Bowl Lyre

Ugandan or Kenyan

On view at The Met Fifth Avenue in Gallery 681

Decorative lyre made for export, with gourd body and antelope horn arms. The rim of the gourd is decorated with bristles.

Lyres have two wood or horn arms that project from the body and carry a crossbar to which the upper ends of the strings are fastened. The strings lie nearly parallel to the soundtable. African lyre bodies are made of wood, gourds, tortoise or coconut shells. Most African lyres lack bridges; the strings vibrate against the soundtable to create a buzzing sound.

Bowl Lyre, Wood, horn, calabash, skin, Ugandan or Kenyan

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Bowl Lyre, Wood, horn, calabash, skin, Ugandan or Kenyan
Bowl Lyre, Wood, horn, calabash, skin, Ugandan or Kenyan
Bowl Lyre, Wood, horn, calabash, skin, Ugandan or Kenyan

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