetic couple to whom the miraculous birth of the bodhisattva was a boon; his caring for them after they were poisoned and blinded by a serpent; his mortal wounding by a hunter-king, and that king's show of remorse before grief-stricken parents; and finally the divine intervention of a local goddess who resurrects the bodhisattva, rewarding the loving-kindness both he and his parents demonstrate throughout the story. Betel Boxes Betel boxes are designed to contain a key ingredient in the custom of betel chewing, which is widespread throughout Southeast Asia and practiced by all socio-economic classes for over 2,000 years. Mostmonly, hosts present betel quid to guests as a sign of hospitality and friend. The betel quid contains three main ingredients: an Areca catechu palm nut; a Piper betel pepper plant leaf; and 'lime' paste (slaked lime, a mixture of calcium oxide and water). Additional ingredients may include tobacco, tree bark, black pepper, ginger, and other spices. Owning a silver betel box was an indicator of status in Burmese society, as the vernacular medium for such objects was generally lacquer. 19th- and early 20th-century portrait photography of Konbaung royalty, Shan chiefs (Saohpas), and top-ranking Burmese families often featured these boxes in the foreground. Published: David Owens, Burmese Silver Art: Masterpieces Illuminating Buddhist, Hindu and Mythological Stories of Purpose and Wisdom , 2020, p.46, no.S130, fig.3.8.