Kamānche (incomplete)
Unknown Artist
1875–1900
Medium
Wood, hide, and bone
Dimensions
58.5 × 26.8 cm
Classification
Musical Instrument
Department
Islamic Art
Museum
Cleveland Museum of Art
Credit
The Charles G. King Jr. collection; Gift of Ralph King in memory of Charles G. King Jr.
Accession Number
1918.353
Rights
Public Domain
About this artwork
Kamānche is a Persian term first used in the 10th century to describe an instrument that is sounded with a bow. From there, bowed instruments spread to Byzantium, Central Asia, the Far East, and then to Europe. In Egypt, it is known as the rabāb, a term known throughout the Islamic world from North Africa to Southeast Asia. The names of musical instruments often reveal origin, context, or musical function. In Europe, North Africa, and Asia where contact with Middle Eastern culture occurred, vari...