Carved Gourd Ornament Set
An Ancient Andean Tradition Helps Bring the Spirit
of Peace to Your Home
In Pre-Colombian times, decorated gourds were used throughout
the Andes. Gourd vessels were elaborately etched in scenes
that told stories - the latest news or ancient legends. Vessels
thus decorated were used locally but also to carry messages
between regions. Now, the only area where this 2000 year old
tradition survives is in the twin villages of Cocha Chicas
and Cochas Grandes, a short drive from the city of Huancayo.
These gourd ornaments are hand-made by artisans in Peru where
there's a long and rich tradition in craft production. The
set includes a Peace Dove gourd and a ‘Circle of Friends’
gourd, packed together in a sturdy box. Each gourd is approximately
2” in diameter.
How the Gourds are Made
Gourds are available in a variety of sizes, so artisans usually
contract with growers for a certain approximate size in the
sowing season, October. The gourds are ready to be worked
the following June.
The gourds are smooth on the outside and velvety on the inside.
The sun-dried gourd is trimmed and washed, readying it for
decoration. Decorations are carved, etched and burned into
the gourd. After it is decorated, the gourd is washed again,
and then dried further in a kiln or over a flame. Sometimes
a gourd is further decorated by being rewashed and then finished
into a variety of products such as these charming ornaments.
A Fairly-Traded product.
GFT-103 Carved Gourd Ornament Set………..
$9.95
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