Tambourine
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The tambourine is a musical instrument in the percussion family consisting of a frame, often of wood or plastic, with pairs of small metal jingles, called "zills". Classically the term tambourine deno
Ancient Greek red-figure pottery depicting a girl playing the tambourine. Bourgas Archaeology Museum
Woman holding a mirror and a tambourine facing a winged genie with a ribbon and a branch with leaves. Ancient Greek red-figure oinochoe, c. 320 BC, from Magna Graecia. (Notice the coloured decorative woven stripes hanging on the tambourine, which can still be seen today on the tamburello, the tambourine of Southern Italy.)
Maenad playing a tympanum. Detail from the Triumph of Dionysus, on a Roman mosaic from Tunisia (3rd century AD).
Zill
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Zills, zillia, zils, or sagat, also known as finger cymbals or fanglesnaps, are small metallic cymbals used in belly dancing and similar performances. They are similar to Tibetan tingsha bells. In Wes
A close-up of a person holding zills (traditionally, it would be held on the middle finger instead of the pointer, and above the last knuckle)
4th century A.D. relief of Greek dancer with cymbals. Roman artwork from Mildenhall Treasure. Modern dancers use varieties of zills, finger cymbals or castanets.
Dancing girl playing Zills from Qajar Era.