Dholaka

late 19th century

Not on view

The dholaka (or dholak) is a barrel-shaped drum with two heads. It is played with the hand and a stick. This nineteenth-century example is rope-tensioned with brass rings that allow the player to adjust the tension on the heads.

Artwork Details

Object Information

Overview

Provenance

References

Title: Dholaka
Date: late 19th century
Geography: North, India
Culture: Indian (north)
Medium: Wood, skin, brass, cord
Dimensions: H. 38.1 cm (15 in.); Diam. (22.9 cm (9 in.)
Classification: Membranophone-double-headed / cylindrical drum
Credit Line: The Crosby Brown Collection of Musical Instruments, 1889
Object Number: 89.4.165
Curatorial Department: Musical Instruments

More Artwork

In the same medium

From the same time and place

Dagger (Katar) with Sheath, Steel, silver, wood, velvet, Indian — Dagger (Katar) with Sheath
Indian
18th century

Dholika, Teak wood, cord, hide, brass, Indian — Dholika
Indian
late 19th–early 20th century

Dagger (Katar) with Sheath, Steel, gold, wood, velvet, Indian — Dagger (Katar) with Sheath
Indian
18th–19th century

Tánggǔ (堂鼓), Elevated Tone Workshop, Guangzhou (Canton), Wood, oxhide, lacquer, brass, teak, Chinese — Tánggǔ (堂鼓)
Elevated Tone Workshop, Guangzhou (Canton)
19th century

Helmet, Steel, brass, copper, Indian, possibly North Indian — Helmet
Indian, possibly North Indian
probably 19th century

Research Resources

The Met provides unparalleled resources for research and welcomes an international community of students and scholars. The Met's Open Access API is where creators and researchers can connect to the The Met collection. Open Access data and public domain images are available for unrestricted commercial and noncommercial use without permission or fee.

To request images under copyright and other restrictions, please use this Image Request form.

Feedback

We continue to research and examine historical and cultural context for objects in The Met collection. If you have comments or questions about this object record, please contact us using the form below. The Museum looks forward to receiving your comments.

Send feedback

Content Notice

The Metropolitan Museum of Art presents over 5,000 years of art from around the world, and our online collection reflects ongoing work conducted over the course of our more than 150-year history. You may encounter objects or images that may be inappropriate for some viewers or information that may be outdated.