Xun (ovoid ocarina), Han dynasty (206 b.c.–220 a.d.)
China
Pottery; Overall W. 2 13/16 in. (7.1 cm), D. 1 7/8 in. (4.8 cm), L. 4 1/8 in. (10.5 cm)
Gift of Joseph G. Gerena, 2005 (2005.14)
Simple globular clay whistles, or ocarinas, were among the earliest wind instruments that required an understanding of how pitch is determined by the relationship between the dimensions of the wind chamber and the placement of the fingerholes. Ancient versions such as this one have fingerholes on one side of the ovoid body. Later versions, still used in Sino-derived Korean ritual music, have holes located at the cardinal points around instruments that are onion-shaped.
