Art & Design / puerto-rican-santos
Facts about Puerto Rican Santos
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Wood, particularly cedar and other local hardwoods, is the most traditional material used by santeros to sculpt Puerto Rican santos.
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Santos created for use in religious processions and communal worship are generally larger than those made for personal home devotion.
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In Puerto Rico, santos are traditionally displayed in home altars called oratorios, reflecting a deeply personal form of Catholic devotion.
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The three-pointed idol known as the cemí, rooted in Taíno spiritual tradition, influenced the iconography found in some Puerto Rican santos.
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Carved wooden figures of Catholic saints, Puerto Rican santos are a traditional folk art form created by artisans known as santeros.