Cog rattle

Cog rattle (Fr.: crécerelle; Ger.: Schnarre, Knarre), *scraped idiophone consisting of a cogwheel with axle serving as handle and a tongue fixed to the frame. When it is whirled, the tongue strikes the cogs of the wheel one after the other. Cog rattles are found in Europe and in Asia. In Europe they served in monasteries of the Orthodox Church and in Catholic churches during Easter week, replacing the bells, and in some areas still fulfill that function. Formerly also in use by night watchmen…