Like many aspects of Peru, furniture in general has a long history. In fact, pre-Hispanic iconography shows that wooden seats and canopies were once used by ancient cultures such as the Moches and Incas.
Along with the arrival of the Spanish in the 16th century came the introduction of Western furniture—secular and religious—in the Andes. With time, native materials and the craftsmanship of andean peoples were adapted to this new style of furniture. The large markets of Lima and Potosí received an incessant supply of pieces from workshops in Quito, Huamanga, Arequipa and Cusco. Other provinces that stood out for their woodwork and artisan workshops were Trujillo and Cajamarca. The courtly and luxury uses of Lima and some of those main Peruvian cities determined the validity of the furniture production workshops and the constant importation, especially during the guano bonanza of 1840-1870, many of which have survived to present day.