Box Drum

Box drums are large percussion instruments, often suspended, that produce a low, booming sound when struck with either a fisted hand or padded beater. Their broad sides were often painted with the highly conventionalized imagery distinctive of Northwest Coast cultures. This formalized system of representation, known as form-line, has ancient origins and is distinguished by a preponderance of ovoids, circles and curved contours. Principal elements of the painting are defined by heavy black outlines, which organize the component parts of the design; secondary elements are defined in red and spaces within the form-lines are filled in with ovoid and stylized "U" shapes. Most compositions are symmetrical, but not all. The painting on this drum may represent a kingfisher or possibly the more frequently depicted raven.