Mongolian Musical Instrument Morin Khuur Fiddle

Morin Khuur - Horse Headed Fiddle. Bow length about 75 cm. Morin Khuur - The horse headed fiddle is Mongolian traditional musical instrument.

The Morin Khuur produces sounds described as expansive and unrestrained, both soulful and haunting, like a wild horse neighing or a breeze across the grasslands. It has played a central role in expanding on the roots of nomadic herding practices and narratives as well as serving the translation of Mongolian mythologies and Secret histories into song for many centuries. The Morin Khuur body and neck are carved from wood. The top of the neck is made in the form of a horse's head, which gives the instrument its name.

It is played with a bow made from the willow, traditionally stringed with horsetail hair coated with cedar wood resin. Modern professional horse-head fiddles use a bow made with synthetic strings. In 2008, it was officially inscribed by UNESCO as a masterpiece of oral and intangible heritage.

Morin Khuur is one of the symbols of Mongolian cultural unity. According to legend, Chinggis Khan himself had his own golden huur, which he loved, like a jealous husband loves his wife, and was ready to execute any of his confidants who would dare to separate Chinggis Khan from his "violin". Morin Khuur, literally "instrument with a horse's head" is a stringed stringed musical instrument of Mongolian origin, common in Mongolia, regionally in northern China (primarily the Inner Mongolia region) and Russia (in Buryatia, Tuva, Irkutsk Region and Trans-Baikal Territory). Morin Khuur is a Mongolian two-string bow musical instrument. The name of the Morin Khuur consists of Mongolian words: Morin is a horse, and khuur is a string, voice.

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