Raven Rattle
Unknown Artist
late 1800s–early 1900s
Medium
wood, pigment
Dimensions
31.8 × 9.3 × 11.2 cm
Classification
Wood
Department
Art of the Americas
Museum
Cleveland Museum of Art
Credit
Gift of W. A. Price
Accession Number
1921.1577
About this artwork
Rattles featuring ravens with figures on their backs may depict the acts of shamans, whose exceptional abilities allow them to interact with other-than-human beings to control weather, heal illness, or locate animals for the hunt. Such rattles may have started with shamans but secular chiefs often use them during winter ceremonies, implying they are symbols of power.