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, as 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 melody instrument. This is a large cowbell and would have been from an older cow. Very nice handcrafts, richly decorated with copper elements. Dimensions approximately: total height 53 cm width 20 cm More than 2 kilos. Packaged with great care and shipped by recorded delivery (with signature).