/internal/media/dispatcher/763836/resize%25253Aformat%25253DthumbnailBowl lyre (ndongo)19th centuryLength 66 cm, width 53.5 cm (Length 26 in., width 21 1/16 in.)Wood, monitor lizard skin, goat hair, cowrie shellsLeslie Lindsey Mason Collection17.21791Shallow hemispherical body of wood with sound table of snakeskin with one small circular soundhole at proper right side. Center of back covered by small square (130 x 130 mm) of animal skin, pierced around perimeter by strands of twisted plant fiber radiating to edge of body in alternating bands of black and red. Two wood arms pierce sound table and support wood yoke at upper end. Attached to ends of yoke are strands of cowrie shells and large tufts of black and gray monkey hair. Eight strings of twisted plant fiber pierce sound table and body and are tied to wood peg at lower end, and are tied to cloth tuning rings at yoke.
Musical instruments5074701