Divisible convex sets with properly embedded cones

Abstract

In this article we construct many examples of properly convex irreducible domains divided by Zariski dense relatively hyperbolic groups in every dimension at least 3. This answers a question of Benoist. Relative hyperbolicity and non-strict convexity are captured by a family of properly embedded cones (convex hulls of points and ellipsoids) in the domain. Our construction is most flexible in dimension 3 where we give a purely topological criterion for the existence of a large deformation space of geometrically controlled convex projective structures with totally geodesic boundary on a compact 3-manifold.