Antique Wooden Kumkum Box

Dimensions: 18cm long, 11cm wide, 6cm high.
Code: WOOD 0621

This wooden kumkum (sindoor) box, in the shape of a boteh (paisley), was hand-carved in the late 19th to early 20th century and has a lovely patina. Kumkum is traditionally a vermilion red or orange-red coloured (but other colours too) powder, usually worn by married women along the parting of their hair and/or as a dot on their forehead. The boteh motif, which originated in Persia, is teardrop-shaped with a curved upper end and is more commonly known as paisley. This motif, believed to be a symbol of eternal life, became a much-loved ornamental textile design in India and around the world.

This box is carved from a single piece of wood with no joints. There is a small crack at the top of the base of the box however, this does not affect the aesthetic nor the functionality of the box. The lid slides open revealing five compartments where kumkum could be stored for the women to use. The sliding lid is beautifully carved in a palmette design. Various styles of these boxes emerged from different regions in India according to local craft techniques. This one is most likely from the North Karnataka/Maharashtra area.