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Unique Rare Old Hand Carved Ramu Figural Betel Mortar from Huon Gulf Tribe, Important Tool used during the betel lime (quid) habit by elders, Papua New Guinea 170B
Unique Rare Old Hand Carved Ramu Figural Betel Mortar from Huon Gulf Tribe, Important Tool used during the betel lime (quid) habit by elders, Papua New Guinea 170B
Unique Rare Old Hand Carved Ramu Figural Betel Mortar from Huon Gulf Tribe, Important Tool used during the betel lime (quid) habit by elders, Papua New Guinea 170B
Unique Rare Old Hand Carved Ramu Figural Betel Mortar from Huon Gulf Tribe, Important Tool used during the betel lime (quid) habit by elders, Papua New Guinea 170B
Unique Rare Old Hand Carved Ramu Figural Betel Mortar from Huon Gulf Tribe, Important Tool used during the betel lime (quid) habit by elders, Papua New Guinea 170B
Unique Rare Old Hand Carved Ramu Figural Betel Mortar from Huon Gulf Tribe, Important Tool used during the betel lime (quid) habit by elders, Papua New Guinea 170B
Unique Rare Old Hand Carved Ramu Figural Betel Mortar from Huon Gulf Tribe, Important Tool used during the betel lime (quid) habit by elders, Papua New Guinea 170B
Unique Rare Old Hand Carved Ramu Figural Betel Mortar from Huon Gulf Tribe, Important Tool used during the betel lime (quid) habit by elders, Papua New Guinea 170B
Unique Rare Old Hand Carved Ramu Figural Betel Mortar from Huon Gulf Tribe, Important Tool used during the betel lime (quid) habit by elders, Papua New Guinea 170B
Unique Rare Old Hand Carved Ramu Figural Betel Mortar from Huon Gulf Tribe, Important Tool used during the betel lime (quid) habit by elders, Papua New Guinea 170B
Unique Rare Old Hand Carved Ramu Figural Betel Mortar from Huon Gulf Tribe, Important Tool used during the betel lime (quid) habit by elders, Papua New Guinea 170B
Unique Rare Old Hand Carved Ramu Figural Betel Mortar from Huon Gulf Tribe, Important Tool used during the betel lime (quid) habit by elders, Papua New Guinea 170B
Unique Rare Old Hand Carved Ramu Figural Betel Mortar from Huon Gulf Tribe, Important Tool used during the betel lime (quid) habit by elders, Papua New Guinea 170B
Unique Rare Old Hand Carved Ramu Figural Betel Mortar from Huon Gulf Tribe, Important Tool used during the betel lime (quid) habit by elders, Papua New Guinea 170B
Unique Rare Old Hand Carved Ramu Figural Betel Mortar from Huon Gulf Tribe, Important Tool used during the betel lime (quid) habit by elders, Papua New Guinea 170B
Unique Rare Old Hand Carved Ramu Figural Betel Mortar from Huon Gulf Tribe, Important Tool used during the betel lime (quid) habit by elders, Papua New Guinea 170B
Unique Rare Old Hand Carved Ramu Figural Betel Mortar from Huon Gulf Tribe, Important Tool used during the betel lime (quid) habit by elders, Papua New Guinea 170B
Unique Rare Old Hand Carved Ramu Figural Betel Mortar from Huon Gulf Tribe, Important Tool used during the betel lime (quid) habit by elders, Papua New Guinea 170B
Unique Rare Old Hand Carved Ramu Figural Betel Mortar from Huon Gulf Tribe, Important Tool used during the betel lime (quid) habit by elders, Papua New Guinea 170B
Unique Rare Old Hand Carved Ramu Figural Betel Mortar from Huon Gulf Tribe, Important Tool used during the betel lime (quid) habit by elders, Papua New Guinea 170B
Unique Rare Old Hand Carved Ramu Figural Betel Mortar from Huon Gulf Tribe, Important Tool used during the betel lime (quid) habit by elders, Papua New Guinea 170B
Unique Rare Old Hand Carved Ramu Figural Betel Mortar from Huon Gulf Tribe, Important Tool used during the betel lime (quid) habit by elders, Papua New Guinea 170B
Unique Rare Old Hand Carved Ramu Figural Betel Mortar from Huon Gulf Tribe, Important Tool used during the betel lime (quid) habit by elders, Papua New Guinea 170B
Unique Rare Old Hand Carved Ramu Figural Betel Mortar from Huon Gulf Tribe, Important Tool used during the betel lime (quid) habit by elders, Papua New Guinea 170B
Unique Rare Old Hand Carved Ramu Figural Betel Mortar from Huon Gulf Tribe, Important Tool used during the betel lime (quid) habit by elders, Papua New Guinea 170B
Unique Rare Old Hand Carved Ramu Figural Betel Mortar from Huon Gulf Tribe, Important Tool used during the betel lime (quid) habit by elders, Papua New Guinea 170B
Unique Rare Old Hand Carved Ramu Figural Betel Mortar from Huon Gulf Tribe, Important Tool used during the betel lime (quid) habit by elders, Papua New Guinea 170B
Unique Rare Old Hand Carved Ramu Figural Betel Mortar from Huon Gulf Tribe, Important Tool used during the betel lime (quid) habit by elders, Papua New Guinea 170B
Unique Rare Old Hand Carved Ramu Figural Betel Mortar from Huon Gulf Tribe, Important Tool used during the betel lime (quid) habit by elders, Papua New Guinea 170B
Unique Rare Old Hand Carved Ramu Figural Betel Mortar from Huon Gulf Tribe, Important Tool used during the betel lime (quid) habit by elders, Papua New Guinea 170B
Unique Rare Old Hand Carved Ramu Figural Betel Mortar from Huon Gulf Tribe, Important Tool used during the betel lime (quid) habit by elders, Papua New Guinea 170B
Unique Rare Old Hand Carved Ramu Figural Betel Mortar from Huon Gulf Tribe, Important Tool used during the betel lime (quid) habit by elders, Papua New Guinea 170B
Unique Rare Old Hand Carved Ramu Figural Betel Mortar from Huon Gulf Tribe, Important Tool used during the betel lime (quid) habit by elders, Papua New Guinea 170B
Unique Rare Old Hand Carved Ramu Figural Betel Mortar from Huon Gulf Tribe, Important Tool used during the betel lime (quid) habit by elders, Papua New Guinea 170B
Unique Rare Old Hand Carved Ramu Figural Betel Mortar from Huon Gulf Tribe, Important Tool used during the betel lime (quid) habit by elders, Papua New Guinea 170B
Unique Rare Old Hand Carved Ramu Figural Betel Mortar from Huon Gulf Tribe, Important Tool used during the betel lime (quid) habit by elders, Papua New Guinea 170B
Unique Rare Old Hand Carved Ramu Figural Betel Mortar from Huon Gulf Tribe, Important Tool used during the betel lime (quid) habit by elders, Papua New Guinea 170B
Unique Rare Old Hand Carved Ramu Figural Betel Mortar from Huon Gulf Tribe, Important Tool used during the betel lime (quid) habit by elders, Papua New Guinea 170B
Unique Rare Old Hand Carved Ramu Figural Betel Mortar from Huon Gulf Tribe, Important Tool used during the betel lime (quid) habit by elders, Papua New Guinea 170B

