19th-century illustration of the Christmas queen tradition taking place at Sarayacu in the Amazon, between Ecuador and Peru. These are Quechua people. The Christmas queen has paint on her face and a diadem of bird feathers. The maids of honour are holding earthen basins containing oil with a lit wick. The Christmas queen is carrying a representation of the newborn baby Jesus, which she will display to those present. Illustration published in 1865 in an account of the travels of explorer Paul Marcoy in South America.