The Great Turtle Shell Rattle: Celebratory Music?

was the great turtle shell rattle used for celebrations

Turtle shell rattles are percussion instruments used by Native Americans in ceremonial contexts to keep rhythm. They are made from the shells of Eastern box turtles, which are native to the southeastern United States. The shells are often filled with small objects such as river pebbles, seeds, or teeth to create a distinctive rattling sound.

Turtle shell rattles hold symbolic significance for many Native American tribes, who believe that the world was formed upon the back of a turtle. The use of turtle shells in musical instruments is thought to interject powerful symbology and spiritual energy into dances and ceremonies.

While turtle shells have been found at archaeological sites across North America, they were often dismissed as food remains until recently. New research suggests that the presence of turtle shell rattles in prehistoric cultures may have been more common than previously thought, with archaeological evidence of their use dating back to the Archaic period (8000-1000 BC).

Today, turtle shell rattles continue to be used by modern-day Native American tribes such as the Cherokee, Shawnee, Muscogee (Creek), Chickasaw Nation, and Seminoles. They are typically used during community, celebratory, and ceremonial events, with women traditionally wearing the rattles on their legs to keep the beat.

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Turtle shells were used as rattles and other musical instruments by Native American tribes

Native American rattles can be made from a variety of materials, including wood, rawhide, gourd, and turtle shells. The Indian tribes of the Northwest coast used wood, the Plains tribes used rawhide, and tribes of the Southwest used gourd. Others used turtle shells, horns, or anything that would hold the insides of the rattle – seeds, rocks, or shells.

Turtles play an important role in many indigenous populations, but they have not been explored in great detail by researchers. Many indigenous groups believe that the world was formed on the back of a turtle. This symbology is imbued into the turtle shell rattles, which are meant to keep rhythm and interject powerful symbology and spiritual energy into dances and ceremonies.

Turtle shell rattles have been found throughout North America, from Florida to the Northeast and into Canada. The meaning and importance of these rattles likely differ depending on the region, but their presence in all these areas demonstrates that turtle shells were important to keeping rhythm in ceremonies across prehistoric North America.

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The turtle shell rattle is believed to have been used to keep rhythm during dances and ceremonies

Turtle shell rattles are believed to have been used by Native Americans to keep rhythm during dances and ceremonies. Native American rattles are a symbol of independence, with the rattle's sound believed to help break up stagnant energy and aid focus on the soul.

Turtle shells were used as rattles and other musical instruments by Native American tribes throughout North America. The shells were wrapped in rawhide and attached to a stick, with the insides of the rattle containing teeth, seed, rocks or shells to create the rattling sound.

The turtle shell rattle is believed to have been used by tribes including the Navajo, Muscogee and Tsoyaha. The rattle was used during ceremonies, with its symbology and belief imbued into the instrument, keeping rhythm and injecting spiritual energy into dances.

The turtle shell rattle is thought to have been particularly important to the Muscogee and Tsoyaha tribes, with women wearing the instrument on their legs to keep the beat during dances.

Turtle shells were also used as percussion instruments in the southeastern United States, with several partial shells of the Eastern box turtle identified in middle Tennessee that are believed to have been used as rattles.

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The turtle shell rattle is thought to have been symbolic of the belief that the world was formed on a turtle's back

Turtles are believed to be able to travel between the Above and Beneath Worlds, exemplified by their ability to move on land and in water. They are mediators between the two worlds and, for some groups, between vegetarian and carnivorous animals.

The turtle shell rattle is, therefore, a powerful symbol, imbued with spiritual energy and symbology, used to keep rhythm in dances and ceremonies.

The turtle shell rattle contains real coyote and/or beaver teeth and is made with a genuine turtle shell, wrapped in rawhide on an alder stick, adorned with genuine coyote fur. The rattle is hand-made in the USA and is an authentic Native American ceremonial/spiritual prayer rattle.

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The turtle shell rattle was made from the Eastern box turtle (Terrapene carolina)

The turtle shell rattle was made from the Eastern box turtle (*Terrapene carolina*), a subspecies of the common box turtle. Native to the Eastern United States, this turtle is characterised by its dark brown, hinged shell with yellow-orange markings. The vivid orange and yellow patterns on its shell serve as camouflage, allowing it to blend in with the damp leaves and debris on the forest floor.

The Eastern box turtle has a distinct physical appearance, with a high-domed, rounded carapace (upper shell) and a hinged plastron (lower shell) that allows it to completely enclose itself within its shell for protection. Its shell is also unique in its ability to regenerate and reform after injuries. This species typically grows to around 10-15 centimetres in length and has an average lifespan of 25-35 years, although some have been known to live for over a hundred years.

Eastern box turtles are predominantly terrestrial and are found in various habitats, including grasslands, forests, and areas near water sources. They are known for their strong homing instincts, rarely venturing far from their home territory. These turtles are opportunistic omnivores, consuming a variety of plants, fruits, insects, and even animal carrion.

In Native American culture, the Eastern box turtle holds symbolic significance. It is believed to possess the ability to travel between the Above and Beneath Worlds, mediating between the two realms. The turtle shell rattle, crafted from the shell of this turtle species, plays an important role in ceremonial and ritual contexts.

The process of crafting a turtle shell rattle involves drilling holes in the carapace and plastron, filling the shell with small objects like pebbles or seeds, and then sealing the two halves together. The resulting rattle creates a distinctive sound that accompanies Native American dances, songs, and rituals.

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The turtle shell rattle was filled with teeth, pebbles, seeds, or other small objects to create its sound

Turtle shell rattles are percussion instruments used by Native Americans in ceremonial contexts to keep rhythm. The turtle shell is filled with teeth, pebbles, seeds, or other small objects to create its sound. The shells are often wrapped in rawhide and attached to a stick.

The Eastern box turtle (Terrapene carolina) is a common species used for rattles. Turtle shells found at archaeological sites were often dismissed as food remains, but researchers have identified several partial shells of the Eastern box turtle from middle Tennessee archaeological sites that they believe were used as rattles.

Turtles play an important role in Native American cosmology, such as the belief that the world was formed upon the back of a turtle. Turtle shell rattles are steeped in meaning and are integral instruments in dances, ceremonies, and rituals.

Native American rattles can be made from a variety of materials, including wood, rawhide, gourd, and turtle shells. The type of filling used also varies and can include seeds, rocks, or shells. The rattle is an instrument of independence, utilising what Native Americans refer to as the three kingdoms or nations: the animal, mineral, and plant kingdoms.

Frequently asked questions

Native American rattles are made from rawhide, gourds, turtle shells, wood, horns, seed pods, or anything that can hold the contents that make the rattling sound, such as seeds, rocks, or shells.

Native American rattles are used to keep the rhythm during tribal dances and ceremonies. They are also used as a spiritual instrument to unblock energy within the body and heal ailments.

Native American rattles symbolise independence. They represent the three kingdoms or nations: the animal, mineral, and plant kingdoms.

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