EXHIBIT OF BIBLICAL ANTIQUITIES. 975 



The instruments exhibited, of which illustrations are given here, 

 were as follows: 



I.— INSTRUMENTS OF PERCUSSION. 



(1) EouND TABRET, Hand-drum (Hebrew, Tof). — From Beirut, 

 Syria, where it is called rikk. (See plate 1, fig. 3.) The Arabic name 

 duff agrees with the Hebrew, and is the parent of the Spanish aduffa. 



The tablet or timbrel is mentioned in Genesis xxxi, 27. Its use sur- 

 vived from the earliest time to the present day in Asia, Greece, and 

 Italy. On old Grecian monuments the tabret is seen in the hands 

 of Bacchantes and priests of Cybele. On the Egyi)tiaii sculptures two 

 forms of the tabret are represented, the round and the four-sided. 

 The use of the striker seems not to have been known in antiquity. 

 The tabret was beaten with the hand and was suspended from the 

 neck by a ribbon. Later modifications of the tabret resemble our 

 drum and the kettle dram. Tlie use of the tabret was confined to joy- 

 ous occasions. It served with other instruments of song' to accentuate 

 the rhythm of the dance.^ It was played mostly by women, accompany- 

 ing the harp and Inte, at joyous feasts,^ at the reception of victorious 

 generals,^ at banquets,^^ and at weddings.'' In solemn processions it was 

 also j)layed by men.^ The tabret is not mentioned among the instru- 

 ments used in the religious services of the tabernacle or temple. 



(2) Four-sided tabret, Morocco, Africa. (See plate 1, fig. 4.) 



(3) Kettledrum (Arabic, Naggarah), Cairo, Egypt. (See plate 1, 

 fig. 5.) — The kettledrum is made either of wood or copper, one side 

 being rounded, the other fiat, on which the skin (of a goat or gazelle) is 

 stretched. It is now used in military bands, orchestras, and short solo 

 passages. It is also employed by the dervishes to produce excitement 

 in their devotions. The kettledrum is sounded with blows from a soft- 

 headed, elastic mallet, stick, or a leather thong. 



(4) Cymbals {Hebrew, 31egi It ay im, (^el<;elhn). (See plate ], tig. 2.) 

 These two Hebrew words, which are usually considered identical, are 

 plainly onomatopoeic. Though it is hardly likely that they indicated 

 the same instrument, we have at i^resent no certain method of dif- 

 fercLtiating them. Megiltayim is almost invariably in the dual form, 

 which indicates two similar parts, and in one passage^ the material of 

 which they were made, cop[)er or brass, is named. Cymbals are 

 mentioned only in connection with religious ceremonies.^ 



'Geuesis xxxi, 27; Psalms Ixxxi. 2. 



^Exodus XV, 20; Judges xi, 34; I Samuel xviii, 6; Jeremiah xxxi, 4; Psalms cl, 4. 

 •^Isaiah xxiv, 8; xxx, 32; Job xxi, 12. 

 ■•Judges xi, 34; I Samuel xviii, 6. 

 •^Isaiah v, 12. 

 •"'I Maccabees ix, 39. 



'II Samuel vi, 5, and I Chronicles xiii, 8. 

 *•! Chronicles xv, 19. 



9 11 Samuel vi, .5; I Chronicles xiii, 8; xv, 16. 19, 28; xvi.n, 42; xxv, 1, 6; II Chron- 

 icles v, 12, 13; xxix,25; Ezra in, 10; Nehemiah xii, 27; I'salms cl, 5. 



