It is generally assumed the doumbek originated in the middle east, but not so. It actually did not arrive there until after the time of Christ. There were no pictures on the Pharonic walls and they pictured everything! The first doumbek shell artifacts were carbon dated back to 4,000 BC and were found in of all places, Bohemia. There was a Celtic tribe called the Boiis that moved south instead of west like the other tribes. It appears they developed the doumbek there. The doumbek is widely known as a goblet drum to many cultures. It has similarities our our zarb. A zarb is mellower and more resonate than a doumbek. "Doum" is the term used to refer to stroking the center of the drumhead, creating a lower note. "Tec" is the term drummers use when referring to hitting the drum edge, which creates a higher and sharper note. The wide neck doumbek has shorter resonance and a higher "doum". The flare on the narrow neck drum adds to the resonance resulting in a deeper "doum".