Folk musical instrument
date: label: date made
content: 1835 - 1865
notes: label: Description
content: Maker unknown. undetermined city, USA.
label: Description
content: This object has been given considerable scrutiny and analysis because of its attribution during the 1990s to African traditions. Studies have been inconclusive; while the sun design carved on the body may have African origins, the polygonal shape, wood top (instead of a skin), and carved head lie outside the traditions of those instrument designs and technologies brought by people from the African continent who had been kidnapped, enslaved and trafficked across the Atlantic. An appraisal dates the instrument to the early to mid-19th century, but this instrument continues to warrant further study.
label: Location
content: Currently not on view
place: label: place made
content: United States
topic: label: Subject
content: Music
label: Subject
content: African American
setName: label: See more items in
content: Culture and the Arts: Musical Instruments
label: See more items in
content: Music & Musical Instruments
label: See more items in
content: Cultures & Communities
creditLine: label: Credit Line
content: Gift of Robert S. Jamieson
dataSource: label: Data Source
content: National Museum of American History
identifier: label: ID Number
content: 1990.0164.01
label: accession number
content: 1990.0164
label: catalog number
content: 1990.0164.01
objectType: label: Object Name
content: folk instrument
physicalDescription: label: Physical Description
content: wood (part material)
label: Physical Description
content: metal (part material)
label: Measurements
content: overall: 31 in x 10 in x 3 1/2 in; 78.74 cm x 25.4 cm x 8.89 cm