The body of the peacock was carved from one solid piece of stone. Adjacent to the rectangular base was an excellent support to sustain the weight of the whole body of the bird, which was charmingly elongated with a beautiful curve in the neck for a more lifelike posture. The two wings present are slightly elongated, deeply carved, and the surface of the sculpture is treated with a profusion of engravings reminiscent of tribal motifs in themselves influenced often by nature and the daily life around them.
The tail is open and high-up for decoration, from which five circular holes at the upper part act as receptacles for the burning of incense sticks. The stone in itself creates an impression of stability, which further relays the affinity of the Santals towards the natural elements that speak for their sustainable lifestyle; the peacock form in tribal art bears great significance as it denotes most often beauty, pride, and spirit of celebrations. Such objects are indeed used in observance of ceremony or ritual and therefore are kept inside the home or within sacred communal grounds. In this respect, the incense burner captures the art of the Santal and preserves a symbiosis of utility with aesthetics that finds expression along familiar lines in observable practice in the daily world.