Thailand
Thai

Stone, wood, leather
19th century
Length: 28.5 in
Chordophones – Lutes

The saw duang is a two-string spiked fiddle from Thailand.  Saw (so) is the generic name for fiddle, and duang was the name of a small bamboo animal trap.  The saw duang most likely originated from China and was brought to Thailand by the Chaozhou Chinese.  This saw duang consists of two silk strings, two tuning pegs carved decoratively with intricate detail, a hardwood somewhat cylindrical soundbox with a snakeskin cover over one end and open on the other, a small wooden bridge used to keep the strings away from the snakeskin head and ivory decoration.  When played it is held vertical and a bow is attached to the instrument by passing the bow hairs between the two strings, much the same as the Chinese Erhu.