Sumatran Wedding Box

Sumatran wedding box, possibly antique. Traditionally given at weddings in Sumatra w gifts inside, these boxes are made from hand woven reeds + are completely covered in intricate bead work. This one also has cowrie shell decoration. History! Indonesia is a large archipelago situated between Papua New Guinea and Malaysia. The location + the diverse natural resources prompted cultural contact, along with influences from both India + China, but despite these interactions, many native cultures + traditions remain largely intact in Indonesia. The earliest glass beads in Indonesia came from Chinese + Indian traders. Glass beads are considered to be heirlooms in many Indonesian cultures, + they hold great importance for their owners. Europeans who wanted to control the Indonesian spice trade (the Portuguese were the first to reach the islands) began to import large numbers of glass seed beads into the region in the 16th century, + beadwork was incorporated into Indonesian arts + crafts. Th