The Washington times., 1902-01-26
MUSIC OF PEOPLES
EXTINCT FOR AGES
Curious Instruments Found on the
American Continent.
INTERESTING COLLECTION.
Prehistoric Relics Some of which
Bear Resemblance to Devices Used
by the Old Grceks-Pnn's Reed in
Duplicate-SOuth American Botuto.

One OF the cases in the anthropological
museum of the Smithsonian Institution
contains a collection of musical instru-
ments of the ancient peoples of Mexico
and Central and South America. Nearly
all are wind instruments. similar in prin-
| clpie. and often in appearance, to the
modern flute, ocarna, fife, etc
Mr.. E. p. Upham, a gentleman who oc-
cupies an official position at the Institu-
| ton, and an expert in musical lore, in
! discussing recently with a Times rep
resentative the wonders of the collection,
! opened the case and took therefrom 4
small ocarina fashioned in the shape of
a bird, and furnished with tapering
mouthpiece.
| This possesses, as you see,'' he said,
| ''fCar round holes, and yields five notes,
the low tone being produced with all the
holes closed" He then proceeded to play
There's Nae Good Luck Aboot the
House" with excellent effect
1t was remarkable that when blown
without the fingers covering any OF the
holes the sound produced closely resem-
bled the warbling of bird, probably the
same which the artistic maker had en-
deavored to depict
very rich and melodous tone was pro-
duced from an earthenware alligator
while most piercing note came upon
blowing tiny whistle which could easily
De held in the palm OF the hand and en-
closed in the grasp.
Relics of Extinct Civilization.
1t was strange to listen to the notes
produced from these grotesque looking
instruments, some of them perhaps
thousand years old or more, relics of an
extinct standardization about which SO
little is known, but which appeals SO
strongly to the imagination.
These sounds may have accompanied
priestly rites or they may have diverted
the fdleness of the people in a very or
dinary way, but there they are, at all
events, lying in these outlandish shapes. |
ready to be awakened by the breath of I
the modern, and responding to his touch
with undiminished power and sweetness. |
One OF the most extraordinary shapes /
is that of a Gageolet from the Aztec ruins
of Mexico. The religious symbols found
upon the ruins of Aztec temples are also
seen upon many of these Instruments
which would seem to indicate that they
were used in connection with Religions Z
ceremonies. Some of the fageolets date.
in all probability, from modern times;
one OF marble, for instance. from Mexico.
as 1t is furnished with six holes the an
cient ones never having more than four.
An instrument from Nicoya Costa Rica.
Is remarkable from the fact that while il
contains but four round holes. seven notes
can be produced from it. 1t is in the
a
painted decorations in brown and red on
a yellow ground. The mouthpiece is at
tached TO, and forms part Of the head
dress.
Its exceptionally wide range is owing
to the fact that one of the four holes is
larger than the others, the result being
-wo additional notes.
The principle of the vessel which whis- ,
lies while being filled with liquid is il
ustrated in some specimens in the case.
They are in the form of vases and We're ;
probably used in the ancient temples.
Another remarkable specimen is a
fageolet made from slender bone proba-
)iy from the wing of the brown pelican. I
the natural cavity at one end of the bone
s filled with wax gum. leaving an air
passage which connects with a vent hole
orning mouthpiece. The other end is
'pen. On the upper surface are five small
niger holes. placed at intervals of about
lalf an inch
What makes this instrument of especial
interest to antiquarians is its striking
to the bone whistles from l
ncient graves on the California coast '
nd adjacent islands 1t has a natural 1
Gale of six notes, but by skillful manip- |
latiOn three additional notes may be pro-
uced. An acoustic mystery in connec- /
ion with this ancient instrument is the I
ac; that the lowest note is not made with Fl
II the round holes closed as is the il
eneral rule.
A Pottery Trumpet.
A curious specimen is what has been
escribed as a pottery trumpet from Brit u
Sh Guiana. II is supposed that this is. in p
act, miniature botuto. some OF which L
re said by South American explorers to S
ave been OF enormous size, and to have a
roduccd tones truly terrifying to the un- d
Inflated listener The following account Il
t these strange instruments is given by Il
arl EngeI: s.
The botuto which Gumilla saw used fl
y some tribes near the Ornoco was evi- u
emily an ancient Indian contrivance. but h
ppears to have fallen almost into abiiv- u
IN during the last two centuries. 1t l.
as made of baked clay and was com G
.