Whistle, bosun's call

Nautical whistle or boatswain's (bosun's) call. These were used on board ship so that the boatswain could give instructions to the crew. The high pitched noise could be heard above the sounds of the sea and the ship. Different tunes gave different orders. The whistle consists of a short pipe with a hollow bulb on the end. The hollow bulb has a hole in it. When air is blown from the tube across the hole in the bulb, a whistling sound is made. This whistle is decorated on top with the figure of a lion. There is a loop on the bulb for a string or chain so the whistle could be hung around its owner's neck. It is possible that this whistle is a pilgrim souvenir rather than for use on a ship. Whistles, bells and rattles were all popular souvenirs to buy at holy shrines - the noise they made was thought to keep evil away.