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The sound of these instruments have been heard throughout Egypt for thousands of years and some scholars believe they are an early ancestor of the bagpipes. Today the arghūl and zummāra are mainly played by Nile boatmen, shepherds, and folk musicians. They are often played at weddings and dances where they are used to accompany folksongs.
Double clarinet
Africa
Egypt
Northern Africa

Instrument Information

Title

Arghūl (double clarinet)

Alternative Title

Arghūl.

Accession Number

2097

Collection

MIMEd

Date Information

Date Made

Circa 1975

Period

20th century; 1970s; 1980s

Gallery Information

Gallery

Laigh Room

Case

Traditional instruments display

Maker Information

No information recorded.

Made In

Country

Egypt

Description

Technical Description

Technical description: Double clarinet with cylindrical bore. Two cane pipes of unequal length. The shorter pipe has 5 finger-holes and is the chanter; the long pipe has no finger holes and is the drone pipe. Pipes bound together with cotton thread. Each pipe has its own up-cut idioglottal reed also made of cane.

Overall size: drone pipe 445mm; chanter 295mm.

Provenance

ex- Gwendolen Plumley. ; on loan to the Collection.

Classification

Instrument

Double clarinet/Clarinets/Wind/Musical Instrument ; Double clarinet

Instrument Family

Wind

Hornbostel Sachs Classification

422.22 ; musical instrument