Photo Gallery

Traditional Peruvian carving: The picture shows intricately engraved and fired pumpkins, known as ‘Mates Burilados’. This craft originates from the Peruvian Andes (particularly regions such as Junín) and often depicts scenes from everyday life, historical events or nature. The intricate patterns are carved into the dried pumpkin shell using a burin and are sometimes highlighted with smoke or paint. – Huancayo – Peru – 1969

One of the most attractive forms of Peruvian crafts is the decoration of dried gourds. The artist from the «Centro Artesanal de Huancayo» uses a sharp piece to draw scenes from everyday life. - 1969

A scene from the famous Feria Dominical de Huancayo (Huancayo Sunday Market) in Peru, one of the historically most significant and largest markets in the South American Andes. This weekly market attracts traders and craftspeople from across the Mantaro Valley. The artworks visible in the foreground are dried calabash gourds. Artisans from the nearby villages of Cochas Chico and Cochas Grande use fine chisels (buriles) to carve extremely detailed stories, village chronicles and festive scenes into the shells. The characteristic brown and black contrasts are created using firing techniques. Hand-woven blankets and traditional textiles hang in the background. The women’s clothing – in particular the distinctive white hats with black ribbons and the embroidered waistcoats – is typical of the indigenous people of the Mantaro Valley. – 1969

Detail of a carved and charred gourd from the Huancayo area, Peru, depicting a village festival. Depending on their shape, bottle gourds are cut in half to be used as bowls and plates, or left whole to be used as bottles. - Book: Picture 142 - Peru - 1977