A Costa Rican Pottery Conch Shell Whistle, ca. 800 - 1500 CE

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Although numerous pottery instruments survive from pre-Conquest South and Central America, little is known of how they were used before Spanish invaders ravaged the native cultures . Whistles, trumpets, and rattles in animal or human form probably had ceremonial functions or served as playthings. This small whistle (Ocarina) is in the form of a conch shell with red and black pigment decoration, was perhaps worn suspended from a necklace. The three finger holes on the body would allow variation in pitch. Condition: Fair condition, with losses to the points, one rejoined. Dimensions: Length: 2 3/4 inches (7 cm) Provenance: Private DC collection, acquired from the Maryland trade in the 1980s. Show more