Tombak

Iranian (Persian)

On view at The Met Fifth Avenue in Gallery 684

Goblet shaped drums are distributed in areas of Sub-Saharan Africa, across North Africa and eastward to the Philippines. This Persian drum is elaborately decorated Khatam kari marquetry. Its surface is finely inlaid with bone, wood, and brass micro-mosaics forming stars, lozenges, and inscriptions. The poetic calligraphy at the top reads: "When it sounds, it makes everyone in the world happy."

Tombak, Various woods, bone, brass, skin, Iranian (Persian)

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Tombak, Various woods, bone, brass, skin, Iranian (Persian)
Tombak, Various woods, bone, brass, skin, Iranian (Persian)
Tombak, Various woods, bone, brass, skin, Iranian (Persian)
Tombak, Various woods, bone, brass, skin, Iranian (Persian)
Tombak, Various woods, bone, brass, skin, Iranian (Persian)

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