Owner: HWMC
Catalog#: 2AF-MBST-36

Single-headed Drums

Egypt 'Doumbek' (A)

Egypt
Egyptian

Metal, mother-of-pearl, clay, synthetic head
Late 20th Century
Height: 17.25 in; Top diameter: 11.25 in; Bottom diameter: 8.75 in
Membranophone – Struck (Directly) – Single Headed

This is the classic design of an Egyptian handmade doumbek, made by Gawharet El Fan in Egypt.  Doumbek drums usually stand around 18 inches tall, with a 10-inch diameter drum head, while darbuka drums are smaller, standing around 9-16 inches tall.  This Egyptian hand drum is a folk instrument with a round head (unlike the Turkish with exposed edges) turned by stretching the synthetic material with screws over the top of the goblet-shaped body.  The doumbek, originally made of clay with fish or goat skin head, is one of the most iconic percussion instruments used in middle eastern and Northern Africa music.  The body of this doumbek is made of cast aluminum over clay, with inlaid mother-of-pearl.  It has a synthetic head with 6 tuning bolts.

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