Ancient Musical instruments Prehispanic Part I

In our quest to bring the world of our historical legacy, we meet in Lima with beautiful replicas of pre-Columbian musical instruments. The builder, the musician Walter Alfredo Najarro Acasiete (AK7). The original instruments are at the Museum of Archaeology and Anthropology of Peru. Our surprise was the  dedication involved in every replica. The technique for making the instruments was analyzed and well understood. We used the clay from the location which each original piece was made, in order to achieve the same characteristics in appearance and sound.

The sounds are exact replicas of the originals. The ancient peruvian man did not know the musical scale as it exists today. He had his own scale.

To pre-Columbian cultures, the music was an essential part of life, and that was the means of connection to another world, Through its rituals and celebrations.

The National Museum of Archaeology, Anthropology and History of Peru along with the National School of Folkore José María Arguedas have created the project: Waylla Kepa. This is a Project of Scientific Research and Experimental Art that aims to:
  
- The audiovisual cataloging of 2000 pieces of pre-Hispanic instruments.
- The production of replicas of pre-Hispanic musical instruments.
- Training workshops for music creation and performance for the processing of materials that were tailored prehispanic musical instruments.

 Make replicas has lead us to knowledge approach.

In the video we see the musician and replicator of prehispanic musical instruments: Najarro Walter Alfredo Acasiete (AK7).



 
The preparation of pre-Hispanic instruments:

Preparation of the pieces: The clay is worked through turning in the case of percussion pieces of clay, and Nazca drums. It chooses a good clay zone (Ica) for its hardness and its sound.

Through the empty liquid clay into plaster cast for the Antara. X-rays were taken of original antaras in which the structure of the instrument shows that have used liquid clay.

Pipe by Pipe Tuning: After obtaining the tubes through the mold is made the pitch of the instrument according to the scale of the original. Given Reducers clay, where there is a 40-variacón centiftonos between the pre-cooking and postcocción.

The union of the tubes in antaras is performed with liquid clay, which acts as acoplameinto material between the pipe and tube.

Through modeling, the piece is made by hand and shovel technique giving the required shape. In the event that the piece is made in sections, the union of the parts is done having a uniform moisture of the clay.

The union of the tubes is performed with the antara liquid clay, which acts as coupling material between the pipe and tube.

For making whistling bottles, which uses modeling and palette. X-ray support allows to know the method of construction of the whistle.

When the piece is in a state of leather coating is applied, a liquid clay with minerals that grant occidantes color to the instrument. As the finish is brushed, rubbed smooth with a color instrument, which gives adhesion and gloss.
  
In the case of monochrome parts black, the color is created by lack of oxygen during cooking, do not slip. This was done once in a clay oven without a chimney outlet. In the north is used manure from poultry or mango leaves to achieve this effect.

The firing of the pieces is done in an electric furnace up to 1000 degrees centigrade, however ancestralment utilizagan wood stoves are, with the temperature between 500 to 600 degrees centigrade.

Original and replicas:
- In the video we can see: Drum ceramics, Nazca culture from 100 to 700 A.C. Original left, right replica.
- Antara fourteen ceramic tubes, 100-700 A.C. Nazca A.C. Original Top, Right replica.
- Quena ceramic, 1100-1400 A.C. Chincha culture Original Top, Right replica.
- Replica trumpet in zig-zag of ceramics. Moche 100 to 700 A.C. Orignal Up, Right replica.
- Replica of Moche pututos 100-700 A.C.
- Replica Bottle Whistle Inca 1100-1500 A.C.
- Replica Bottle Moche whistle 100-700 A.C.
- Whistle Inca bottle Repliac 1100 - 1500 A.C.
- Replica of ceramic Quena, Culture Chinca 1100-1400 A.C.
- Double Flute or Bagpipes. Cajamarca pottery, traditional.
- Ocarina today.

Using techniques of manufacture of the pieces also restores the instruments and their instegridad reconstituting fragmented aesthetic and sound.

This materal was provided by Alfred Walter Najar Acasiete (AK7)
The background music is a sound created by AK7 dedicated to his daughter.
The video and the music has copyrights as their reproduction prohibited without the authorization of the author.