A Kus (

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 instrument, percussion family. A type of drum categorised as a hemispherical drum, they consist of a Membranophone, membrane called a drumhead, ...

Etymology

Kus is a

Middle-Persian Middle Persian, also known by its endonym Pārsīk or Pārsīg (Inscriptional Pahlavi, Inscriptional Pahlavi script: , Manichaean script: , Avestan script: ) in its later form, is a Western Iranian languages#Middle Iranian, Middle Iranian langu ...

military term meaning "march". According to Von Mohl the term was ''Kūša'', apparently borrowed from

Aramaic Aramaic (; ) is a Northwest Semitic language that originated in the ancient region of Syria and quickly spread to Mesopotamia, the southern Levant, Sinai, southeastern Anatolia, and Eastern Arabia, where it has been continually written a ...

, probably during the

Arsacid dynasty The Parthian Empire (), also known as the Arsacid Empire (), was a major Iranian political and cultural power centered in ancient Iran from 247 BC to 224 AD. Its latter name comes from its founder, Arsaces I, who led the Parni tribe ...

(248 BCE-224 CE).

Historical background

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 The karnay or kerana is a metal natural trumpet. The name is first mentioned in the biblical book of Daniel, used in the Middle Ages to the Persian military bands and in the Indian Mughal Empire to the representative orchestra naqqāra-khāna a ...

(Persian trumpet or horn). Particularly the Persian epic poets

Ferdowsi Abu'l-Qâsem Ferdowsi Tusi (also Firdawsi, ; 940 – 1019/1025) 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 single poet, and the gre ...

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 (; , ''Ploútarchos'', ; – 120s) was a Greek Middle Platonist philosopher, historian, biographer, essayist, and priest at the Temple of Apollo (Delphi), Temple of Apollo in Delphi. He is known primarily for his ''Parallel Lives'', ...

tells of Iranian warriors at the time of the

using kus as warlike instruments.Plutarch, ''Crassus'', chapter XXiii, 10 Apparently after the introduction of

Islam Islam is an Abrahamic religions, Abrahamic monotheistic religion based on the Quran, and the teachings of Muhammad. Adherents of Islam are called Muslims, who are estimated to number Islam by country, 2 billion worldwide and are the world ...

, 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 (Middle Mongol:; or ''Khagan''; ) or zh, c=大汗, p=Dàhán; ''Khāqān'', alternatively spelled Kağan, Kagan, Khaghan, Kaghan, Khakan, Khakhan, Khaqan, Xagahn, Qaghan, Chagan, Қан, or Kha'an is a title of imperial ...

(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
{{Authority control Hand drums Persian musical instruments Asian percussion instruments Iranian inventions

Etymology

Historical background

See also

References

External links