Pre-Columbian, Peru, Sihuas Valley culture, ca. 400 to 700 CE. A charming, hand-carved wooden poporo in the form of a seated human figure with a large kero in her or his lap. The head has simple, exaggerated features, with a large nose, dots for eyes, and a coiffure that can only be described as a bowl cut. The body is posed so that the arms wrap around the sides of the kero, as do the legs, which are drawn up at the knee. The head is detachable, forming the lid of the vessel. Size: 1.5" W x 2" H (3.8 cm x 5.1 cm)

A poporo is a container for lime used in the ingestion of coca leaves. From the earliest times, people in the Andes had a tradition of using coca leaves for ritual purposes. They were ingested by placing some of the leaves in the mouth and adding a small quantity of powdered lime, ground from seashells. The poporo was often elaborately conceived, with figural form. The kero that the figure holds may refer to ritual drinking as part of a ceremony.

Provenance: private Hawaii, USA collection; ex-Butterfields (Bonhams)

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#123569

Nice patina from age and wear, with some light scratching to the wood, especially on the head.