Small blowgun decoration - made by Peruvian Amazon artisan

This unique decoration is a small (19 inch long) blow gun carved by an artisan from the Tahuayo River region in the Peruvian Amazon.  In the past native Amazon people used blowguns up to 9 feet long to hunt game animals in the forest. This miniature model is wrapped with bombonaje leaf strips with alternating off-white and black patterns.  A separate tubes hold slender darts tipped with cotton.  The points of real darts (NOT these models) would be dipped in curare - a powerful muscle relaxant made with the exudate from poison arrow frogs to stun an animal hit with a dart.   Please note, these miniature blow guns are for decorative purposes only and should not be used as toys.

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