In Focus - Discover Peru: Experience the Best of Peru - page 677

• » Ask questions Ask who made it, where it's from and what the designs represent. A good dealer will know.
• » Inspect the work Check to see if the fibers are spun tightly and be on the lookout for synthetic materials. The
best textiles are made only from alpaca or sheep's wool.
• » Be realistic Quality textiles are expensive to produce. If the price is too good to be true, it probably isn't the real
deal.
Folk Art & Crafts
Extraordinary textiles. Stunningly crafted pottery. Brightly painted religious dioramas.
Peru's folk-art traditions are among some of the best in the world.
The country is perhaps best known for its textiles. Andean indigenous cultures have
long produced intricately woven rugs, ponchos and blankets decorated with elaborate geo-
metric and anthropomorphic designs (such as felines and fish) - many of which tell stories
or denote social status.
Equally worthwhile is the pottery: from the shining black ceramics of the north coast to
the simple clay bulls that serve as good-luck charms on Andean homes. The most stun-
ning designs are those made in the tradition of the pre-Columbian Moche people, known
for their vivid portrait vessels.
Religious crafts come in all shapes and forms, but Peruvian artisans produce particu-
larly striking retablos (three-dimensional dioramas). These elaborate box displays gener-
ally feature scenes from Christian life and include depictions of indigenous culture, such
as coca leaves.
Generally, the best crafts can be found in markets in Lima and Cuzco.