AAM 1951, by Meso & Central American Sound Library Project

AAM 1951

by Meso & Central American Sound Library Project

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Xoo Phase (AD 650-850) Zapotec external air-ducted anthropo-zoomorphic effigy whistle - solo improvisation (no edit/overdubs) 00:51

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Unprovenienced Zapotec effigy whistle with a broken external duct type (the ring that originally girded the protrusion below the aperture is currently missing) featuring a pear-shaped body elderly figure. These aerophones are often described as anthropo-zoomorphic in the literature, given that the shape of the resonator is reminiscent of a bird's body and the upper limbs resemble its wings. The braided hairstyle arranged horizontally on the forehead (possibly a large quetzal feather) is characteristic of the female figurines unearthed in 'Lambityeco', 'Yagul' and 'Macuilxóchitl' Archaeological Zones (Oaxaca). These sound-producing figurines with a globular resonator date to the Late Classic 'Xoo Phase' (AD 650-850). They may represent a deified ruling class member/ancestor, nay, the local leader ('xonáxi' [lady of great lineage] or 'coquí' [male leader]). This type of anthropo-zoomorphic whistle has been unearthed in both funerary and domestic contexts.

AAM 1951 is currently kept in the Art & History Museum (Brussels) storerooms; no information regarding its provenance is available.

Overall dimensions (height x width x depth): 14.43 x 8.91 x 7.13 (cm).

Please click on the track name for an additional picture of the instrument.

credits

released November 18, 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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Meso & Central American Sound Library Project Brussels, Belgium

The MCASL Project aims to share, visually and sonically, a sample of the large pre-Columbian era sound-producing artifacts collection from Mesoamerica and Central America housed at the Royal Museums of Art and History (KMKG-MRAH), Brussels. The development of this audio/data library is part of Jean-François Brohée's doctoral research, funded by a FRESH grant of the F.R.S.-FNRS. ... more