Rattle Antique Gourd

Antique Round Gourd Rattle with Carved Handle

Make this Rattle Antique Gourd the centerpiece of your collection.  The crafter used a round gourd to make the rattle.  He or she attached a wood handle to the bottom.  Then the crafter carved some cross-hatch designs on one side of the handle and carved out a hole for a hanging loop.  You will see a bit of a leather lacing strap remains in the hole in the handle.  The handle extends through the gourd.  A small wood peg passes through a hole at the top to fasten it.  The patina on this rattle is very good.  We recommend using for display only, due to its age.  One of a Kind!

Native American Rattles

Native American gourd rattles are traditional musical instruments used by various Indigenous tribes across North America.  Crafters make them from dried gourds, which the makers typically grow and harvest themselves.  Crafters can add decorative designs, such as beadwork, paint, or carving to the gourd itself or the handles. Native Americans use these rattles in ceremonies, dances, and other cultural and spiritual practices.  In the pre-contact period, Native Americans used bark, gourds and turtle shells to make their rattles.

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Read the Denver Art Museum Leaflet Indian Musical and Noise Making Instruments