What are Georgian musical instruments called?
Panduri, chonguri, salamuri, doli and polyphonic singing.
Short answer
The best-known Georgian instruments are the three-string panduri and four-string chonguri, the salamuri flute, the duduki, the gudastviri bagpipe, the doli drum and the bowed chuniri. In Svaneti people play the changi harp. But the pride of Georgian music is polyphonic singing, recognised by UNESCO as a masterpiece of intangible heritage.
Why
- The Georgian flute is called the salamuri, and the drum the doli.
- UNESCO recognised Georgian polyphony in 2001.
- The panduri and chonguri accompany singing, often at feasts.
Details
You can hear live polyphony at ensemble concerts, in some restaurants and in churches during services. Instruments are sold in music and souvenir shops in Tbilisi.
People also ask
- What are traditional Georgian instruments?
Sources
Information checked on October 3, 2026.
Georgian musical instrumentsRelated questions
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What to give a Georgian, and what gifts to bring from Russia?
When visiting Georgians, sweets, good tea or coffee, flowers for the host or a gift for the children are appropriate.
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What should tourists, including women, wear in Georgia?
In Tbilisi and Batumi people dress in a relaxed, urban way, as in any European city, and there are no strict rules for visitors.
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What are Georgian traditions, and how should you behave as a guest?
The core Georgian traditions are hospitality and the supra feast, where the tamada leads the toasts and the guest is offered the best of everything.
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What does 'assa' mean, and what Georgian dances are there?
'Assa' is a cry used to cheer dancers on, roughly like 'come on!', with no literal translation.


