Speaker
Description
Copper-based drums, emblematic of Southeast Asia and southern China, can be admired in several French museums. Appearing during the protohistoric period (c. 5th century BC), their production has continued to the present day. Varying in geometry and size – with a tympanum diameter from a few centimetres up to 65 cm – drums have intrigued researchers since the early 20th century. Scholars primarily focused on style and functions, retaining that of a prestige good associated with chiefs. While drum casting is a tour de force, technicalstudies remain scarce, leaving artisanal processes unclear. Acoustic studies are even rarer, despite sound production being the drums' primary function.This paper presents a study at the crossroads of archaeology, materials science, and acoustics, aiming to better understand drum casting techniques and acoustics, focusing on a specimen from the National Museum of Archaeology (Saint-Germain-en-Laye). This approach includes visual analysis and condition reports aimed at identifying drums of interest within the museum. A structured-light 3D scanner, X-ray imaging (radiography, tomography) and materials analysis were also used to characterise the geometry and mechanical properties, in particular their elastic properties. Modal analysis of the tympanum and body aims to determine vibration eigenmodes and simulate dynamic behaviour. Finally, sound recordings are used to characterise the radiated sound and to establish a correlation with the instrument’s vibrational properties.