Museum object · Slavery and Freedom Objects
Dance rattle
1800s
West Africa, Africa
Source catalog description
This description refers to material held by Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture. Visual details below describe the original material.
Metal dance rattle with oval shaped hole in center. Sides of rattle have flattened pieces of metal that create little compartments. Inside these small spaces are small pebbles that make noise when the rattle is jostled. Attached at one side of rattle are four metal rings, two at each end of the side.
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Sources & collection details
Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture — original record ↗
Catalog metadata · CC0 · Source checked 2026-10-13
Catalog reference: 2014.312.1
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