321.311-71 Spike bowl lutes sounded by bowing with a bow

Spike fiddle. A bowed stringed instrument consisting of a simple gourd bowl body mounted on a rough curved stick with a single black horse-hair string attached to the neck by a leather binding and to the tail-piece by leather and cord. Leather carrying loop. Skin membrane with a large round sound hole at one side but undecorated Membrane attached to gourd by very small wooden pegs. String fraying, otherwise sound condition.

The horsehair of the bow is rubbed with beeswax before the instrument is played.

object
MUSEUM NUMBER
M15.6.55/35
PLACE
COLLECTION
MEASUREMENTS
overall: 580 x 175 x 115 mm
MATERIAL/TECHNIQUE
gourd; wood; skin; leather; hair; vegetable fibre
CATEGORY
Musical Instruments
LOCATION
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Collection Information

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