60 BUUJETJOS 1HG, UNITED STATES NATIONAL MUSEUM 



a thong. The head of the other Central American specimen (115353) 

 was held by irregular lines cut in the clay. A cord is molded in the 

 clay near the top and around the base. 



Several drums with shells of pottery were received in 1889 from 

 Tangiers, Morocco. Their shape is not unlike that of the Central 

 American specimens. No. 95755 (pi. 25a) has a .shell of cream- 

 colored ware, glazed on the outside and decorated with designs in 

 blue under the glaze. It has two gut cords vibrating as a ' ; snare " 

 against the head. These were stretched across the top of the shell 

 before the head was put on and were fastened to a leather band 

 which had been placed around the shell. A loop in the leather band 

 forms a handle by which the drum could be carried. Red is the 

 foundation color in the decoration of 95751 (pi. 25/). A striking 

 decoration in warm orange and blue is seen on 95753, while 95750 

 has a trumpet-shaped mouth and both shell and head are painted 

 in water colors. A particularly fine drum from Morocco is green 

 with a beautifully glazed surface (311649). This was a bequest from 

 Miss Elizabeth S. Stevens. An Arabian specimen of the same type 

 has a different feeling in its decoration, which consists of crude 

 flowers on a background of chrome yellow (151844). 



A notable example of pottery vase drum is 95169 from Cairo. 

 This is called Daraboukkeh (according to Mahillon) and is used by 

 boatmen. It is suspended from the player's neck by a cord, held 

 under the left arm, and struck with the fingers of both hands. This 

 is the type of drum used by one of the Egyptian players in a group 

 photographed at t|ie World's Fair, Chicago (pi. 26). A different 

 sound is produced when it is struck in the center and near the edge 

 of the head. This .specimen has a bulbous body and long cylindrical 

 neck. The head is glued to the shell, which is open from end to end. 

 Somewhat similar in shape is 95699 (pi. 25c) which is from Con- 

 stantinople and is the tallest of the pottery drums. The head is 

 stretched over the larger end of the shell and secured by a thong 

 wound several times around the shell. No. 95147 (pi. 25//) is Syrian 

 and shows a somewhat different outline. Attention is directed to 

 the manner in which the parchment head was stretched and held in 

 place while the glue was drying. 



Vase-shaped drums of metal and wood are also shown. A par- 

 ticularly fine specimen (95700) is from Turkey and resembles the 

 Syrian pottery drum (95147), but is more graceful in outline. The 

 shell is of brass with repousse designs of animals, birds, an 1 the 

 ass-headed god. It has one parchment head glued to the shell and 

 made secure by a cord. Another specimen from Turkey is 125 

 (pi. 25e). The musicians of Siam used drums of a similar shape, 

 two exhibited specimens coming from that country. No. 27307 (pi. 



