Of rattles and rituals. The anthropomorphic rattle from the Nelson Glueck Collection at the Cincinnati Art Museum

In 1961, Nelson Glueck donated to the Cincinnati Art Museum a large female ceramic figurine which he had obtained in northern Transjordan. Only recently it was discovered that this figurine is a rattle. The fact that the rattle is anthropomorphic, coupled by its uncommonly large size for a rattle, r...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Hebrew Union College annual / Jewish Institute of Religion
Authors: Fox, Nili S. (Author) ; Erisman, Angela Roskop 1972- (Author)
Format: Print Article
Language:English
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Published: College 1999
In: Hebrew Union College annual / Jewish Institute of Religion
RelBib Classification:BH Judaism
Further subjects:B Animals
B Anthropomorphism
Description
Summary:In 1961, Nelson Glueck donated to the Cincinnati Art Museum a large female ceramic figurine which he had obtained in northern Transjordan. Only recently it was discovered that this figurine is a rattle. The fact that the rattle is anthropomorphic, coupled by its uncommonly large size for a rattle, renders the artifact unique. Unfortunately, the anthropomorphic rattle is unprovenanced. Nevertheless, after confirming its authenticity by thermoluminescence analysis, the authors undertook a search to identify the iconographic tradition and functional context of this artifact. The inquiry includes a brief study of extant rattle-type instruments from the ancient Near East and their cultural significance. A detailed evaluation of the Glueck anthropomorphic rattle, especially its iconography, has led the authors to assign it to an Iron II Edomite cultural milieu, specifically to a religious context. The rattle-figurine probably stood in a local shrine and functioned in cult ritual as a musical instrument and possibly as a representation of a goddess.
ISSN:0360-9049
Contains:In: Hebrew Union College-Jewish Institute of Religion, Hebrew Union College annual / Jewish Institute of Religion