Timbrh

This instrument was collected in the field by Percy Horace Gordon Powell-Cotton. The timbrh are relatively large lamellophones from Cameroon, in which the resonator is made either with a light wood, or with two or three hollowed out raffia palm stems (petioles) joined together with beeswax, and the lamellas are made of the hard outer skin of raffia (Raphia sp.). This example has a wooden box-resonator made of an hollowed cuboid trunk covered with a top board that has a rectangular soundhole. It has seven lamellas enhanced with vibration needles attached with dark beeswax on the top (three missing). The needles have additional small red beads. The lamellas also have lumps of the same dark beeswax underneath the touches, for fine tuning. The pressure bars (double) and the bridge are also made of raffia, and the former are attached to the board with "rattan" (probably of same raffia palm plant). The bridge might be either glued to, or nailed to the board. There is no backrest. There is a small strap of raffia attached on the board.