A Kus ( Persian کوس ''kūs'') is an ancient Persian musical instrument, a large kettledrum similar to timpani.

Etymology

Kus is a Middle-Persian military term meaning "march". According to Von Mohl the term was ''Kūša'', apparently borrowed from Aramaic, probably during the Arsacid dynasty (248 BCE-224 CE).

Historical background

It seems the instrument was invented during the

Achaemenid dynasty The Achaemenid dynasty ( Old Persian: ; Persian: ; Ancient Greek: ; Latin: ) was an ancient Persian royal dynasty that ruled the Achaemenid Empire, an Iranian empire that stretched from Egypt and Southeastern Europe in the west to the In ...

(550-330 BCE) of Persia, for military purposes. The instrument was a pair of drums, made of clay, wood or metal in the form of a hemispherical kettle, with skin stretched over the mouth. Kus was played with drumsticks of leather or wood (The leather drumstick was called Daval). Kus usually was carried on horseback, camelback or elephant during war to encourage the army. The instrument was also played on many occasions such as festivals and weddings. In ancient times, kus was accompaniment by karnay (Persian trumpet or horn). Particularly the Persian epic poets

Ferdowsi Abul-Qâsem Ferdowsi Tusi ( fa, ; 940 – 1019/1025 CE), also Firdawsi or Ferdowsi (), was a Persians, Persian poet and the author of ''Shahnameh'' ("Book of Kings"), which is one of the world's longest epic poetry, epic poems created by a sin ...

and Nizami in describing battles mentioned kus and karnay in a number of entries. Many Persian miniatures paintings show the presence and importance of the Kus and Karnay in the war fields. According to the Greek historians, the drum was used by the Persians; Plutarch tells of Iranian warriors at the time of the Arsacid dynasty using kus as warlike instruments.Plutarch, ''Crassus'', chapter XXiii, 10 Apparently after the introduction of

Islam Islam (; ar, ۘالِإسلَام, , ) is an Abrahamic religions, Abrahamic Monotheism#Islam, monotheistic religion centred primarily around the Quran, a religious text considered by Muslims to be the direct word of God in Islam, God (or ...

, the word ''Naghghāreh'' was used for small kettledrums. It seems that the word Naghghareh comes from the Arabic verb ''Naghr-'' that means to strike and to beat. A few poets mentioned the name Naghghareh, such as the great Persian mystic poet Molana Jalal al-Din Rumi. * Kus-e-Ashkebus: Kus attributed to Ashkebus, famous commander of King Afrasiyab mentioned in masterpiece Shahnameh of the famous poet of Persia, Ferdosi. * Kus-e-dolat: Kettledrum to be played during the victories. * Kus-e-id: Kettledrum to be played during id (festival). * Kus-e-Iskandar: Kus attributed to Iskandar. * Kus-e-jang: Kettledrum used in wars in order to embolden and encourage the soldiers. * Kus-e-khaghani: Kettledrum for

Khaghan Khagan or Qaghan (Mongolian:; or ''Khagan''; otk, 𐰴𐰍𐰣 ), or , tr, Kağan or ; ug, قاغان, Qaghan, Mongolian Script: ; or ; fa, خاقان ''Khāqān'', alternatively spelled Kağan, Kagan, Khaghan, Kaghan, Khakan, Khakhan ...

(title of Mongol emperors). *Kus-e-Mahmudi: Kettledrum attributed to King Mahmud Ghaznavi. *Kus-e-rehlat: Kettledrum to be played during the decamping. *Kus-e-ruyin: Kettledrum with brazen body. *Kust: Another name of Kus mentioned in Shahnameh of Ferdosi.

References

External links

History of the Kus, from ancient times until the 18th century; in German: Janissary instruments and Europe
{{Azerbaijani musical instruments Hand drums Persian musical instruments Asian percussion instruments Iranian inventions

Etymology

Historical background

See also

References

External links