Skip to content

The Museum will be closed to the public on Friday, December 20 for a private event.

Rattle

Southern Plains, Possibly Kiowa

circa 1970

Metal saltshaker, wood, yarn

1996.01.1328

On View

Ritual & Ceremony

Arthur and Shifra Silberman Collection

Adaption is a hallmark of Native American culture. This style of rattle is based on the traditional gourd rattle. The use of rattles in ceremonies and rituals dates back hundreds, in not thousands of years, and ranges in form from simple, small ceramic or rawhide examples to elaborately beaded, painted, and carved specimens.

Stay Connected

Sign up for our e-newsletter