Naqqara are kettledrums played throughout the Islamic world and Central Asia. They are often, though not always, played in pairs. These are Indian naqqara, often called nagara, and are used in temples for ceremonial music. Elsewhere, naqqara are widely used in military, religious, and ceremonial music.
Family |
Percussions |
Pitch range |
None. |
Material |
Silver, copper,brass, wood, or pottery bodies ; these drums have pottery bodies and goatskin heads. |
Size |
Variable : this pair are 5 in (12 cm) high and 6 in (16 cm) in diameter. |
Origins |
These naqqara are from India. Naqqara are played throughout the Islamic world and have been known since the Middle Ages (5th-15th century) in Turkey, Syria, and Egypt. |
Classification |
Membranophone: an instrument that produces its sound by the vibration of a stretched skin. |
And also... |
The European timpani developed from the naqqara in the 15th century. |