Arts & Jewelry
With more than 100,000 workshops employing 500,000 people, Peru's artisan industry blends tradition with modern market trends.
The astonishing techniques that the ancient cultures applied are being retained and adapted by artists today. The result are pieces that have reached perfection, such as Chulucanas ceramics, painted glass, textiles, portable altars (retablos), and jewelry, all hand-made and representing the cultural expressions of the many different regions of the country.
Artisan Tradition
Peru is home to a vast wealth of tradition that remains preserved and continues to expresses itself through the hands and creativity of its artisans. The pieces are associated to their own unique styles as well as to techniques adapted to new market trends.
It is estimated that about 100,000 artisan workshops exist in Peru, employing more than 500,000 people. Thus, it is possible to find a an incredible assortment of products of that include an immense variety of colors and differentiate themselves based on the regional identity and the creativity of their makers. The production processes of some pieces have been mechanized to increase production, but strive to maintain a dedication to the traditions of the past.
Main Products Include:
- Wooden furniture
- Baskets
- Silver jewelry
- Artisan textiles
- Decorative objects
- Gifts
- Traditional and contemporary ceramics
- Painted glass
Silver Jewelry
White, shining, ductile and malleable, a little harder than gold but softer than copper, silver is a mineral which, due to its relative abundance in Peru, has given place to the development of an artistic production of extraordinary aesthetic purity, diversity and richness.
Building upon the legacy of the ancient Peruvians, silver jewelry has become a very dynamic sector in recent years. Its catalogue consists of designs and models that not only emerge out of the creative originality of local artists but also respond and adapt to the requirements ofinternational trends.
The production of this artisan category comprises of the creation of unique pieces decorated with gemstones and semi-precious stones. Among the main types of jewels made in Peru, those worth mentioning are bracelets, necklaces, earrings, and other accessories.