How did indigenous decorative carving influence the Church of San Pedro de Zepita in Peru?

The Church of San Pedro de Zepita, located in the Peruvian highlands, serves as a notable example of the "Mestizo" style, which emerged during the colonial period as a reflection of indigenous traditions within ecclesiastical architecture.12

The influence of indigenous decorative carving on the church is most clearly manifest in its lateral portal, which is framed by a large protective arch. This feature is a refined expression of a decorative planar relief style. Unlike the sculptural modeling typical of European Baroque, this indigenous-influenced approach relies on a two-dimensional quality, often created by drilling into the surface to produce a screenlike effect.21

This style is characterized by a spirit of decorative planar relief and animistic renderings of vegetation and motifs that diverge from European-Christian models, appearing closer in spirit to early Romanesque carving. By utilizing these dense, bilevel relief designs—techniques that echo pre-Columbian stone- and wood-carving traditions—the architecture of San Pedro de Zepita successfully integrated local cultural expressions into the colonial religious framework.21