Inca Stone Camelid Canopa

**First Time At Auction**

Pre-Columbian, Peru, Inca, ca. 1470 to 1532 CE. A lovely canopa vessel, hand-carved from a stone of russet and grey hues, and finely polished until smooth. The alpaca or llama has a rotund ovoid body with a somewhat rounded base (though it does stand on its own), a rounded tail, and a deep interior cavity bored into the back. The raised head possesses a prominent snout with incised nose and mouth as well as bas relief ears and eyes. Canopas typically depicted alpacas, llamas, or other camelids and were traditionally buried in the animals' corrals to protect the herds as well as promote fertility and virility. The cavity on the back would have been filled with offerings such as coca leaves, maize, or animal fat in order to appease the gods. Size: 3" W x 2.7" H (7.6 cm x 6.9 cm)

Provenance: private Hawaii, USA collection; ex-private Bettina Schwimmer collection, Chicago, Illinois, USA, collected from 1955 to 2006

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#156981
Condition Report: Minute nicks to peripheries of the opening on the back and the base. Normal surface wear commensurate with age. Collection label on underside.