A simsimiyya being played by an Egyptian band.
Ancient Egyptian lyre.

The simsimiyya (Egyptian Arabic: سمسمية, and سنسمية sinsimia/sinsimiyya; pl. simsimiyyāt/sinsimiyyāt) is a box or bowl lyre used in Egypt. Models exist with both circular soundboxes as well as rectangular. In the past, Egyptian models had 5 strings. The strings are held in place by pegs instead of tuning rings.[1] Today, images of the instrument in Egypt may show 12 strings.

It is used in Egypt in certain genres of Egyptian music, including Sawahli (coastal) music, which is a type of popular Egyptian music from the country's northern coast that is based around ancient Egyptian instrumentals. The simsimiyya was probably introduced to the country's northern coast from the Nile valley in the 19th century by Egyptian workers in the Suez Canal. It is also used in other genres of Egyptian music. Well-known Egyptian bands that feature the simsimiyya as a main instrument include el-Tanboura, which uses other Egyptian instruments.

The simsimiyya is often used to accompany an Egyptian dance called bambutiyya, as well as among the groups of Egyptian musicians known as suhbagiyya, in the cities of Port Said, Ismailia, and Suez.

It is sometimes used in other countries neighboring Egypt as well, including Libya, Jordan, and Saudi Arabia.

References

  • Shiloah, Amnon. "The Simsimiyya: A Stringed Instrument of the Red Sea Area." Asian Music, vol. 4, no. 1, Near East-Turkestan Issue (1972), pp. 15-26.
  1. ↑ Poché, Christian (1984). "Simsimīyya". In Sadie Stanley (ed.). The New Grove Dictionary of Musical Instruments. Vol. 3. New York: MacMillan Press. p. 388. ISBN 0-943818-05-2.

See also

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