page_title: Naqareh
section_title: Europe
hierarchical_section_title: Naqareh / Varieties / Europe
context_page_description: The naqqāra, nagara or nagada is a Middle Eastern drum with a rounded back and a hide head, usually played in pairs. It is thus a membranophone of the kettle drum variety.
  The term naqqāra, also نقارات naqqarat, naqqarah, naqqåre, nakkare, nagora comes from the Arabic verb naqr- that means "to strike, beat".
  The instrument was also adopted in Europe following the Crusades, and known as the naccaire or naker.
context_section_description: Kettledrums were adopted in Europe during the 13th century Crusades, following contact with Saracen musicians who played the drums;The Arabic term naqqara became French nacaires, the Italian naccheroni and the English nakers.  The instrument spread rapidly, reaching England in the 14th century. The instrument is very visible in European artwork and iconography of the period, before fading from view in the 17th century.
  As the Grove Dictionary of Music describes them:
  They were more or less hemispherical, 15-25cm in diameter, frequently with snares and usually played in pairs, suspended in front of the player. They were usually played with drumsticks, mainly for martial purposes but also in chamber music, dance and processional music and probably for accompanying songs.
  Kettledrums in Europe today are called tympani or timpani, descended from the imported naqareh.
caption: German woodcut in the early 1500s.
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