Whistle in the Form of a Turkey
Artist:
Unknown
General region:North and Central America
Place made:Veracruz, Mexico
Culture: Veracruz
Period: Pre-Columbian
Date: ca. A.D. 500-900
Medium: Earthenware
Dimensions:
h. 3 1/2 in. (8.9 cm); w. 3 1/8 in. (7.9 cm); d. 3 in. (7.6 cm)
Credit Line: Gift of Mr. and Mrs. Lewis Kayton
Object number: 64.289.2
Provenance: with Mr. and Mrs. Lewis Kayton, San Antonio, TX, by 1964; by donation to the San Antonio Museum of Art, 1964
Label Text
This turkey is a whistle and was likely used in ceremonies to add musical elements. With its tail feathers and wings fully spread out, it seems it is ready to strut. Turkeys were one of the few animals to be domesticated in Mesoamerica. They were more likely eaten by elites, in elite contexts, however because they are rarely found in non-elite houses. Turkies are part of the iconographic cannon associated with dieties which may explain their distribution pattern. (Bernadette Cap, 2021)
On view
In Collection(s)
The San Antonio Museum of Art is in the process of digitizing its permanent collection. This electronic record was created from historic documentation that does not necessarily reflect SAMA's complete or current knowledge about the object. Review and updating of such records is ongoing.
This resource has been made possible in part by the National Endowment for the Humanities: Exploring the Human Endeavor.
