Southeast Asian Galleries

In many parts of South and Southeast Asia, betel (a flowering vine in the pepper family) has historically been chewed for both an energy boost and an opportunity to socialize, like drinking a cup of coffee or tea. In addition to betel’s stimulating effects, recent studies suggest it may also act as an antidepressant.

Betel is still chewed by people around the world, often in the form of a “quid” — a betel leaf wrapped around a mixture of chopped areca nut and the mineral lime, sometimes flavored with herbs, spices, and tobacco.

In this selection from the Asian Art Museum’s permanent collection, you’ll see containers for carrying and sharing the ingredients of a betel quid. Such containers come in many forms, from royal betel sets made of precious materials to simpler vessels made of fabric, rattan, or ceramics.

The Southeast Asian Galleries also feature a newly installed rotation of lively puppets from Indonesia.