Object ID
1994.19.3
Object Name
Bell, Animal
Object Collection
Material
Brass ; Leather
Object Entities
Fotopoulos, Mary (owned by)
Fotopoulos, Mary (is related to)
Access Points
Object Description
Group of 6 bells attached together by leather strips. 2 of the bells are not attached to the rest of the group. Inside all the bells is a single metal nail that functions as a clapper. These clappers are attached by a hook that latches onto a catch on the inside of each bell. At the top of each bell is a square shaped handle. Thin leather strips are tied to these handles. These leather strips connect the bells in a strand. On these leather strips are various beads which serve decorative purposes. There are two white beads, one red bead, and one teal bead. All the bells are very rusted and are a brown-orange color. Green rust appears on the inside of each bell as well. There are two studs on each bell which are used to keep the folded metal together in its bell shape. Four of the bells are a mushroom shape with an oval shaped opening at the bottom. Two of the bells have a trapezoidal shape with an oval opening at the bottom. Two of the mushroom bells are not connected to the rest of the strand. The smaller of the two disconnected bells does not have any leather strip tied to it. The larger of the two disconnected bells has a leather strip with a white bead on it tied to its handle.
Origin
Bells like these one were very common among goat herders in Greece. These bells were used for various reasons. Most commonly, they were tied to the lead goat of the herd so that the other goats would be able to follow it based on the sound of the bell. In other cases, bells were tied to the necks of stud males or pregnant females for easy identification. These specific bells are tied together by thin strips of leather. Two of the bells have become detached from the rest because they were not securely fastened to the strand.
Rights and Reproduction
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Citation
Bell, Animal, Mary Fotopoulos Collection, National Hellenic Museum, https://collections.nationalhellenicmuseum.org/Detail/objects/9741. Accessed 03/29/24.