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Hom (instrument)

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Hom-tahs in Bonampak mural
Maya Conch Shell Trumpet

Hom is a Yucatec Maya name used for a class of trumpet-like musical wind instruments found in pre-Columbian and traditional music among the Maya peoples of Mesoamerica.[1] These may be gourd trumpets, horns, megaphones, bugles (cornetas), bocinas or sacabuches, and are seen depictd on the Bonampak murals.[2] Most conspicuous are the hom-tahs or large horns, made from wood, clay and gourds.

Conch shells were also used as hom. A small hole was drilled at the apex of the shell's spire, through which the musician blew. Many Maya conch trumpets had three ventages to produce a series of notes. Decorative bands were often incised around the shell.[3]

See also

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References

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  1. ^ Bolles, David (1997). "Combined Dictionary–Concordance of the Yucatecan Mayan Language" (revised 2003). Foundation for the Advancement of Mesoamerican Studies, Inc. (FAMSI). Retrieved 7 May 2009.
  2. ^ Velázquez Cabrera, Roberto (2005). "Virtual Analysis of Maya Trumpets: Hom-Tahs of Bonampak". Retrieved 28 October 2022.
  3. ^ Stacy, Anna (2014). "Of the Same Stuff as Gods: Musical Instruments among the Classic Maya". The Collegiate Journal of Anthropology. 2: 1. Archived from the original on 14 January 2015.