Musical Bow

Unknown

late 19th century · Wood, gourd, hemp · Musical Instruments

The Musical bow, a wood rod fitted with a string and tapped with a stick, is one of the oldest instrument types. The sounds of the vegetal, metal or cord string may be enhanced by a gourd resonator held against the chest or resonated in the mouth. It is widely distributed and African versions were brought to the Americas by enslaved peoples who in Brazil used it (berimbau) to perform capoeira, a martial art dance.

Artist

Unknown

Date

late 19th century

Medium

Wood, gourd, hemp

Culture

West African

Department

Musical Instruments

Credit line

The Crosby Brown Collection of Musical Instruments, 1889