Seshesh
possibly Italian (Ancient Roman)
Not on view
The use of sistrum, or sesesh, was associated with the Egyptian God of Hathor. The shape of this sistrum resembles the symbol ankh meaning life. The instrument was eventually co-opted and used for other Egyptian Gods, as is probably the case with this instrument, which is decorated with the figure of a fennec (fox), the symbol of the Egyptian God Set, not Hathor. The sistrum was later used in both Greece and Rome, where this instrument may have been made and used.
Technical description: A hoop of bronze, fitted on a bronze handle, with three bars of metal passing through holes in the sides of the hoop and moving to and fro when the instrument is shaken by the hand. The instrument has lost its jingles and has had a lot of corrosion, however the basic form of the instrument is still intact.
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