Mende Slit Drum Sculpture

A Mende slit drum carved from wood

The Mende Slit Drum AAA1190 sculpture offered by Versmissen is a slit drum made from brown wood. Dating from the 20th century, this piece comes from Liberia and is associated with the Mende tribe. It measures 15 × 17 × 71,5 cm and has the elongated shape characteristic of this idiophone, also known as a skinless wooden drum.

Slit drums are created by hollowing out a log through a long, narrow opening. Played with sticks, they produce tones that imitate human speech. This acoustic quality explains their use for transmitting messages over long distances, alongside their musical role. The AAA1190 piece thus brings together sculpture, communication and instrumental practice in a single traditional object.

Features of the Mende Slit Drum AAA1190

• Slit drum, also known as an idiophone
• Skinless wooden structure
• Origin: Mende tribe in Liberia
• Piece dating from the 20th century
• Dimensions: 15 × 17 × 71,5 cm