Musical instruments; Indianapolis (Ind.); Drums; Drum set; 1970s; 1980s
Ruthie Williams of Indianapolis performed as a one-woman band with this set of drums and percussion instruments. A one-man (or one-woman) band means that one musician plays several instruments at the same time. How many instruments can you identify?
Tambourine; Musical instruments; Percussion instruments; Music--Arab countries
A riq is a Middle Eastern tambourine, one of the oldest Arabic instruments. It’s different from a western tambourine in that it has large and heavy jingles. They create a solid ringing sound, unlike the high pitched sound of a western tambourine....
Accordions, concertinas, and melodeons are free reed instruments that are part of the aerophone family. Aerophone instruments produce sound by the vibration of air. These instruments have end keyboards and make sound by driving air over their...
Sierra Leone; Nineteen seventies; Musical instruments; Drums; Temne (African people); Temne (African people) - social life and customs; Mende (African people); Mende (African people) - social life and customs; Percussion instruments
The Republic of Sierra Leone is a country in West Africa. There are 18 ethnic groups living in Sierra Leone, with the Temne and Mende peoples making up the largest of the groups. Drums are important instruments in Africa, used both as a musical...
The sarangi, or Indian violin, is a classical stringed instrument common to north Indian music. Popularized in the mid-17th century, it was mostly played to accompany vocal music, but also as a solo instrument. It has no frets or fingerboard; the...
This stringed instrument is called a spike folk fiddle. Its long neck defines it as a spike fiddle. It has three strings, played by the fingers or with a bow. The body is made from a turtle’s shell, helping to make the sound resonate as the...
Drum; Musical instruments; Musical instruments -- Korea; Percussion instruments; Dance; Folk dancing; Folk music -- Korea; Korea -- Rites and ceremonies; Korea--Social life and customs
This type of drum, called a sogo, is played by dancers while performing nong'ak, or instrumental folk music. The music is featured during village rites, shamanic rites, collective work sessions (such as weeding or planting) and as entertainment for...
Balances (Weighing instruments); Scientific apparatus and instruments; 1940s; Marian College (Indianapolis, Ind.); Indiana
This kind of scale is called an analytical balance. It was used in a laboratory to “weigh” objects (it actually measures the mass) and is very precise. The doors are there to keep away dust and air currents that may change the results of the...
Medical instruments and apparatus; Surgical instruments and apparatus; Physicians; Surgeons; 19th century
A patient needing medical care during the 1800s faced numerous options for treatment. While many doctors attended medical schools or completed apprenticeships, poorly understood causes of common diseases and functions of the human body lead to...
Ear; Medical instruments and apparatus; Audiology -- Instruments; Hearing aids; 1900s
Before electronic hearing aids were invented, people used a variety of different kinds of “ear trumpets.” This one is made in what is described as the “London Dome” style and was used around the turn of the 20th century. It was painted...
Many cultures believe rattles can help frighten away evil spirits as well as entertain. Baby rattles may have developed as a result of this belief, not only as an entertainment toy for the baby, but also to provide protection. This silver rattle...
Surveyors measure the surface of the earth. One of the main tools of 19th and early 20th century surveyors was a transit, which measured both horizontal and vertical angles. This transit was made by Gurley sometime in the late 1800s.
Bagpipes are ancient instruments for which little is known about their age and origins. Different types and styles of pipes were played in many regions of the world in ancient times, but they have come to be most closely associated with Scotland....
Drum; Akan (African people); Akan (African people)--Ghana--Social life and customs; Ghana; Musical instruments; Percussion instruments
Certain African drums are called “talking drums.” Skilled drummers can create such a range of sound from them that it seems as if they can speak. This drum, called “atumpan,” is a type of talking drum used by the Akan peoples of Ghana. They...
Shekere is a general name that refers to beaded gourd rattles that originated in Africa. They come in many shapes and sizes, are played in a variety of styles, and have many different names. In Africa they are found primarily in West Africa in the...
Musical Instruments; Organ (Musical instrument); Reed organs; 1900s; Indiana
Sing along at home or church, but no piano nearby? This hand-cranked reed organ allowed families to play many popular tunes with one hand. Sounding similar to a music box, this organ traveled around Indiana with a traveling preacher about 1900. The...
Indians of North America; Indians of North America -- Folklore; Drum; Eagles; Dragonflies; Indians of North America -- Rites and ceremonies; Musical instruments
Different Native American groups have different traditions about the drum and how to play it. Painted symbols or ornaments on a drum represent various meanings. This hand drum has dragonflies and an eagle painted on the head. In Plains traditions,...
In Ancient times, written numbers did not exist. The earliest counting device was the human hand and its fingers. Then, as larger quantities were counted, various natural items like pebbles and twigs were used to help count. Merchants who traded...
Do these toys look like the tools your dentist uses today? Often, children's toys mimic the activities of adults. This playset from the 1950s allows children to pretend to be a dentist.
Physicians (General practice); Medical instruments and apparatus
A doctor’s portable medical bag contains basic medicines and tools for doing work away from a medical facility. This medical bag belonged to Dr. Haslap who practiced medicine from the turn of the century until around 1930. Its contents include...
