Who needs a piano when they have a hammered dulcimer? They're both percussion instruments!

OK, 'catters, now for the age old question: Did it originally come from China or the Middle-East (Persia or somplace thereabouts)? AND . . .who first brought it to America?

   and then there's the one about . . .
      How many times is the Dulcimer mentioned in The Bible? (King James version)
Things that make you go, "hmmmm. . ."

So a few years back, I was playing Mountain Dulcimer with a friend who was playing Hammered Dulcimer, at a local Living Museum set in the late 1800's, when some folks came by & watched intently. The lady said that in her country, Iran, there were many people who played an instrument just like my friends' instrument, including members of her family. I can't recall now what she called it, in what she said was "Persian." She was truly fascinated that she would see such an obviously Eastern instrument being played in America.

Then, a year or 2 ago when I was at the Walnut Valley Festival in Kansas, there was a fellow in the Hammered Dulcimer contest with a very interesting and quite ornate Hammered Dulcimer, which was finished in black laquer with lots of mother of pearl inlay. He was the winner that year. He came from China, his Music was amazing & he really wowed 'em all that year! He certainly is a fantastic Musician who deserved to win the contest that year!