Spatula

Lime-spatula from Papua New Guinea with orange and yellow pom-poms. It is carved from a single piece of bone with a loop handle with pierced edges. The blade is leaf-shaped. The concave shaft has a ridge along its length and pierced scalloped edges. Two yellow pom-poms are attached to the upper end of the shaft and two more orange/yellow ones to the handle. The function of the spatula was to transfer lime from a container to the mouth when betel-chewing (when combined with lime, the seeds of the betal palm act as a mild stimulant). The item was formerly in the collections of the London Missionary Society.