Monkey skulls Crocodile Scales and cross section pieces of Ayahuasca vine, or Banisteriopsis Caapi, for sale at Belen Market
Monkey skulls, Crocodile Scales, and cross section pieces of Ayahuasca vine, or Banisteriopsis Caapi, are arranged in rows for sale at Shaman's Alley, also known as Sorceror's Alley in Belen Market. Belen is an infamous market along the Amazon River in Iquitos, Peru. Numerous cures, medicines, shamanic tools and illegal reptiles and animals are for sale in this ramshackle labyrinth of shops and stands. Part of the market is floating on the Amazon itself. Various plants and animal parts are used for medicines, or for ritual and ceremonial use in a variety of practices. Skulls and scales are more commonly related to sorcery, or brujeria. Iquitos is the largest city in the world not accessible by road. Deep in the northwest amazon river basin, this busy city is only reached by boat and airplane, but is a popular tourist stop - mainly for Ayahuasca related tourism. Iquitos is in the heart of Shipibo territory, ancient practitioners of plant medicine such as Ayahuasca. Curanderos and Ayahuasqueros will make extracts of plant matter with alcohol as a preservative, and some will offer them for sale in the markets such as Belen.
Size: 5700px × 3800px
Location: Sorcerers Alley, Shamans Alley, Belen Market, Iquitos, Maynas, Peru, Amazon River
Photo credit: © Brian Van Tighem / Alamy / Afripics
License: Licensed
Model Released: No
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