This Swiss cowbell would have been tied to a cow’s neck. It’s a centuries-old tradition for mountain cows to wear bells. Without modern facilities it would have been a tough job to find all the cows again. By wearing a bell they became recognisable for the shepherd / shepherdess. The bell has a clapper, like in a clock. The older the cow, the larger the bell and the lower the sound. These cowbells are also used in traditional music in a tuned series as a musical instrument. This is a large cowbell and would have been from an older cow. Very nicely made, richly decorated with copper elements. Dimensions approx.: Total height 41 cm. Width 18 cm. Over 1.3 kilos! Packaged with care and shipped with signature upon receipt.