Four side boards and two side boards are nailed together to form an elongated wooden box. On each side board [are] eight wire strings nailed under flat convex wooden mouldings. They emerge from under the edge mouldings, overflow a low crossbar and cross the top of a V-shaped wooden bridge. Under some of the strings [are] small additional edge bars. There is a square sound hole in a rib on the long side and another small one in the top of each body. On a long moulding [one can see] a large burnt inscription (cf. C.)[-> "Place: Morondava. Made by the musician (men). Inscription: 'veloma sambitsana va- diko1."]. In the characters [are] remnants of dark green and silver-coloured painting. In the head section of the moulding [is] a nailed-on French silver coin. "Made by the musician himself, cut out of thick wood with a European knife (kupkup). Played by men on all desired occasions. Betsimisaraka in Ambinanindrano (at the Sakaleona)." from Ulrich Wegner: Afrikanische Saiteninstrumente, Staatliche Museen Berlin - SPK, 1984 (Appendix Object Catalogue)