Wikipedia:Reference desk/Archives/Humanities/2011 December 13

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December 13

Mayan inheritence Customs

Did the post colonial Mayans have a matrilineal and/or matrilocal system? — Preceding unsigned comment added by 99.146.124.35 (talk) 00:11, 13 December 2011 (UTC)

Help in identifying antiquity

On the right is an unknown exhibit at Batticaloa museum. The photographer says there was no identifying plaque accompanying it. The letters "U. S. A" are visible on the round seal type part on the top. Please help to identify this object.--Sodabottle (talk) 06:46, 13 December 2011 (UTC)

What's it made of? The base and the circular part look brass. Is the rest iron or the same as the base?
Sleigh (talk) 10:44, 13 December 2011 (UTC)

Could it possibly be a doorbell? The shaped upper part might be mounted on the outside of a door, with the 'button' or striking pin extending through a hole to the bell mounted on the inside. I used to have a (much smaller) modern doorbell of the same general design, except that the button operated a clockwork-driven striker (which whirled round inside the bell) rather than merely striking the bell directly - in fact, this one could even work in the same way, as we can't see inside the (presumed) bell. {The poster formerly known as 87.81.230.195} — Preceding unsigned comment added by 90.197.66.63 (talk) 13:06, 13 December 2011 (UTC)

Seems awfully heavy to be a doorbell, unless it's military. It would help if we had the rest of the words and numbers on the disk. — kwami (talk) 05:22, 14 December 2011 (UTC)

I should perhaps have added that I was thinking of the door to a large building such as an embassy, ministry, barracks, or library, rather than a modest domestic dwelling. Also Victorian (or earlier) era fitments were sometimes constructed on a more imposing scale than we are accustomed to today: I've seen bell-pulls on old buildings (exterior ones mounted on the wall next to the front door, not the internal ropes used for summoning servants that our article of that title describes) not dissimilar in appearance and scale. {The poster formely known as 87.81.230.195} 90.193.78.30 (talk) 12:00, 14 December 2011 (UTC)

It would also help to know what sort of exhibits were in the same case or in the same room, as related objects are invariably exhibited together. Have you tried calling the museum?--Shantavira|^{feed me} 09:10, 14 December 2011 (UTC)

It might also help to know the scale. – b_jonas 10:52, 16 December 2011 (UTC)