What a remarkable people the Atoni people of West Timor are. I feel very privileged to have a piece of their art in my shop A finely  carved, anthropomorphic, buffalo horn lime container with detail stopper head of a traditional Timor woman as the neck of the container. 
 
This  horn was skillfully carved by an artisan descended from a long family line of gifted carvers, in the Highlands of West Timor. It is made from an old buffalo horn with a rosewood sealed base plug. This traditional, ceremonial lime container is delicately carved with an anamorphic design.  The the material is buffalo horn which has been detailed in deep relief  with traditional symbols.
 
This beautiful quality  item has a wonderful patina reflecting its age, history of previous use. It  was used to contain lime powder at traditional  ceremonial occasions. The twin villages of Fenun and Anin (the Atoni Clans),  were the two most  renowned villages for the making of these traditional lime holders, throughout the whole  district.
 
The Atoni people, from the Highlands region of West Timor,  have traditionally followed their  cultural practices of formal and informal "Betel Nut Ceremonies" which represent a traditional  token  of kinship, brotherhood, clan bonding and serves as a cultural sign of peace.