A musical instrument and decorative accent rolled into one, this cylindrical-shaped bell has been handmade using recycled scrap metals by the artisans at a Noah's Ark-sponsored workshop in Moradabad, India.
Handmade in India and fair trade imported.
Hailing from the Western Indian towns of Kutch and Gujarat, these metal bells were traditionally made for cattle, with different sizes and tones to help herders identify their animals. The artisans, descendants of the Lohar caste which originated in Pakistan, have been making bells for as far back as they can trace their ancestry. These days, bells are made using iron scraps that salvaged from junk yards, then hand-pressed into a variety of shapes and sizes, just as they have been for the past 1,000 years.
After achieving their shape, the bells are covered with powdered copper and mud paste and then baked in a furnace for a rustic finish. The entire process generates a minimal amount of waste, just small traces of metal scrap and burnt mud, and because they’re not welded, a very small amount of energy
