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Camelid Conopa

Arts of the Americas

Small stone figurines, or conopas, of llamas and alpacas were the most common ritual effigies used in the highlands of Peru and Bolivia. These devotional objects were often buried in the animals’ corrals to bring protection and prosperity to their owners and fertility to the herds. The cylindrical cavities in their backs were filled with offerings to the gods in the form of a mixture including animal fat, coca leaves, maize kernels, and seashells.


Pequeñas figurillas de piedra, o conopas, de llamas y alpacas eran las efigies rituales más comunes usadas en el altiplano de Perú y Bolivia. Estos objetos devocionales eran con frecuencia enterrados en los corrales de los animales para atraer protección para sus dueños y fertilidad a los rebaños. Las cavidades cilíndricas en sus espaldas se llenaban con ofrendas a los dioses en forma de una mezcla de grasa animal, hojas de coca, granos de maíz y conchas.
CULTURE Inca
MEDIUM Stone
  • Place Found: Peru
  • DATES 1470-1532
    DIMENSIONS 3 1/16 x 2 3/16 x 4 3/4in. (7.8 x 5.6 x 12.1cm)  (show scale)
    COLLECTIONS Arts of the Americas
    ACCESSION NUMBER 86.224.85
    CREDIT LINE Gift of the Ernest Erickson Foundation, Inc.
    CATALOGUE DESCRIPTION Small black stone vessel (conopa) in the form of an alpaca with a hole in the animal's back forming a small bowl. Stylized head with round muzzle, small rounded ears, a series of folds under the neck, short rounded protruding tail. Legs are not shown. Condition: Some chips on tail, on rim of opening. Small shallow scratches on surface.
    MUSEUM LOCATION This item is not on view
    CAPTION Inca. Camelid Conopa, 1470-1532. Stone, 3 1/16 x 2 3/16 x 4 3/4in. (7.8 x 5.6 x 12.1cm). Brooklyn Museum, Gift of the Ernest Erickson Foundation, Inc., 86.224.85. Creative Commons-BY (Photo: Brooklyn Museum, 86.224.85_threequarter_PS9.jpg)
    IMAGE threequarter, 86.224.85_threequarter_PS9.jpg. Brooklyn Museum photograph, 2014
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    RIGHTS STATEMENT Creative Commons-BY
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