Set of 4 Dried Gourd Peacock Ornaments from Peru, "Andean Peacocks"

Stylized peacocks and pretty flowers pose on festive ornaments — one each in green, red, yellow and orange. Working in an ancient art they learned from their father, the Canto Sisters craft the set from dried gourds harvested from the yerba mate plant. They are cleaned, dried and painted before the images are meticulously engraved around the surface by hand.

Cultivated on the Peruvian coast for 6,000 years, mate gourds were decorated with images of birds and fish by the pre-Inca Moche and Chimu peoples. But it was the Inca who went on to use the gourds as cups and bowls, in ceremonial objects and in musical instruments.

Because each unique piece is handcrafted from a natural gourd, please expect slight variations in shape, size and motifs.