Ask the Scholar
Page 1 of 1
I can add historical knowledge about this page.
Page image
Document source description
Lyres are common instruments across eastern Africa. The many names––<em>endongo</em>, <em>ndongo</em>, <em>kissar</em>, or <em>entongoli—</em>reflect how many different groups use this Ugandan type. This example is made from a wooden bowl-shaped sound box covered in the skin of a reptile, possibly a monitor lizard. The strings lead up to a crossbar once decorated with goat hair tassels at each end and sometimes cowrie shells.
Page data
- Page
- 1
- Source index
- 0
- Type
- photo
- Media ID
- 23352c29db9432c3
- Size
- unknown
Document data
- ID
- 110821
- Core
- obj
- Type
- object
DTO data
{
"id": "110821",
"contentType": "object",
"title": "Lyre (ndongo, endongo, entongoli, or kissar)",
"description": "Lyres are common instruments across eastern Africa. The many names––<em>endongo</em>, <em>ndongo</em>, <em>kissar</em>, or <em>entongoli—</em>reflect how many different groups use this Ugandan type. This example is made from a wooden bowl-shaped sound box covered in the skin of a reptile, possibly a monitor lizard. The strings lead up to a crossbar once decorated with goat hair tassels at each end and sometimes cowrie shells.",
"date": "by 1928",
"citation": "https://clevelandart.org/art/1929.346",
"rights": "CC0",
"rightsUri": "CC0",
"language": "en",
"wikidata": [
"Q80002938"
],
"genreSpecific": [
"Musical Instrument"
],
"iiifBase": "https://openaccess-cdn.clevelandart.org/1929.346/1929.346_web.jpg",
"thumbnailUrl": "https://openaccess-cdn.clevelandart.org/1929.346/1929.346_web.jpg",
"largeImageUrl": "https://openaccess-cdn.clevelandart.org/1929.346/1929.346_web.jpg",
"imageCount": 1,
"source": "import",
"dimensionsRaw": "Diameter: 31.8 cm (12 1/2 in.); Overall: 43.2 cm (17 in.)",
"accession": "1929.346"
}
Context sent to Scholar
Document identity
{
"localId": "110821",
"label": "Lyre (ndongo, endongo, entongoli, or kissar)",
"core": "obj",
"dtoType": "object"
}
Document source metadata
{
"id": "110821",
"contentType": "object",
"title": "Lyre (ndongo, endongo, entongoli, or kissar)",
"description": "Lyres are common instruments across eastern Africa. The many names––<em>endongo</em>, <em>ndongo</em>, <em>kissar</em>, or <em>entongoli—</em>reflect how many different groups use this Ugandan type. This example is made from a wooden bowl-shaped sound box covered in the skin of a reptile, possibly a monitor lizard. The strings lead up to a crossbar once decorated with goat hair tassels at each end and sometimes cowrie shells.",
"date": "by 1928",
"citation": "https://clevelandart.org/art/1929.346",
"rights": "CC0",
"rightsUri": "CC0",
"language": "en",
"wikidata": [
"Q80002938"
],
"genreSpecific": [
"Musical Instrument"
],
"iiifBase": "https://openaccess-cdn.clevelandart.org/1929.346/1929.346_web.jpg",
"thumbnailUrl": "https://openaccess-cdn.clevelandart.org/1929.346/1929.346_web.jpg",
"largeImageUrl": "https://openaccess-cdn.clevelandart.org/1929.346/1929.346_web.jpg",
"imageCount": 1,
"source": "import",
"dimensionsRaw": "Diameter: 31.8 cm (12 1/2 in.); Overall: 43.2 cm (17 in.)",
"accession": "1929.346"
}
Document source extras
{
"tec": "Wood, reptile skin, pelt, cloth, and natural fiber",
"tombstone": "Lyre (ndongo, endongo, entongoli, or kissar), by 1928. Wood, reptile skin, pelt, cloth, and natural fiber; diameter: 31.8 cm (12 1/2 in.); overall: 43.2 cm (17 in.). The Cleveland Museum of Art, Gift of the African Art Sponsors of Karamu House, 1929.346",
"collection": "African Art",
"didYouKnow": "Imagine the buzzing, resonant sound that this string instrument would make.",
"url": "https://clevelandart.org/art/1929.346",
"creditline": "Gift of the African Art Sponsors of Karamu House",
"updatedAt": "2026-05-29 05:52:38.330000",
"imageUrl": "https://openaccess-cdn.clevelandart.org/1929.346/1929.346_print.jpg",
"sourceId": 110821,
"dept": "African Art",
"coll": "African Art",
"med": "Wood, reptile skin, pelt, cloth, and natural fiber",
"thumbnail_url": null,
"image_url": null
}
Page context
{
"seq": 1,
"pageIndex": 0,
"type": "photo",
"url": "https://openaccess-cdn.clevelandart.org/1929.346/1929.346_web.jpg",
"mediaId": "23352c29db9432c3"
}