The instruments reproduce the human figure and animals, especially sea snails. These artifacts, called “churos,†are used even today by the members of certain indigenous communities for communication. Â
Bone, leather, stone, wood, clay, gold, copper, tumbaga ( copper with gold) and shell were used to make flutes or pingullos, rattles, whistles, ocarinas, drums and litófonos. Long pouring bottles of a tubular shape have been found that whistle as you change the pressure of air as liquid goes in or out. These bottle-whistles reproduced the songs of birds, whose figures are generally appliquéd onto these pieces.
|
