Puma Ceramic Bamboo-Free Incense Holder | Handmade in Peru

The Linear Holder: the Puma

The Puma teaches us to be present. In the Andean worldview the puma is the guardian of Kay Pacha, the world of here and now: the world we inhabit, of humans, mountains, animals, plants and everyday life. Powerful, silent and deeply connected to the earth, the puma represents strength, courage, balance and presence. It reminds us that spirituality is not somewhere far away. It is also here, in the present moment.

This is the linear holder of the trilogy, made for bamboo-free incense sticks such as Munay dhoop palo santo incense. It is a more direct expression of the ritual: the incense stands in contact with the holder while the smoke rises freely.

The Munay Andean Trilogy

For the ancient peoples of the Andes, humans were not separate from nature: mountains were alive, animals carried meaning, and the visible world was connected to worlds beyond what the eye could see. This Andean cosmovision understood the universe through three interconnected realms, and the Munay Andean Trilogy gives each of them a guardian and an incense holder.

• Hanan Pacha, the upper world. The Condor looks upward: the square holder, for incense cones.
• Kay Pacha, the world of here and now. The Puma stands in the present: the linear holder, for bamboo-free incense sticks (this piece).
• Uku Pacha, the inner world. The Serpent returns to the depths: the long holder, for bamboo-core incense sticks.

The three forms are different, but together they create a single ritual. Three forms. Three worlds. One connection. We rise. We live. We transform.

Why the black ceramic

The deep black of the pieces is not simply a design choice. It evokes one of the most distinctive ceramic traditions of ancient Peru: the pre-Inca Chimú culture. Chimú artisans of Peru’s northern coast became known for their polished black ceramics, produced through controlled firing techniques that created the characteristic dark surface, and their pieces frequently incorporated animals, geometric motifs and symbolic imagery.

Munay does not reproduce an archaeological artifact. It reinterprets the visual language of ancient Peru through contemporary design: ancient symbols, modern ritual, Peruvian identity.

Product details

Product type	Ceramic incense holder, the linear holder of the Munay Andean Trilogy
Compatible with	Bamboo-free incense sticks
Not ideal for	Bamboo-core incense sticks (use the Serpent) or incense cones (use the Condor)
Material	Slip-cast white clay, fired in a gas kiln at 1000°C (1832°F)
Finish	Deep black, cold-painted by hand by local artisans and sealed with a water-based protective gloss
Origin	Handmade in Peru

How to use

1. Place the holder on a flat, heat-resistant surface.
2. Light the tip of the bamboo-free incense stick until it catches a flame, then gently blow out the flame.
3. Set the stick in the small hole in the spiral.
4. Let the smoke rise freely while the ash falls onto the ceramic.
5. Clean the holder only once it is completely cool.

Always burn incense in a well-ventilated area, away from curtains, paper, children, pets and flammable surfaces. Each piece is handmade, so small variations in shape and finish are part of its character.