• Width:
  1 1/2" Inches
• Height:
  2" Inches
• Period:
  Pre-18th Century
• Origin:
  America

Many Pre-Columbian civilizations created clay ocarinas (or whistles), such as this one, in the shapes of birds or animals which they played along with other percussion instruments.  These ocarinas were probably initially used as bird calls for hunting and then eventually incorporated into musical ensembles. Archaeologists suggest that they were primarily used as a means to ritually connect with beings in the supernatural world. Pre-Columbian societies are depicted with a variety of musical instruments in wall paintings (such as those seen at the Mayan site of Bonampak). In addition to a number of diminutive zoomorphic whistles, drums, maracas and a stringed instrument (which sounds like a jaguar's growl) have been found at major Pre-Columbian archaeological sites.

Circa, 300 BC - 400 AD

1 1/2" wide x 2" high