Frame Drum
19th century
Medium
wood (ash?), skin (sheepskin)
Dimensions
Overall: 39.5 x 25.5cm (15 9/16 x 10 1/16in.) Other (head): 37cm (14 9/16in.)
Classification
Membranophone-single-headed / frame drum
Culture
Native American (Shoshone)
Department
Musical Instruments
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
The Crosby Brown Collection of Musical Instruments, 1889
Accession Number
89.4.562a, b
Art Historical Context
This elegant frame drum, crafted by Shoshone artisans in the 19th, exemplifies the ingenuity of Native American musical traditions from the Great Basin region. 39.5 x 25.5 cm overall with a 37 cm head, it features a sturdy wooden frame—likely ash for its lightweight strength and resonance—and a taut sheepskin membrane stretched across one side. As a single-headed membranophone, it produces rich, resonant tones when struck, a design that prioritizes portability and intimate performance. In Shoshone culture, frame drums like this one held profound ceremonial and communal importance, accompanyin...