Images(7)

Sārangī

Alternate name(s)

Short-neck lute

Date1900-1920 ca.

Place MadeIndia, Asia

Serial No.none

Signednone
DescriptionA bowed, vertically-held instrument carved out of a single block of wood with animal skin belly and a separate fingerboard. It has three gut melody strings and three wire sympathetic strings. The waisted body helps facilitate bowing. This instrument has many repairs, suggesting a long use history. This rather humble example has few sympathetic strings and sparse wood inlay, which may be telling of where and by whom it was played.
DimensionsOverall length: 675 mm
Length of belly: 240 mm
Width of belly at top: 140 mm
Width of belly at bottom: 150 mm
Width of belly at center: 30 mm
Depth of body: 130 mm
Length of neck: 250 mm
Depth oh neck: 65 mm
Length of pegbox (excluding knob): 110 mm
Depth of pegbox: 82.5 mm
ProvenancePurchased in 1978 from H. M. Lissauer, Melbourne, Australia.
Published ReferencesCross, Thomas E. Instruments from Burma, India, Nepal, Thailand, and Tibet, SMM Catalog Vol. II (1982) page 10.
Cross, Thomas E. Musical Instruments of Burma, India, Nepal, Thailand, and Tibet, MM Thesis, USD, May 1983, page 20, plate VII.
André P. Larson, The National Music Museum: A Pictorial Souvenir (Vermillion: National Music Museum, 1988), p. 29.

Credit LineBoard of Trustees, 1978

Object number02403

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