Roeder on wed 11 jun 97
Hello all,
I've been making clay rattles recently. One shopper who came to my booth
asked me what prompted me to make them. I just didn't have an answer. I
got it into my head to make some pit fired rattles, so I did. She explained
that she had seen some similar to mine at some "dig" in South America, and
initmated that I "must have been around".....(a Shirley MacLaine
reference??) ....
Anyway, I've been looking in my books at home, and searched the interenet
with no success, for a background history on rattles (not baby-type rattles,
obviously). Do any of you have historical perspective or folklore that
you'd care to share? Or, can someone point to a reference book that I could
request from my local library interloan system.
Thanks so much.
Candice
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Candice Roeder
Livin' in the sticks.....in Michigan
CRoeder@worldnet.att.net
Eileen M Streeter on thu 12 jun 97
candice... sorry no historical reference info on rattles... am working
in closed shapes now and of course rattles come to mind... also took a
handbuilding class at the college of marin, ca. a number of years ago and
a follow student did rattles... so there must be something 'historical'
about them by now... the trick was to get the little bits of clay
not to stick to the inside body wall before it dried... she wrapped the
bits in paper.... and it worked... have you thought about raku? are
you using a variety of shapes or...? do you hand build or throw?
am taking an anthropology class this summer... maybe my prof can help or
has a source to reference... will also see what i can come up with...
should be interesting.... eileen...
On Wed, 11 Jun 1997, Roeder wrote:
> ----------------------------Original message----------------------------
> Hello all,
>
> I've been making clay rattles recently. One shopper who came to my booth
> asked me what prompted me to make them. I just didn't have an answer. I
> got it into my head to make some pit fired rattles, so I did. She explained
> that she had seen some similar to mine at some "dig" in South America, and
> initmated that I "must have been around".....(a Shirley MacLaine
> reference??) ....
>
> Anyway, I've been looking in my books at home, and searched the interenet
> with no success, for a background history on rattles (not baby-type rattles,
> obviously). Do any of you have historical perspective or folklore that
> you'd care to share? Or, can someone point to a reference book that I could
> request from my local library interloan system.
>
> Thanks so much.
>
> Candice
> ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
> Candice Roeder
> Livin' in the sticks.....in Michigan
> CRoeder@worldnet.att.net
>
Roeder on fri 13 jun 97
Hi Eileen,
>... the trick was to get the little bits of clay
>not to stick to the inside body wall before it dried... she wrapped the
>bits in paper.... and it worked...
I roll mine in alumina hydrate, and take care to dry the inside with a
sponge before putting them in. I also dry my hands before touching them.
One could also bisque them first. Or rolling them in talc is another way,
so I've heard. I used paper...kleenex, paper towel, and newspaper, and
found I like rolling them in the alumina better....the paper ones stuck
sometimes for me.
> have you thought about raku? are
>you using a variety of shapes or...? do you hand build or throw?
I don't plan to raku them, I'm pit firing. One could raku them though, it
would be nice. Mine are one shape, pretty much, and are thrown.
>am taking an anthropology class this summer... maybe my prof can help or
>has a source to reference...
Thanks. My Britannica only has a tiny reference to clay rattles being made
in ancient Peru. Rattles, used by shamans in various ceremonies and used
for healing and rites of passage, were frequently made from animal hooves,
shells, gourds, etc....the Peruvian Clay rattles sound interesting, and this
was probably what my customer was referring to.
Candice
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Candice Roeder
Livin' in the sticks.....in Michigan
CRoeder@worldnet.att.net
Jennifer Boyer on fri 13 jun 97
Hi Candace,
I just listened to a fascinating book on tape called(I think) The Lords
of Sopan. It's about archeological digs in Peru. They describe research
into religiouns rites and sacrifices done by the holy men, and apparently
they used rattles in their ceremonies. The holy men were buried with
rattles, or sometimes with jewelry that had rattles in the design. I think
this was around 200-600 AD. I wish I still had the book to check the dates,
but I've sent it on to a friend.
Hope this helps!
Jennifer
>----------------------------Original message----------------------------
>Hello all,
>
>I've been making clay rattles recently. One shopper who came to my booth
>asked me what prompted me to make them. I just didn't have an answer. I
>got it into my head to make some pit fired rattles, so I did. She explained
>that she had seen some similar to mine at some "dig" in South America, and
>initmated that I "must have been around".....(a Shirley MacLaine
>reference??) ....
>
>Anyway, I've been looking in my books at home, and searched the interenet
>with no success, for a background history on rattles (not baby-type rattles,
>obviously). Do any of you have historical perspective or folklore that
>you'd care to share? Or, can someone point to a reference book that I could
>request from my local library interloan system.
>
>Thanks so much.
>
>Candice
>~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
>Candice Roeder
>Livin' in the sticks.....in Michigan
>CRoeder@worldnet.att.net
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
Jennifer Boyer
Thistle Hill Pottery
Montpelier, Vt. 05602
jboyer@plainfield.bypass.com
Suzanne Scarbrough on fri 13 jun 97
Roeder wrote:
>
> ----------------------------Original message----------------------------
> Hello all,
>
> I've been making clay rattles recently. One shopper who came to my booth
> asked me what prompted me to make them. I just didn't have an answer. I
> got it into my head to make some pit fired rattles, so I did. She explained
> that she had seen some similar to mine at some "dig" in South America, and
> initmated that I "must have been around".....(a Shirley MacLaine
> reference??) ....
>
> Anyway, I've been looking in my books at home, and searched the interenet
> with no success, for a background history on rattles (not baby-type rattles,
> obviously). Do any of you have historical perspective or folklore that
> you'd care to share? Or, can someone point to a reference book that I could
> request from my local library interloan system.
>
> Thanks so much.
>
> Candice
> ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
> Candice Roeder
> Livin' in the sticks.....in Michigan
> CRoeder@worldnet.att.net
Hi Candice,
We recently made rattles in a workshop situation on the suggestion of
one of the other students.She brought to class a print out that she got
I know not where but it reads as follows:
'Rattles are one of the oldest instruments known to mankind.Whether
created from gourds,bones,hides or clay,all were used for centering and
ceremony.Ceremonies were for birth or dying.They were used to insure the
success of the hunt or the harvest of the maize,for healing or for
love,to seek inner vision or to ensure the fertility of the clan.The
addition of grains to the rattles insured their power.Fetishes,magic
stones,personal totems,feathers or other sacred objects were added to
rattlesfor greater power.
The rattles here were created to bring peace and inner awareness of your
personal truth.Take a moment to hold one in your hand.Shake it
gently,then harder,now softer until you find the rhythm that matches
your own.A simple chant or song while shaking your rattle can aid in
opening your spirit.Use your rattle to open the heart and find your
center.Use your rattle in peace and love and bring your vision to life.'
That's it,for what it's worth.We rakued ours and never had a problem
with the little balls of clay sticking together. Hope this helps,
Sue Scarbrough
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