$220.00
This ancient earthenware whistle is in lovely condition and still makes a wonderfully crisp sound; a note that was first heard from this object many hundreds of years ago. Perhaps it's a bird but it could also be some mythical creature. Regarding pre-Columbian whistles as a whole, they were thought to have been designed to help people enter dream states or to cure sicknesses.The Totonac and Aztecs began creating clay vessels many hundreds of years ago, including clay whistles or ocarinas. The sound from these instruments would not have been very loud, indicating they were not made for war or communication. Such whistles were often used in ceremonial settings, and are still used in the same context today within Central America. Technically these whistles are duct flutes, falling into the sub-category of “vessel flutes” due to their globular structure.
Height 70 mm
Length 60 mm
In the history of the Americas, the pre-Columbian era, also known as the pre-contact era, spans from the initial peopling of the Americas in the Upper Paleolithic era to the onset of European Colinisation which began with Christopher Columbus's voyage in 1492. This era encompasses the history of indigeneous peoples prior to significant European influence, which in some cases did not occur until decades or even centuries after Columbus's arrival.