What is this silver inlaid box?

I have a strong opinion on what I think it is but I would like to hear from others. It is 5" long 2 3/4" high, inside has hinged lid compartments. While I can find no marks, I am pretty sure it is inlaid silver. Cannot pinpoint origin, possibly middle east? Thanks I look forward to reading responses and seeing what others think.

 

tea caddy of some type ?

 

https://www.google.com/search?site=...msedr...0...1ac.1j2.64.img..3.0.0.R8yFa38k5RA

~Cheryl

 

Betel box eh ??
GOOD CALL , Dragon !!!

 

well thats so cool thank you!! I thought it was a spice casket!

 

Here's a bit more info: http://www.lasieexotique.com/mag_betel/mag_betel.html

~Cheryl

 

Ha ha , I meant to say Spice Caddy.....but tea caddy came out instead !!!

 

DH said many chewed betel nuts in Thailand when he was there while in the service, 1958-1963. Mostly it was the older folks who chewed because it presumably deaden the pain of bad teeth. They would smile with a blood red mouth.

--- Susan

 

i read where it turned the teeth black...

 

Not the betel nuts they were chewing in Thailand. I have seen some of his pics showing the red mouths. That link Cheryl gave talks about tye red spittle

"... The nut is cut into segments dabbed with lime (which is ground and burnt sea-shell), mixed with some water or oil and wrapped in a leaf to form a quid, the chewing of which produces blood-red spittle."

"My sister-in-law, a Catholic missionary nun working with the Ifugao and Bontoc thought that tuberculosis must be rampant among the natives because they spat "blood" everywhere. Indeed early European travellers who encountered chewers in the islands thought the same thing. But rather than blood, the red spittle was due to the betel they constantly chewed."

--- Susan