Peruvian Mate Burilado Carved Gourd with Village Chicha-Making Scene, Cochas Tradition

Description

Overview

A Peruvian mate burilado (engraved gourd) from the Mantaro Valley near Huancayo, in the Cochas Chico / Cochas Grande carving tradition, likely about the 1970s–2000s. It carries a continuous wraparound narrative of village life, most likely chicha (corn beer) or food production. From the Craft World Tours Collection.

Design & Craftsmanship

• Function & Form: About 14" long and 8" in diameter, and very light at 10 oz. A large crook-neck gourd whose curved neck ends in a rounded tip carved with an eye motif, so the whole gourd reads as a bird or creature head. A small opening at the tip; a natural stem scar at the center of the base.
• Artistry & Ornamentation: Scenes cut into the skin with a burin and shaded in warm brown-to-black tones with the quemado burning technique, with the neck darkened almost black so the carving stands out in pale tan. Women strain liquid through woven sieves into large basins, huge storage jars stand under trees, men carry jugs with tumplines, and a burro hauls a load. The neck carries foliage, small figures and a large heron-like water bird; a mask or face motif sits on the shoulder, and a band of interlocking triangles circles the base.
• Structural Base: Natural stem scar at the base; unsigned.

Condition Report

• Surface Condition: Light surface wear, small dark specks near the tip, and rough edges at the tip opening.
• Structural Integrity: Sound, with no cracks. This item is sold “as-is” with all associated patina and wear inherent to its age and history as part of the Craft World Tours Collection.