AAM 4770 by Meso & Central American Sound Library Project

Unprovenienced Zapotec external air-ducted effigy whistle possibly representing a warrior wearing quilted cotton armor and helmet, holding a spear in his right hand. The figurine possibly dates to the Late Peche (AD 500-650) or Early Xoo (AD 650-850) Phase. It consists of a slightly concave sheet of clay, the front part of which has been pressed into a mold, while the hemispherical whistle has been modeled and roughly applied on the back side of the figure. The instrument was formerly part of Auguste Génin's archaeological collection, part of which was donated to the MRAH in December 1930.

On the second track, the pitch variations are obtained by partially reducing/modifying the aperture size by moving the thumbs inwards & outwards.

A better-preserved whistle (featuring an imposing bat-shaped headdress), obviously crafted in the same mold, is currently housed in the storerooms of Mexico City's Museo Nacional de Antropología (see main picture).

Overall dimensions (height x width x depth): 10.34 x 8.55 x 6.50 (cm).

Please click on the track names for additional pictures of the instrument.

Tracklist

1.	Late Peche (AD 500-650) or Early Xoo (AD 650-850) Phase Zapotec external air-ducted anthropomorphic effigy whistle - solo improvisation (no edit/overdubs)	0:44

2.	Late Peche (AD 500-650) or Early Xoo (AD 650-850) Phase Zapotec external air-ducted anthropomorphic effigy whistle - improvisation with AAM 1951 & AAM 1963 + 3 gourd rattles (w/ overdubs/edits)	0:36

Credits

released November 22, 2023

Sonic artifact experimentally played & recorded by J-F Brohée using a pair of Neumann KM183 & a Universal Audio 710 Twin-Finity preamplifier. © KMKG-MRAH.

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