Lute

Taus, Tayus, or Mayuri. Dark wooden inst. in shape of a bird. Long, flat wide neck as bird's tail. Front of neck indented slightly. 4 large wooden pegs (2 lateral, 2 frontal) with carved decoration at holes for frontalpegs. Wood strip along side of neck for 13 wooden pegs, the strings to which stretch from a hook at base of body, through the bridge and around diagonally arranged small ivory pegs in neck. 15 movable arched metal frets. Ivory bridge and stringholder. Ivory inlay at top of inst. and around body where jointed with neck. Fair condition. Some strings broken, membrane sounding surface broken. 1 side peg missing. No bow.