Thianhou - Tiahun African zither - Tianhoun African string instrument

The thianhou - straw zither - is made from millet stalks. Some of the stalks are incised, lifted by two saddles and then wound with strands to control the pitch of the strings and to allow for the attack of the thumbs.

A small link placed above and below the saddles allows fine tuning of the double strings, tuned to the unison or to the octave for the lowest ones, like the lute.

A clever African stringed instrument made by the griots of Burkina Faso. Magical!