Lime Spatula

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Origin Trobriand Islands

Title Lime Spatula (Kena)

Date 20th century

Medium Wood, glass beads, and and fiber

Dimensions Object: 13 1/2 × 1 1/2 × 7/8 in. (34.3 × 3.8 × 2.2 cm)
Overall: 13 1/2 × 1 1/2 × 7/8 in. (34.3 × 3.8 × 2.2 cm)

Credit Line Eskenazi Museum of Art, Indiana University

Accession Number 63.119

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About this Work

The chewing of betel nut, a mild stimulant, combined with lime was a very common practice throughout much of New Guinea and the region. A great variety of forms and decorations exist for lime spatulas and other objects that were used within this practice. This beautiful example includes the depiction of an abstracted human figure with beads around its neck.

Provenance
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Provenance research is ongoing for this and many other items in the Eskenazi Museum of Art permanent collection. For more information about the provenance of this artwork, please contact the department curator with specific questions.

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"Lime Spatula | Collections Online." Collections Online. Sidney and Lois Eskenazi Museum of Art, Indiana University, 2025. https://artmuseum.indiana.edu/collections-online/browse/object.php?number=63.119