Bird figure Ocarina

This ceramic “ocarina” (its original name is unknown) belongs to the Tairona culture, which inhabited the territory of modern-day Colombia between 600 and 1470 CE.

It is a globular flute with an air duct –that is, the player blows through the rear part (into the bird’s tail) and the air strikes a sharp edge located in the midsection, producing sound. This piece is shaped like a bird and has four holes in its upper surface that allow different fingerings to produce five separate notes. Fingering would have been the same for both hands, making the flute easy to play.

The notes produced are roughly equivalent to D – E(+) – F# – G# – A#

Ver ficha de documentación organológica

Part Code: MCHAP 199

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