Saung

The saung (Burmese: ; MLCTS: caung: kauk; IPA: [sáʊnɡaʊʔ]; Mon: စံၚ်, [cɔŋ]; also known as the saung-gauk, Burmese harp, Burma harp, or Myanmar harp) is an arched harp used in traditional Burmese music. The saung is regarded as a national musical instrument of Burma. The saung is unique in that it is a very ancient harp tradition and is said to be the only surviving harp in Asia.

Description

The Burmese harp is classified as an arched horizontal harp since the resonator body is more horizontal as opposed to the Western harp, which has a vertical resonator. The main parts of the harp are the body, the long curved neck, carved out of the root of a tree, and a string bar running down the center of the top of the body. The top of the resonator body is covered with a tightly stretched deer hide, heavily lacquered in red with four small circular sound holes. The standard dimensions of the saung are 80×16×16 centimetres (31.5×6.3×6.3 in). The neck terminates in a highly decorated representation of the bo tree leaf. The whole of the harp body is decorated with pieces of mica ("Mandalay pearls"), glass, gilt, and red and black lacquer. The stand is similarly decorated. The ends of the strings on the harp is decorated with red cotton tassels. The saung's strings are made of silk or nylon.