Pottery Whistle
Unknown Artist
ca. 800–1500
Medium
Clay
Dimensions
L. 4.9 cm (2 in.); W. 4.3 cm (1-3/4 in.); H. 3.4 cm (1-3/8 in.); Wt. 26 g
Classification
Aerophone-Whistle Flute-whistle
Culture & Period
Costa Rican · Pre-Columbian
Department
Musical Instruments
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
The Crosby Brown Collection of Musical Instruments, 1889
Accession Number
89.4.2690
Art Historical Context
Nestled in the Metropolitan Museum of Art's Crosby Brown Collection of Musical Instruments this petite Pottery Whistle from Pre-Columbian Costa Ricaca. 800–1500) exemplifies the ingenuity of indigenous artisans. Crafted from clay, it measures just 4.9 cm long, 4.3 cm wide, and 3.4 cm high, weighing a mere 26 grams—small enough to fit in the palm of your hand. Classified as an aerophone, specifically a whistle flute, it produces sound when air is blown through an opening, blending pottery craftsmanship with musical function. In Costa Rican Pre-Columbian societies, such whistles were more than ...