{{Short description|Tuareg fiddle-type traditional instrument}} thumb|300px |Imzad bowed lute. 20th century, Tuareg people, Ahaggar Region, Algeria right|thumb|300px|An imzad The '''imzad''' ({{langx|ar|إمزاد}}; alternately '''amzad''') is a type of bowed "single-string fiddle" used by the Tuareg people in Africa.<ref name=grove>{{cite encyclopedia |entry= Imzad |volume=2 |page=310 |title= The New Grove Encyclopedia of Musical Instruments |editor= Sadie Stanley |date=1984 |publisher= MacMillan Press LTD}}</ref>
Its body is made out of a gourd which is covered by animal skin, creating a soundboard.<ref name=grove/> The strings are made from horse hair and are connected near the neck, and runs over a two-part bridge.<ref name=grove/> The bridge is made of two pieced of wood, joined into a cross.<ref name=grove/> The round bow is also equipped with horse hair.<ref name=grove/>
Traditionally, the instrument was played to accompany men's songs.<ref name=grove/> The imzad is only played by the women for example to accompany songs,<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://fr.wikisource.org/w/index.php?title=Page:Foucauld,_Dictionnaire_touareg.djvu/1270&action=edit&redlink=1|title=Foucauld, Dictionnaire touareg|website=Fr.wikisource.org|access-date=21 April 2021}}</ref> often during an evening ceremony called ''takket''.
==References== {{Reflist}}
== External links == * {{in lang|fr}} [https://imzad.org/english/index.html Project page "Sauver l'imzad" with images and music examples] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080321015119/http://imzadanzad.com/ |date=2008-03-21 }}
{{Authority control}}
Category:One-string fiddles Category:Tuareg musical instruments Category:Bowed string instruments