Bowl Lyre

Unknown

19th century · Wood, horn, calabash, skin · Musical Instruments

Decorative lyre made for export, with gourd body and antelope horn arms. The rim of the gourd is decorated with bristles. Lyres have two wood or horn arms that project from the body and carry a crossbar to which the upper ends of the strings are fastened. The strings lie nearly parallel to the soundtable. African lyre bodies are made of wood, gourds, tortoise or coconut shells. Most African lyres lack bridges; the strings vibrate against the soundtable to create a buzzing sound.

Artist

Unknown

Date

19th century

Medium

Wood, horn, calabash, skin

Culture

Ugandan or Kenyan

Department

Musical Instruments

Credit line

The Crosby Brown Collection of Musical Instruments, 1889