South American, circa 1780

This small shell-shaped box would have once held yerba mate, a type of tea drink enjoyed in South America. The present example is a fine one, with beautiful relief carving around the body, with figures and birds interspersed with exotic plant motifs. A very similar box, believed to date to circa 1780 and originate from Moxos or Chiquitos in Peru, can be found in the Museo de Arte de Lima (Valdovinos, op. cit., fig. 174). Such caskets would only have been owned by wealthy individuals, and they were frequently used to store luxuries such as sugar, cinnamon, orange peel and cloves.

RELATED LITERATURE

J. M. Cruz Valdovinos, The Mate in America, Buenos Aires, 2004, fig. 174