lute(?);
fiddle(?);
bow;
rattle
- Museum number
- Af2000,05.33.a-c
- Description
-
Lute, spike fiddle ? (a), with long wooden neck and hemispherical body made of gourd; resonator formed from reptile skin stretched across gourd opening and attached with metal nails. Band of leather attached by metal nails around top of gourd. Large circular sound hole at one side. Neck of instrument pierces the body and projects as spike at base. Leather carrying strap now broken. Elephant hair string attached to neck by leather thongs. Base of neck before it pierces gourd is bound with cotton thread to prevent movement. Wooden crossbar bound with cotton thread fixed inside gourd, on top of which, and directly under resonator skin, is further short wooden bar. Gourd resonator is carved to form concentric ridged bands and central scalloped pattern. Bow (b) made of brass with loop at one end and fork at other. Elephant hair string is missing. Upper surface decorated with dots and linear patterns. Miscellaneous assortment of leather, metal, plastic, stone, glass and wooden items, found inside the resonator and described as a rattle (c).
- Production date
- 20thC(late)
- Dimensions
-
Height: 15.30 centimetres (a)
-
Height: 51.30 centimetres (b)
-
Height: 7.90 centimetres (c (max))
-
Width: 67.60 centimetres (a)
-
Width: 1.60 centimetres (b)
-
Width: 4.70 centimetres (c (max))
-
Depth: 23.20 centimetres (a)
-
Depth: 0.50 centimetres (b)
-
Depth: 0.80 centimetres (c (max))
- Curator's comments
- Many of the objects in this collection were previously displayed in an exhibition,'The Arts of the Hausa', at the Commonwealth Institute, 1976, as part of the World of Islam Festival. Eth.Doc.364.
This instrument was acquired by the vendor in 1975 during a period of fieldwork in Nigeria. It was described by the vendor as a 'one-stringed spike-bowl lute (goge)'.
- Location
- Not on display
- Condition
- Fair condition. Carrying strap broken. String(s) damaged. Bow has missing string.
- Acquisition date
- 2000
- Department
- Africa, Oceania and the Americas
- Registration number
- Af2000,05.33.a-c
