Butterfly - Gourd Birdhouse
This charming and intricate butterfly doodle design is the result of over 20 years of artistic collaboration between our designers and Pablo and Ana from Cochas, Peru. Its 1 ¼” opening makes it perfect for small birds like nuthatches, wrens, or bluebirds. It has drainage holes and protective exterior varnish. Expect slight variations in gourd shape, size and details. Colors come assorted in natural or fuchsia. Please tell us your preference. To extend the life of this natural gourd, hang it in a well ventilated and dry area.
An Ancient Craft
A living tradition more than 4,000 years in the making.
Long before gourds became Christmas ornaments and keepsakes, Peruvians were carving and decorating them for both practical and symbolic purposes.
Archaeological evidence from Huaca Prieta on Peru’s northern coast shows gourds used as bowls, bottles, dippers, fishing floats, and other everyday objects as early as the third millennium BCE. Some fragments were also carved and decorated with pyroengraving, showing that gourds had already become a surface for artistic expression.
Other archaeological discoveries reveal their deeper symbolic significance. A carved and painted gourd fragment dating to about 2250 BCE depicts the Staff God, one of the earliest known representations of a major Andean deity.
Remarkably, closely related techniques continue to this day. Artists still carve dried gourds by hand and use heat to darken and shade the surface, carrying forward an ancient Peruvian tradition with roots reaching back thousands of years.
Sources: American Museum of Natural History archaeological research at Huaca Prieta, published 1949; archaeological research on early Andean decorated gourds; Peru Ministry of Culture documentation on mate burilado, 2013.
Good for the Planet. Good for Everyone.
With love for Mother Earth and all beings who depend on her, Lucuma Designs commits at least 1% of annual sales to environmental organizations working to restore ecosystems, support Indigenous communities, and protect natural habitats.
Each year, we select nonprofit partners through the 1% for the Planet network whose work supports causes close to our hearts. Our giving often helps advance food sovereignty, sustainable agriculture, reforestation, solar energy, Indigenous rights, water access, habitat protection, and other environmental initiatives.
Our giving is certified annually through 1% for the Planet, so every Lucuma purchase helps support organizations working toward a healthier, more beautiful world.
Learn more about how you can join at OnePercentForThePlanet.org.