Lotar

Object/Artifact

-

El Camino College Anthropology Museum

Name/Title

Lotar

Entry/Object ID

E-179

Description

A small guitar, or lute like instrument with a body made of turtle shell with skin covering. It may have had three strings, as well as a bridge. The lotar has a long neck, painted black and incised to show decoration. There are eight holes punched into the skin, and the inside is hollow. Decorations on the lotar are geometric in nature. See the link below for more on lotars.

Collection

El Camino College Anthropology Museum

Category

Ethnography
Anthropology

Acquisition

Accession

12.03.01

Ethnography

Cultural Region

Region

North Africa

Continent

Africa

Culture/Tribe

Gnawa

Dimensions

Dimension Description

Dimensions of the whole instrument

Length

49.5 cm

Dimension Description

Dimensions of the body of the instrument

Width

12 cm

Length

16.4 cm

Color

Brown, Black

Condition

Overall Condition

Fair

Notes

All strings are missing. Missing bridge, several tears in skin covering including a large horizontal tear where the bridge would have been located spanning the entire width of the body. Two M's or W's written in red on skin covering. Turtle shell in good condition. Wooden parts missing from holes at the top of the neck.

Web Links and URLs

What is a Lotar?