Historical / contextual reference

Specific contextual photograph or object image; not a license to reproduce any musical recording.

Credit: Quintin Soloviev
Rights: CC BY 4.0

Open original image record ↗ · Read image licence ↗

The morin khuur is a two-stringed Mongolian fiddle with a carved horse head at the top of its neck. UNESCO connects its significance with nomadic life, ceremonies and activities involving horses, not just with concert performance. Bowing and fingering create melodic and overtone relationships that written notation does not fully convey. The instrument may play alone or accompany other forms, including long songs. This selection keeps those associations beside the object’s recognizable shape. It also makes room for the difference between musical practices embedded in herding life and versions adapted for louder, more formal stage environments.

Why preserve it: Curatorial interpretation: An instrument can embody relationships with animals and landscapes as well as a musical scale or repertoire.

Keep in mind: Not every contemporary instrument uses historical materials. Avoid presenting urban adaptation as proof of cultural disappearance.