Images from The Beede Gallery Lute (Tungna), Nepal, 19th century Click on images below to see larger images NMM 2682.  Lute (tungna), Nepal, 19th century. Body carved from single piece of wood. Waisted resonating chamber with goatskin belly. Carved wooden makara finial. Gut strings. Played with small, attached plectrum. One of smallest examples of lutes used by Newari people living in northeastern Nepal. Length:  438 mm. Board of Trustees, 1980. Front and Side Views of the Pegbox Sickle-shaped pegbox with open back. Carved makara finial. Views of the Bridge, Plectrum, and Lower End The tungna is among the smallest examples of a group of lutes, primarily long neck (27 to 40 inches), referred to as sgra-snyan, found in Tibet and the entire Himalayan Region (Ladakh, northern Nepal, Sikkim, and Bhutan). Literature:  Thomas E. Cross, Instruments of Burma, India, Nepal, Thailand and Tibet, The Shrine to Music Museum Catalog of the Collections, Vol. II, André P. Larson, editor (Vermillion: The Shrine to Music Museum, 1982), p. 18. Thomas E. Cross, Instruments of Burma, India, Nepal, Thailand and Tibet, M.M. Thesis, University of South Dakota, May 1983, p. 78, plate XXVIII.   Click arrow to continue Beede Gallery Tour Go to Beede Gallery Tour Index Go to Virtual Gallery Tour Index Go to Checklist of Musical Instruments From Tibet and Nepal A catalog of instruments from Tibet is available from the Gift Shop National Music Museum The University of South Dakota 414 East Clark Street Vermillion, SD   57069 ©National Music Museum, 2007 Most recent update:   October 23, 2007 You are the 1,466th visitor to this page since January 9, 2007. The University of South Dakota Return to Top of Page