Music, Celebration and Healing: The Sudanese Lyre

A special display highlighting a nineteenth-century lyre (known as a kissar) from Nibia in northern Sudan, as part of the British Museum's 'Celebrating Africa' season. Traditionally played at weddings and cult ceremonies, this type of lyre would have been a leading instrument in a small band. A programme of lectures and events accompanies the display, including a talk on the Sudanese lyre and slave trade (Wednesday July 22, 1.15pm) and a performance by singer and instrumentalist Hassan Salih Nour on the tanbura, a five-string lyre (Saturday July 18, 2pm-3pm).