Lampung Teeth Blackening Dish
Besihung, teeth blackening dish
Lampung, Sumatra, Indonesia
Metal
Length: 43 cm, height: 21 cm
First half 20th century
Ex Dutch privvate collection
This besihung is a traditional teeth-blackening dish from Lampung, Sumatra, Indonesia. It has the shape of a bird, possibly a cock or a hornbill, with an additional association with a boat. The dish is composed of several separately made metal parts.
Teeth blackening was a traditional practice in parts of Indonesia, associated with cultural identity and beauty.
€ 800
