Kus

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This article is about the musical instrument. For the Mesopotamian god see Kus

A Kus (Persian کوس kūs) is a large-sized ancient Persian kettledrum, similar to a Timpani.

[edit] Etymology

Kus is a Middle-Persian military term meaning, "march". According to Von Mohl the term was Kūša, and seemingly, borrowed from Aramaic, probably during the Arsacid dynasty (248 BCE-224 CE).^[1]

[edit] Historical Background

It seems the instrument was invented during the Achaemenid dynasty (550-330 B.C.E.) of Iran for military purposes.^[2]

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 of it. 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 the wars to encourage the army. The instrument was also played in many occasions such as festivals, weddings and decamping.

In ancient times, Kus was accompaniment by Karnay (Persian trumpet or horn). Particularly the Persian epic poets Ferdowsi and Nezami for describing the war fields have mentioned to Kus and Karnay in number of entries.^[3] Many Persian miniatures paintings show the presence and importance of the Kus and Karnay in the war fields.

According to the Greek historians, drum belonged to Persians, and Plutarch tells of the Iranian warriors at the time of Arsacid dynasty were using Kus as warlike instruments.^[4]

Apparently after the introduction of Islam the word Naghghāreh has been used to mention to small-sized kettledrums. It seems that the word Naghghareh comes from the Arabic verb Naghr- that means to strike and to beat. A few poets have mentioned the name Naghghareh such as the great Persian mystic poet Molana Jalal al-Din Rumi.

[edit] References

^ Von Mohl J., (ed. trans.), Firdausi, Le Livre des rois, Paris (1831-68), pp137, 178.
^ During J., Drums in Iranian Music, (CAIS); accessed January 24, 2005
^ Pope U., An Outline History of Persian Music and Musical Theory, in Survey of Persian Art, Vol. VI, pp. 2783-2804.
^ Plutarch, Crassus, chapter XXiii, 10

Iranian Musical Instruments
*String Instruments (Sāzhāy-e Zehī)*
Bowed instruments:	Ghazhak \| Kamāncheh \| Robāb
Plucked instruments:	Barbat \| Chang \| Dotār \| Qānūn \| Robāb \| Sallāneh \| Sāz \| Setār \| Tanbūr \| Tār \| Ūd
Struck instruments:	Santur
*Woodwind instruments (Sāzhāy-e Bādī):*
Exposed:	Darāy \| Sornā \| Karnay
End-blown:	Haft Band \| Nāy (Ney) \| Sheypur
Percussion instrument (Sāzhāy-e Kūbeheyī/Zarbī)
Auxiliary Percussion:	Daf \| Dohol \| Dāvūl \| Dāyereh Zangī \| Naqāreh \| Tonbak (Dombak) \| Kūs \| Sanj