Pre-Columbian, Peru (North Coast), Moche Culture, ca. 100 to 500 CE. A fascinating and rare object, a large, egg-shaped rattle with a cylindrical handle that flattens at its base, resembling a tumi handle. The rattle itself has a thick, flanged midsection and is pierced repeatedly to allow sound to escape. A large rattle inside creates a sound that it is still very easy to hear! Size: 3.05" W x 11.1" H (7.7 cm x 28.2 cm); 12.75" H (32.4 cm) on included custom stand.
There were no stringed instruments in South America prior to European contact, but they did have a multitude of wind and percussion instruments. Moche artwork portrays drums, panpipes, flutes, trumpets, and rattles like this one. Most, however, were made from cane, wood, shell, and ceramic - metal instruments were reserved for particularly elite uses. They were played in large ceremonies, perhaps relating to warfare or religious worship. To hear what they might have sounded like, there are some links to recorded tracks here: https://mochemusic.wordpress.com/ from an experimental archaeology project to recreate the sounds of the Moche.
Provenance: private Hawaii, USA collection; ex-private Hans Juergen Westermann collection, Germany
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#144583
Condition
Intact and still functional, with mottled and encrusted turquoise patina.