Pre-Columbian Inca Black Stone Alpaca Conopa Vessel

Antique circa 1470-1532 AD Pre-Columbian Inca ritual offering vessel conopa in the shape of an alpaca. Hand carved of a black fine grained stone, and polished with sand and water, with a hole in its back called a "qocha" (lagoon)-the container for offerings during the ceremony "haywarisqa" (ceremony of offerings) in which Alpaca fat and blood mixed with coca leaves were presented to the gods.
 
MEASUREMENTS: 4 inches (10 cm) long and 2 6/8 inches (6 ½ cm) tall.
 
REFERENCES:
 
"Handbook of South American Indians",
 
"Vol. 2 The Andean Civilizations" by Julian H. Steward, Editor, p. 248, 400-402, 509, 520-521
 
"Pre-Columbian Cities", by Jorge E. Hardoy, pp. 400-404
 
"The World Atlas of Archaeology", p. 361
 
"The Oxford Companion to Archaeology", by Brian M. Fagan, p. 340-346
 
"Circa 1492 -Art in the Age of Exploration" page 597.
 
PROVENANCE: The object came from a private Canadian collection of antiques and was sold by a reputable Canadian auction house in the 1980s.