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Object Label

Hundreds of panpipes similar to this one have been found in Nasca burial sites along pilgrimage routes, suggesting that the instruments served an important ceremonial function in ancient times. Scholars believe that panpipes were played by pilgrims during processions to the giant geoglyphs (designs scratched on the ground) in the Nasca desert and at ritual feasts that took place at the nearby site of Cahuachi. These ceremonies were held to ensure water for the agricultural season.


Cientos de zampoñas parecidas a ésta han sido encontradas en enterratorios Nasca a lo largo de rutas de peregrinaje, sugiriendo que este instrumento servía una función ceremonial importante en tiempos antiguos. Académicos creen que las zampoñas eran tocadas por peregrinos durante procesiones a los geoglifos gigantes (diseños marcados en la tierra) en el desierto de Nasca y en festines rituales que se realizaban en el sitio cercano de Cahuachi. Estas ceremonias se realizaban para asegurar el agua para la estación agrícola.


Caption

Nasca. Panpipe, Pottery, pigment, 8 1/8 x 3 3/4 x 1/2 in. (20.6 x 8.3 x 1.3 cm). Brooklyn Museum, Henry L. Batterman Fund, 41.433. (Photo: Brooklyn Museum)

Gallery

Not on view

Culture

Nasca

Title

Panpipe

Period

Pre-Spanish

Medium

Pottery, pigment

Classification

Musical Instrument

Dimensions

8 1/8 x 3 3/4 x 1/2 in. (20.6 x 8.3 x 1.3 cm)

Credit Line

Henry L. Batterman Fund

Accession Number

41.433

Frequent Art Questions

  • To create the sounds that each instrument makes, were the actual instruments on display used or were replicas made?

    The sounds were sourced from soundtracks of similar types of instruments being played such as Dale Olsen’s Music of El Dorado and Peyote songs from the Smithsonian’s Folkways Records.
  • Is this a flute of some kind?

    In a way, yes. That is a panpipe of Nasca origin. Unsurprisingly, it was played by blowing through the holes into different length tubes, which created different tones.

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