Snake Ceramic Incense Stick Holder | Handmade in Peru

The Long Holder: the Serpent

The Serpent teaches us to transform. In the Andean worldview the serpent is the symbolic guardian of Uku Pacha, the inner world: the world beneath and within, associated with the earth, the ancestors, origins, transformation and the unseen forces of life. The serpent moves between the earth and its depths, and its ability to shed its skin made it a natural symbol of transformation, regeneration and renewal. It represents the wisdom of returning to one’s roots.

This is the long holder of the trilogy, made for bamboo-core incense sticks such as sandalwood, jasmine, vanilla, lavender, myrrh, frankincense and palo santo blends. Its elongated form invites the eye to follow the movement of the smoke as it travels through space, while the long ceramic base catches the falling ash.

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.
• Uku Pacha, the inner world. The Serpent returns to the depths: the long holder, for bamboo-core incense sticks (this piece).

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 stick holder, the long holder of the Munay Andean Trilogy
Compatible with	Standard bamboo-core incense sticks
Not ideal for	Bamboo-free incense sticks (use the Puma) 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. Insert the uncoated wooden end of the incense stick into the small hole.
3. Light the coated tip until it catches a flame, then gently blow out the flame.
4. Let the smoke drift naturally while the ash falls onto the ceramic base.
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.