Description
Handmade Beaded Gourd Rattle with Horsehair
This Gourd Rattle features beautiful Peyote Stitch decorations at the top and bottom of the handle. The crafter made it using a small Bell Gourd. He used a wood dowel for the handle. For the geometric designs he used 11/0 Seed Beads in White, Royal Blue, Turquoise, Periwinkle, Transparent Red, Yellow, Green and Black. 3″ of Deerskin Leather Fringe hangs from the bottom. 2.5″ of White Horsehair extends from the top section of beaded decoration.
This Rattle does not come with ‘rattles’. You can easily remove the top and the Gourd to add your own dry corn, beans, stones or seed beads to create the sound you like. The rattle measures 9″ long not including the Deerskin Fringe at the bottom. The little gourd measures 4″ in circumference and about 1.5″ long. The Peyote Stitch Beadwork sections measure 4″ long on the bottom and 7/8″ long at the top. One of a Kind!
The dance for which this Rattle was made is called the Gourd Dance. The gourd dance is a Kiowa dance ceremony. The dance honors all warriors and veterans.
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Read the Denver Art Museum Leaflet Indian Musical and Noise-Making Instruments.
