Tovshuur

{{Short description|Western Mongolian traditional string instrument}}

{{Infobox instrument

| name = Tovshuur

| image = File:Topshuur.jpg

| image_size = 251px

| alt =

| caption = Mongolian Tovshuur

| background = string

| names = Tovshuur, Topshuur, Topshur, Toshpulúr, Tavshur, ;

| classification = *Plucked string instrument

| hornbostel_sachs = 321.321

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| related = Komuz, Dombra, Doshpuluur, Balalaika, Sanxian

| musicians = Temuulen Naranbaatar (The HU), Batzorig Vaanchig, Altai Kai

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}}

The tovshuur, also known as topshur or topshuur (Mongolian Cyrillic: {{lang|mn-cyrl|товшуур}}; {{langx|mn|{{MongolUnicode|ᠲᠣᠪᠰᠢᠭᠤᠷ}}|tobshiğur}}) is a two- or three-stringed lute played by the Western Mongolian (Oirats) tribes called the Altai Urianghais, the Altais, Tuvans, and Khalkha peoples.{{cite encyclopedia |last=Pegg |first=Carole |title=Inner Asia |encyclopedia=Grove Music Online |year=2014 |publisher=Oxford University Press |url=http://www.oxfordmusiconline.com/subscriber/article/grove/music/53237 |access-date=18 Sep 2014 }}

The topshur is closely tied to the folklore of Western Mongolian people and accompanied the performances of storytellers, singing, and dancing.{{cite encyclopedia |last=Krader |first=Lawrence |title=Altaian |encyclopedia=Encyclopedia of World Cultures |year=1996 |publisher=Macmillan Reference USA |url=http://go.galegroup.com/ps/i.do?id=GALE%7CCX3458000951&v=2.1&it=r&p=GVRL&sw=w&asid=18dc459ce28fcb2e695684598c515047 |access-date=17 Sep 2014 }}

According to descriptions given by Marco Polo, the Mongols also played the instruments before a battle.{{cite encyclopedia |last=Pegg |first=Carole |title=Topshuur |encyclopedia=Grove Music Online |year=2014 |publisher=Oxford University Press |url=http://www.oxfordmusiconline.com/subscriber/article/grove/music/53237 |access-date=18 Sep 2014 }}