Tiwanaku stone bullroarer

posible zumbador de piedra

Source term: POSIBLE ZUMBADOR DE PIEDRA

zumbador de piedra (Spanish): "stone bullroarer/buzzer"; asa (Spanish): "handle," the source's own label for the lateral perforation used to hold/spin the object.

A stone object reportedly turned up at Tiwanaku, on Bolivia's altiplano, and is known today only through a drawing made from another man's description of it. Carlos Ostermann, who is the source of that description, told José Pérez de Arce that he tied a cord to a hole cut through one side of the stone, used as a handle, and spun it — and that it gave off a very high-pitched sound. The Museo de Tiwanaku is the only home named for it.

fue probado por Carlos Ostermann atando una cuerda a la perforación lateral, usada como asa, y haciéndolo girar. Emite un sonido muy agudo.

it was tested by Carlos Ostermann, who tied a cord to the lateral perforation, used as a handle, and spun it. It gives off a very high-pitched sound.

Pérez de Arce 2025, p. 1821

Particulars

Object

An oval stone object with a lateral perforation described as a handle (asa); known only through a reconstruction drawing based on Carlos Ostermann's verbal description, not a photograph. The published drawing shows a schematic oval with a small paired-hole feature near one edge labelled ASA, plus several additional edge features and dotted internal lines whose meaning (perforations, grooves, damage, decoration, or a thickness indication) is not explained by the source and should not be read beyond the caption.

Function

Reportedly tested by Carlos Ostermann, who tied a cord to the lateral perforation, used as a handle, spun the object, and obtained a very high-pitched sound.