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Catalog Data

Donor Name:
Lt. Amiel W. Whipple  Search this
Culture:
Mohave (Mojave)  Search this
Object Type:
Flute
Place:
Arizona / California, United States, North America
Accession Date:
1854
Notes:
FROM CARD: "MADE OF THREE JOINTS OF CANE. TWO OF THE SEPTUMS ARE REMOVED. THE MIDDLE ONE IS NOT REMOVED. TWO HOLES ARE MADE THROUGH THE WALLS OF THE CANE, ONE ON EACH SIDE AND CLOSE TO THE REMAINING SEPTUM. A SHALLOW NOTCH OR SLOT IS CUT FROM ONE HOLE TO THE OTHER. BY COVERING THE UPPER HOLE AND THE SLOT TO THE UPPER EDGE OF LOWER HOLE AND BLOWING IN THE UPPER END OF CANE THE SOUND IS DIRECTED AGAINST THE LOWER EDGE OF LOWER HOLE, FORMING A WHISTLE. SOMETIMES THE FINGER IS USED TO COVER THE UPPER HOLE AND SLOT. SOMETIMES A PIECE OF CLOTH OR LEATHER IS USED IN PLACE OF THE FINGERS. IT HAS THREE HOLES IN THE LOWER SECTION OF CANE. PROBABLY THIS IS THE PRIMITIVE [SIC] FORM OF THE INDIAN FLAGEOLET, THE SO-CALLED COURTING FLUTE, FOUR FINGER HOLES HAVE BEEN MADE ON THE OPPOSITE SIDE FROM THE THREE. THESE ARE NOW FILLED WITH PITCH. THE ENDS ARE DECORATED WITH A FRINGE OF LEATHER THONGS, SKINNED RED. SOME OF THE UPPER ONES ARE STRUNG WITH A BLUE GLASS BEAD. DESIGNS ARE CUT IN THE OUTSIDE FROM UPPER TO LOWER END, SOME WHICH ARE FILLED WITH A RED OR BLACK PIGMENT."
Record Last Modified:
12 Oct 2022
Specimen Count:
1
Topic:
Ethnology  Search this
Accession Number:
66A00080
USNM Number:
E1793-0
See more items in:
Anthropology
Data Source:
NMNH - Anthropology Dept.
GUID:
http://n2t.net/ark:/65665/32be8fdd1-ccc0-4100-b9c7-0a9b62036f05
EDAN-URL:
edanmdm:nmnhanthropology_8353118