The Travels of Marco Polo
Mongolian war drum has long history dating back to Genghis Khan (1162-1227), it had been popularly used for ritual ceremony and warfare. The Italian traveler and merchant Marco Polo wrote in his The Travels of Marco Polo about the Mongolian military matters: "before they go to a battle, all soldiers wait for the sound of the Guangu from their commander. When the commander’s drum played, most of the soldiers will play their own instruments and sing".