Rattle Item Number: Sf745 from the MOA: University of British Columbia
Thin sheet metal in the shape of a bivalve, hinged with a fold. Convex surfaces have many raised bumps. Three small holes for suspension pass through the sides of the hinge. There is one tiny pellet inside, probably a stone.
The shell-shaped rattle is probably a part of a collar-like neckpiece, similar to ones found at Loma Negra. These metalwork rattles have the shapes of human and owl heads (Schaffer, p.c.). It is possible that similar adornments continued to be made by the subsequent Lambayeque and Chimu cultures.
Possibly Vicus Style; 0-200 C.E.
The rattles appear to have the form of a bivalve shell, possibly spondylus, as the raised bumps on the surface resemble this shell. Spondylus is found in Ecuadorian waters and was a valued trade item in Peru over many centuries.