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Object type
musical instrument > membranophones > gobelet-shaped drum
Materials
wood, leather, cotton
Legend
The atumpan is the main talking drum of the Akan people. It is the pre-eminent basic instrument for the accompaniment of dance and signalling messages in the village. These drums usually come in pairs: they are attuned to each other. The lowest tone signifies the mother and symbolises the female. The highest tone signifies the male. These two sounds are necessary to signal messages from one village to another. The Akan language is a bitonal language with a middle tone.
Place of collecting
Ghana
Culture
Ashanti
Field collector
Dominik Phyfferoen
Date of acquisition
1999-07-20
Dimensions
78 cm x 46 cm
Inventory number
MO.2000.11.5
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