What kind of drum do you think this is?

Where do you think it comes from?

Who might have used it?

Answers:

What kind of drum do you think this is? Where do you think it comes from?

This is a damaru, a type of two-headed drum played by twisting it back and forth, striking each cord against the drum head. This one was made from wood and skin in India, and donated to the Karshner Center in 1987.

Who might have used it?

The damaru is most often used in connection with religious ceremony. In Hinduism the damaru is associated with Shiva, and in Tibet it is used in certain rituals, sometimes alongside other musical instruments.

For more information, visit:

• This artifact in the Karshner Digital Collections
• Artifact Worksheets you can use in your classroom or for homeschool
• Damaru : Introduction
• How to PLay the Damaru [YouTube]
• Damaru: Grinnell College Musical Instrument Collection

Questions? Comments? Email us!