Egypt
Arab

Wood, metal, hide
Mid 20th century
Diameter: 10.3 in; Frame depth: 5.25 in; Frame thickness: 0.75 in
Membranophone – Struck (Directly) – Single Headed

The Egyptian tambourine called mazhar, is a large, single-headed heavy frame drum with large brass zills (discs). It is used in a Zaffa (wedding procession) and designed for heavy pounding and shaking to sound loud.  The musical  procession also includes bendir drums, bagpipes, horns, belly dancers and men carrying flaming swords.

This Egyptian mazhar tambourine has 5 rows of 2 sets of double discs (20 total) and a goat skin head. The frame is red painted wood with thin embossed metal plating on the outside of the frame. The skin head is attached to the frame using embossed metal studs over striped ribbon. The ribbon is a rainbow striped pattern with blue, yellow, red, green, and pink stripes. This ribbon is also present on the bottom of the frame with the metal studs as decoration. The metal discs are brass and there is an area of the frame which is carved out for the hand to hole it.