- DIMENSIONS:
- Height 0.59 m; Diameter (max) 205 mm
- DESCRIPTION:
- Worked
from a single piece of wood, which shows a multitude of adze marks.
The membranes are of elephant-skin lashed longitudinally with pairs
of elephant-hide strips; a few hairs remain on some strips. The lashings
pass through holes in the skins, which have stretched under tension.
A continuous band of interlooped hide strip is worked around the lashings
above the smaller membrane, with the remains of a carrying-strap attached
at one point. A more complex band of X- or V-shaped patterns is made
by the thongs below the larger membrane; a narrow over-wrapped hide
encircles the drum below the patterned lashing. The vestiges of a carrying-strap
are attached to this band also. When the drum is moved an object can
be heard moving freely inside: this could be a charm.
- COMMENTARY:
- This
drum was attributed by Tradescant to "Ginny" (Guinea), which
at most times during the last three and a half centuries was probably
understood to define the whole coastal area of west Africa from Senegal
to at least the mouth of the Congo. The drum can be certainly associated
with two other drums which clearly came from the same village area,
or at least from the same tribe, which were reproduced in a woodcut
by Praetorius; unfortunately, no further attribution comes from this
association, since Praetorius allots his pair to Muscovy.
- Museum Id. No:
- 1656
p. 45: Drums of two sorts; I. from Ginny of a whole piece of wood,
or, Ginny Drum made of one piece or Spurres from Turkey
1685 B no. 169: Drums of two sorts; I. from Ginny of a whole piece of wood,
or, Ginny Drum made of one piece
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