A brief cultural history of
Rattles
 One of the oldest forms of music.
 Can be made from animal parts, vegetation,
ceramics, and/or metals .
 Used in ancient cultures the world over for
various spiritual purposes.
** In many cultures, rattles are used in healing rites and invoking the gods by
the shaman or healer. For this purpose, only that person was allowed to make
and play the instrument and the rattle was the primary form of communication
with the spirits or ancestors.
In many cases, the instrument itself came to hold special magical powers and in
some tribes, the rattle was regarded as the dwelling place of great spirits and
ancestors . Ritualistic rattles would have been embellished with design and
symbols.
You will create a contemporary ceramic rattle using the pinch method and it
must have an attached handle of some sort . The rattle and/or handle will need
to be enhanced with additive and subtractive design elements as well as with
the glazing.
As you look at the following examples, try to envision your rattle and its
purpose. It could be spiritual or just plain silly. Either way, BE CREATIVE!
Rattles as Body Jewelry
These type of rattles
were worn as leg
instruments for
dancers.
Made from animal hide,
shells, nuts, wood, clay,
and/or woven basketry.
Native American Hand Rattles
Iroquois: Turtle Shell with Deer Bone
Handles, Feather embellishments
Animal vertebrae used as beads
Pueblo: Painted Rawhide with
pebbles, seeds, or bone as beads,
embellished with feathers
More Native American
Lakota Sioux: Deer Leg Bone with
Deer Hooves and Rawhide
Sioux and Blackfeet
Buffalo Horn Rattles with Dried
Corn, Cherry Pits, or Pebbles
Aztec Tribal Rattles
Made from the Ayayote
Nut. Worn on ankles or
made into rattle.
Native American Rattles
Other Examples