AInstrumentIndependent states
Temir komuz
The Kyrgyz jaw harp, made of iron and played held against the mouth.
Temir komuz means "iron komuz". It is a small iron frame with a thin tongue in the middle: the player holds it near the teeth and plucks the tongue, using the mouth as a resonator.
Despite its name it is unrelated to the stringed komuz. Jaw harps are widespread among Turkic peoples — the Yakuts call theirs khomus and the Bashkirs kubyz.
Players imitate natural sounds such as birdsong, running water and galloping horses, and some switch between several instruments in different tunings.
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Updated: October 3, 2026