Shipibo-Conibo Ceremonial Effigy Figure

This carved balsa wood figure was gifted to its previous owner in 1984 while visiting the village of Infierno, near the edge of the Manu Reserve in southeastern Peru.
 
It was made by a local shaman from the Shipibo-Conibo community — a group more commonly known for their intricate textiles and pottery than for wood carving, making this a particularly rare example.
 
Carved from the region’s ultra-light balsa wood, the figure has a blocky, almost totemic form, with striking black linework that echoes the symbolic geometric designs often found in Shipibo visual tradition — thought to reflect spiritual maps or cosmic visions.
 
These figures weren’t made for sale or display, but for ceremonial use, and were seldom produced.  It’s a simple but distinctive object — shaped with intention, steeped in local meaning, and rarely seen outside of the region.
 
Condition: Excellent
Size: W 9cm x D 5cm x H 28.5cm