[Aztlan] Ocarinas/Flutes

[kim Goldsmith]

In light of recent events I haven't been able to follow this topic closely enough, so please forgive me if this question/observation has already been addressed.

I thought that to qualify as a "flute", the instrument not only had to have various fingerholes, but ALSO an opening at the end opposite the mouthpiece end.

An ocarina (or "sweet potato" as they were referred to when I was little [and I wonder if that comes from the Mesoamerican tradition as well]), has various thumb/fingerholes but no opening that's not at the mouthpiece end.

A whistle is like an ocarina, but with no fingerholes.

The reason this interests me is because, as a clay figurine specialist, the clay instruments usually get sent to me for study.

Please let me know if I'm wrong about the "flute" part (i.e. a flute doesn't have to be open-ended).

Thanks,

KIM