Main Menu

Slit Drum

Skip to main content
Collections Menu

Slit Drum

Artist Mangbetu Peoples (African)
Place of OriginDemocratic Republic of the Congo
DateLate 19th- early 20th century
Dimensions11 3/4 × 26 1/4 × 3 1/4 in. (29.8 × 66.7 × 8.3 cm)
MediumCarved wood with cast metal rings.
ClassificationSculpture
Credit LinePurchased with funds from the Libbey Endowment, Gift of Edward Drummond Libbey
Object number
1983.90
Not on View
Label TextThe “talking drum” served as a mouthpiece for an entire community. It was played to alert the community to a festival or ceremony, or to convey news of a king’s death or a visitor’s arrival. Made from a dark, hard wood, the drum is sometimes carved a different thickness on each side to increase the number of sounds that can be produced. These can imitate the sounds of language over distances of several miles. The drum also served as a symbol of royal authority at the courts of Mangbetu kings, where it was paired with a larger one shaped as a buffalo or crocodile. Please press the button to hear this drum as it was played by Biza Zampa in 1991.Published References

Roberts, Mary Nooter, Facing Africa: The African Art Collection of the Toledo Museum of Art, Toledo Museum of Art, Toledo, 1998, pp. 62-63, repr. (b/w.).

Exhibition History

Belgium, Studio 44, Credit Communal de Belgique, Centre Culturel, Arts Premier d'Afrique noire, 1977, no. 82, p. 121.

Comparative ReferencesSee also Laurentz, Jean Sebastien, Les tambours a fente de l'Afrique central, Tervuren, 1968, New Series, section human, pl. XVIII, fig. no. 208 (a close parallel).

cf. Chauret, S., Musique Negre, Paris, 1929.

cf. Schildkrout, E. and C.A. Keinm, African reflections, art from NOrtheastern Zaire, New York, American Museum of Natural History, 1990, p. 196, fig. 10.3, pp. 209-215, esp. fig. 10.16.

Rainbow Mask
Baule Peoples
Early to mid-20th century
Mask: Ngontang
Fang Peoples
1875-1900
Mask: Gu
Guro Peoples
1900-1925
Hornbill Mask
Northern Dan Peoples
mid 19th-early 20th century
Night Society Mask
Bangwa Peoples
19th-mid 20th century
Mask
Northern Dan Peoples
1950s
Headdress: Kponyungo
Senufo Peoples
Mid 19th - early 20th century
Reliquary Figure
Kota Peoples
Late 19th - early 20th century
Horse and Rider
Yoruba Peoples
Early 20th century
Palm Wine Cup
Kuba Peoples
Early 20th century
Headdress: Kponyungo
Senufo Peoples
Mid 19th - early 20th century
Head Rest
Zulu Peoples
n.d.

Membership

Become a TMA member today

Support TMA

Help support the TMA mission