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Shell lyre

Like no. 189, object ident. No. [III E 3898] However, a much smaller instrument. A round body shell. Only seven strings. The tension straps are not joined together to form string courses. Old string material and plant material are bound into the ball rings. No carrying strap. No painting on the resonator, no fur residue and no carvings. Red beans and cowrie shells (fragments preserved) on the top. The yoke bar only thickened on one side. "Held between the knees when playing while seated, so that the decorated side with the strings is turned towards the musician." from Ulrich Wegner: Afrikanische Saiteninstrumente, Staatliche Museen Berlin - SPK, 1984 (Appendix Object Catalogue)

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Data Provider
Ethnologisches Museum
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Cataloguing data

Cultural attribution
Wagaya
Object type
musical instruments
Dimensions
Objektmaß: L:47,1 cm; H:11 cm; B:35,5 cm
Objektmaß: Resonanzschale D:17,6 cm
Material/Technique
Wood, Leather , Plant fibre , Lime (cowrie snail), Beans (abrus precatorius)
Current location
Ethnologisches Museum, Staatliche Museen zu Berlin
Inventory number
III E 9266

Provenance and sources

where
Kenya [Land/Region]
who
Wagaya

who
Adolf von Wulffen - Collectors
Boehm - Former Possessors

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