18-From Cochiti Pueblo, Painted Hand Held Historic Drum [SOLD]

Painted and unpainted drums of all sizes are used in pueblo ceremonies. The drum suggests the thunder that comes with rain. The drum has two heads. Pueblo songs are written to start slowly and then go to a climax. At a certain point of the song, the drum is flipped over to achieve a higher beat. This lifts the dancers and gives them the impetus to continue dancing.

The body of the drum is painted in alternating colors of turquoise and salmon with white just below the drum heads.  Arched black lines outline the body paint.

Condition: The heads of the drum were never painted black but left in the natural state.  There is no damage to the drum. 

Provenance: From the Dana Lipsig Scarpitta collection.