Unique Rare Old Hand Carved Ramu Figural Betel Mortar from Huon Gulf Tribe, Important Tool used during the betel lime (quid) habit by elders, Papua New Guinea 170B

Unique Rare Old Hand Carved Ramu Figural Betel Mortar from Huon Gulf Tribe, Papua New Guinea. PNG.

Rare Older Hand Carved Figural Betel, Lime, "Double Ramu Figures" Mortar. One standing figure on each side.

Inventory number: 170B, 5 1/4" high by 2 1/2" wide.

(seen on most of the photos that are not taken in the field).

This piece was entirely hand carved out of local wood and in great shape, as we stored it carefully for many years.

This is a wonderful betel nut mortar which shows typical lower characteristics: squarely positioned head set low on the chest, slanted eyes and a long nose likely to represent a mythological figure. Betel pounders or mortars are used by toothless people for mashing up the ingredients of the quid.

 The main theme, the human figure, was expressed in blocky, almost cubist forms, with the nearly rectangular head sunk deeply between the shoulders. Large freestanding examples of such figures can be found in both standing and kneeling positions.

Some photos show lime & betel nuts sold in a market of Papua New Guinea and people traditionally chewing betel nut dipped in lime, which causes teeth and gums to become red and later gums and teeth to turn black and rot away.

The people with bad or no teeth crush the betel nut in a mortar like this one. 

The Betel nut also called Pugua or Mama'on  are 'palm nuts' from the areca tree. The scientific name for the tree is 'Areca catechu' and resembles a thin coconut palm tree. These hard nuts are chewed casually like chewing gum by islanders and is a permanent feature of the cultures of the Pacific. Nut chewing is definitely an acquired habit more commonly passed down from grandparents (called guelo) to grandchildren.

Three substances are actually chewed together: the nut of a palm, which has a hot, acrid taste similar to nutmeg; the leaf, bean, or stem of the betel vine, which is a member of the pepper family; and slaked lime made from burned sea shells or coral or from mountain lime and kept in this container while not in use. Once chewed, the mixture becomes a mild stimulant said to reduce hunger, pain, create a sense of well-being, and increase a person's capacity for work. Chewing betel nut makes people teeth turn red and eventually rot.  

All our collector and rare items come with pages and pages of research about provenance, and with history of the tribes and photos as well, depending on item and whenever possible. When shipping internationally, we group ship multiple purchases to save you money, and find the best rates available. If you have any questions or want to see research conducted on this piece and photos of tribes, let us know.