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A Kus (
It seems the instrument was invented during the Achaemenid dynasty (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 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;
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
Persian
Persian may refer to:
* People and things from Iran, historically called ''Persia'' in the English language
** Persians, the majority ethnic group in Iran, not to be conflated with the Iranic peoples
** Persian language, an Iranian language of the ...
کوس ''kūs'') is an ancient Persian musical instrument, a large kettledrum
Timpani (; ) or kettledrums (also informally called timps) are musical instruments in the percussion family. A type of drum categorised as a hemispherical drum, they consist of a membrane called a head stretched over a large bowl traditionally ...
similar to timpani
Timpani (; ) or kettledrums (also informally called timps) are musical instruments in the percussion family. A type of drum categorised as a hemispherical drum, they consist of a membrane called a head stretched over a large bowl traditionally ...
.
Etymology
Kus is aMiddle-Persian
Middle Persian or Pahlavi, also known by its endonym Pārsīk or Pārsīg () in its later form, is a Western Middle Iranian language which became the literary language of the Sasanian Empire. For some time after the Sasanian collapse, Middle ...
military term meaning "march". According to Von Mohl the term was ''Kūša'', apparently borrowed from Aramaic
The Aramaic languages, short Aramaic ( syc, ܐܪܡܝܐ, Arāmāyā; oar, 𐤀𐤓𐤌𐤉𐤀; arc, 𐡀𐡓𐡌𐡉𐡀; tmr, אֲרָמִית), are a language family containing many varieties (languages and dialects) that originated in ...
, probably during the Arsacid dynasty
The Parthian Empire (), also known as the Arsacid Empire (), was a major Iranian political and cultural power in ancient Iran from 247 BC to 224 AD. Its latter name comes from its founder, Arsaces I, who led the Parni tribe in conque ...
(248 BCE-224 CE).
Historical background
It seems the instrument was invented during the Achaemenid dynasty (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 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
Plutarch (; grc-gre, Πλούταρχος, ''Ploútarchos''; ; – after AD 119) was a Greek Middle Platonist philosopher, historian, biographer, essayist, and priest at the Temple of Apollo in Delphi. He is known primarily for hi ...
tells of Iranian warriors at the time of the Arsacid dynasty
The Parthian Empire (), also known as the Arsacid Empire (), was a major Iranian political and cultural power in ancient Iran from 247 BC to 224 AD. Its latter name comes from its founder, Arsaces I, who led the Parni tribe in conque ...
using kus as warlike instruments.Plutarch, ''Crassus'', chapter XXiii, 10
Apparently after the introduction of Islam, 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 (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.
See also
* Naqara *Nagara (Drum)
The ''nagara'' or ''naghara'' is a drum used in the Middle East. There are several types of naghara, which is considered to be the lead instrument in folk ceremonies and weddings. The naghara differs in size and goes by various names such as ...
* Naker
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