Object Details
- Description
- The tiple, Puerto Rico's smallest string instrument, shows great regional variations in how it is strung and tuned. It and its jumbo version, the bordonúa, were often played to accompany religious songs. While the melodic cuatro has been embraced as a popular symbol of puertorriqueñidad (Puerto Ricanness), the tiple nearly disappeared in the 20th century.
- Description (Spanish)
- El tiple es el instrumento de cuerdas más pequeño de Puerto Rico, observándose un gran número de variaciones regionales respecto al modo en que se encorda y afina. El tiple y su versión gigante, el bordonúa, se tocaban a menudo para acompañar temas religiosos. Mientras que el cuatro melódico fue adoptado como símbolo popular de la puertorriqueñidad, el tiple prácticamente ha desaparecido en el siglo XX.
- Location
- Currently not on view
- Credit Line
- Gift of Teodoro Vidal
- late 19th-early 20th century
- ID Number
- 1997.0097.1078
- accession number
- 1997.0097
- catalog number
- 1997.0097.1078
- Object Name
- tiple
- Physical Description
- wood (overall material)
- metal (overall material)
- bone (overall material)
- Measurements
- overall: 52.1 cm x 11.7 cm x 6.8 cm; 20 1/2 in x 4 5/8 in x 2 11/16 in
- Place Made
- Puerto Rico
- See more items in
- Home and Community Life: Ethnic
- Music & Musical Instruments
- Cultures & Communities
- Vidal
- Title
- Tiple
- National Museum of American History
- Subject
- Puerto Rican music
- Música jíbara
- Record ID
- nmah_602448
- Metadata Usage (text)
- CC0
- GUID (Link to Original Record)
- https://n2t.net/ark:/65665/ng49ca746a4-4996-704b-e053-15f76fa0b4fa
Related Content
There are restrictions for re-using this image. For more information, visit the Smithsonian's Terms of Use page .
International media Interoperability Framework
IIIF provides researchers rich metadata and media viewing options for comparison of works across cultural heritage collections. Visit the IIIF page to learn more.