Ocarinas

Ocarinas are globular flutes that can be traced back to ancient China, ancient Egypt and the pre-Columbian Americas. The designs and styles shown here include replicas of Aztec and Mayan originals. The Incas used ocarinas to relay messages in the Andes. The instruments have 4-12 holes, the pitch being determined by how many holes are covered with the fingers. The same fingering can produce 2 to 3 notes, depending on the way air is blown into the ocarina. The larger the vessel, the lower the tone. The following instruments are made of clay, the most important material used in the manufacture of pre-Columbian wind instruments, including trumpets.