Conopas and the Worship of Alpacas

A conopa in the form of a stylized suri alpaca

Conopas were common during the height of the Inca Empire in Peru. The Spanish in their attempt to stamp out idolatry confiscated many of these artifacts from the indigenous peoples. By some reports, between 1617 and 1618 Spanish priests confiscated over 3.400 conopas in the Archbishopric of Lima alone.

The most important domesticated animals of the Inca people were guinea pigs, alpacas and llamas, so it is not surprising that alpacas are so highly revered even to this day.

Conopas, carved in many different styles, may have long necks, short necks, eyes that are bulging or are drilled, and they come in a variety of styles. Holes drilled in the back are called a "qocha", menaing lagoon, and are meant to contain offerings for the ceremony called "haywarisqa". Wine or other alcohol is poured into the qocha along with coca leaves mixed with llama fat.

Conopas in the form of alpacas and llamas are still being made in Peru, but the earliest examples were made long before the Spanish conquest. This tradition has lasted for many centuries and serves as yet another example of the high esteem in which alpacas are held by the native peoples of the high Andes.

You can find another beautiful example of a conopa in the form of a stylized suri alpaca near the bottom of this page . Other examples can be found here.