The kumuz or agach-kumuz is a stringed instrument used by the
Kumyks
, image = Abdul-Wahab son of Mustafa — a prominent Kumyk architect of the 19th century.
, population = near 600,000
, region1 =
, pop1 = 503,060
, ref1 =
, region2 =
, pop2 ...
of
Dagestan, in the Russian
Caucasus
The Caucasus () or Caucasia (), is a region between the Black Sea and the Caspian Sea, mainly comprising Armenia, Azerbaijan, Georgia (country), Georgia, and parts of Southern Russia. The Caucasus Mountains, including the Greater Caucasus range ...
. It has three strings and is fretted.
Scholars have noticed the similarity in name to the Kyrgyz
komuz
The komuz or qomuz ( ky, комуз , az, Qopuz, tr, Kopuz) is an ancient fretless string instrument used in Central Asian music, related to certain other Turkic string instruments, the Mongolian tovshuur, and the lute. The instrument can be f ...
, but note the kumuz is perhaps more closely related to the other lutes of the Caucasus.
[https://atlasofpluckedinstruments.com/middle_east.htm#dagestan Atlas of Plucked Instruments: Dagestan]
Legendarily, the Kumyk poet
Irchi Kozak cured the sick with the music of his agach-kumuz.
References
{{reflist
See also
*
Chonguri
The choghur ( az, Çoğur; ka, ჩონგური) is a plucked string musical instrument common in Azerbaijan and Georgia. It has 4 nylon strings.
The choghur dates back to the 12th to 16th centuries, the period between the gopuz and the ...
, Georgian fretless lute
*
Panduri
The panduri ( ka, ფანდური) is a
traditional Georgian three-string plucked instrument common in all regions of Eastern Georgia: such as Pshav- Khevsureti, Tusheti, Kakheti and Kartli. The panduri is generally used to accompany s ...
, Georgian fretted lute
Dagestanian musical instruments
String instruments