Barrel rattle

A clay rattle, discovered during excavations in 1993 within quarter no 5 in Szczecin's Podzamcze, inside a building, which dated back to the 4th quarter of the 12th century. This rattle is a bulky object, straight on one side, with a small “collar” on the other. It was made of clay with some fine and medium-grained sand added to it, then fired. The surface shows a carelessly implemented ornamentation – stamp impressions in irregular rows. Inside are small stones or clay balls that make noise when the rattle is shaken. Early medieval clay rattles discovered in Poland can be divided into three groups. The first one comprises egg-shaped objects covered with colourful glaze. The second group includes rattles covered with granules. The third group comprises rattles that are not glazed, bulbous, biconical and pear-shaped. The Szczecin rattle belongs to the latter. The function of early medieval clay rattles is not clear. They are commonly believed to be toys for small children, but the sheer weight and raw material from which they were made meant that they were not their intended users. The fact that these objects are found in cemeteries, in the graves of adult men and women point to a role linked to beliefs and protective magic. Experts believe that the sounds made by the shaking rattles were meant to ward off evil forces. Animals were also protected, hence the custom of hanging rattles and bells around the necks of farm animals. The distinctive sounds also allows us to categorise rattles as simple musical instruments.

Ewa Górkiewicz-Bucka