This is a traditional Sihung, an antique forged iron vessel from the Lampung region Southern Sumatra, Indonesia. It's designed as a shallow tray or pigment holder in the stylized form of a mythical creature-often interpreted as a dragon, serpent, or hybrid beast with sinuous tail, flared horns or wings at the head, and clawed legs-to contain and mix the blackening paste used in the ceremony, known as sihung or besihung. The paste, made from betel nut, lime, and other natural ingredients was applied to file and stain teeth black during adolescence rites of passage. Black teeth symbolized maturity, beauty, fertility, and high social status among Lampung women and sometimes men. The practice dates back centuries and was part of broader coming of age rituals to ward off evil spirits and mark transition to adulthood. The creature motif draws from Lampung animist and Hindu-Buddhist influences, representing protection, power or ancestral guardians. The iron construction, patinated to a silvery-gray finish over time, and intricate forging highlight skilled metalwork from pre-colonial eras. These vessels were heirlooms passed down in noble families, used in communal ceremonies.

Length: 64 cm