Khomuz

(Double click on the photos for larger views.)

Click hear to listen to the khomuz.

The khomuz belongs to the "trump" family or as it is more commonly referred to as a "Jew's Harp." I was fortunate in acquirng this instrument as, apparently, it is rather difficult to obtain actula Tuvan instruments. As the pictures attest, the instrument is stored inside of a traditional carved wood boot - something that is which uniquely identifies the khomuz as Tuvan. For those that are not familiar with Tuva, it is located in the extreme southern portion Siberia and has, in the past, been considered part of Mongolia. Tuvan's are also known for their fantastic "throat singing" in which a single singer can produce multiple pitches, at the same time, through the use of overtones. That, of course, is very, very cool to listen to!