MYANMAR (Burma) - Saung (Boat Harp)

ITEM SPECIFICS.

• Material:  wood, nylon string.
• Dimension:  7 cm. long and 7 cm. high.
• Design:  a small souvenir item representing the national musical instrument of Myanmar - the Saung.  It is a string instrument in the shape of a boat that is why it is also known as the "boat harp".  The item is lacquered in red and black.  Some parts of the item is accented with gold as well as the stand.  Red tassels hang from the harp's handle.
• Back stamp:  no hallmark or any stamping of the manufacturer.

Made in MYANMAR (Burma).

NOTES:

• I got this item when I visited Myanmar in 1998.  That was 14 years ago!
• I originally wanted to get the actual instrument but it is very big (2 to 3 feet long).  So, I settled for this nearly perfect representation of the instrument.  The modern Saung has more strings (about 16 I think) and has a mechanism to adjust the tension of those strings.  

A Bit of Trivia:

• Did you know that the Saung is an ancient  instrument that dates back to the 9th century?  It is probably the oldest known harp in Asia.
• Did you know that Myanmar is actually the ancient name of Burma?  Although this is the official registered name of the country, many western countries still refer to Myanmar as Burma.