Morocco
Moroccan

Clay, goat skin, paint
Mid 20th century
Length: 21.25 in; Head diameter: 5.75 in; Base diameter: 3 in
Membranophone – Struck (Directly) – Single Headed

This shoulder drum called tara’ij has a goatskin head and a glazed body with colorful leafed designs. In some areas, tara’ij are traditionally given to children at the holiday of Aashura, a major (Islamic) religious commemoration of the martyrdom at Karbala of Hussein. Boy’s drums have plain baked-clay tubes and girl’s drums are painted in brightly colored patterns as shown in this drum.