This fine betel nut lime container was purchased in Timor, but it was probably made in Sumba, Indonesia. It is hand carved out of Buffalo bone and ornately decorated around the entire perimeter with motifs using dots, circles and lines (see photo below). The closure cap is adorned with an very interesting and unique carving of a human head. This piece would make a great addition to any collection of Indonesian art. The diameter is a little larger than 2 cm. The height of the container with the cap on is 21 cm. It weighs 118 grams. This piece is in very good condition, but there are a few fine natural age cracks that run along the axis of the bone. 

Timor is just one of the many islands that make up the vast Indonesian archipelago. Ethnographic material from this area is rare and highly sought after by museums and collectors. The Atoni groups are thought to be the earliest inhabitants of Timor. With headhunting a popular activity, a theory is that the Tetum pushed them westward. The Atoni from the predominant population of west Timor and, like the Tetum, were divided into numerous small kingdoms before the arrival of Europeans. It is thought that their traditional political and religious customs were strongly influenced by Hinduism, possibly due to visits by Javanese traders, but they held to strong animist beliefs. They were also fragmented into dozens of small states. Skirmishes between them were frequent, with headhunting a popular activity. The First Europeans in Timor were the Portuguese, perhaps as early as 1512, the year after they captured Malaka. Like Chinese and western Indonesian traders before them, The Portuguese found the island a plentiful source of Sandalwood (prized in Europe for its aroma and for the medicinal Santalol made from the oil).