The bendir (Arabic: بندير, bindīr; plural: بنادير, binādīr) is a wooden frame drum used in North Africa and Southwest Asia.

It is a traditional instrument played in North Africa and during Sufi ceremonies. It was also used in Ancient Egypt and Mesopotamia. In Turkish, the word "bendir" means "a large hand-held frame drum."

Construction and play

The bandir often has a snare (usually made of gut) stretched across the head. This snare creates a buzzing sound when the drum is struck with fingers or the palm. The drum is played in a vertical position. To hold it, the thumb of the non-dominant hand is looped through a hole in the frame.

Similar frame drums include the tar of Egypt and the bodhrán of Ireland. Unlike the bandir, the tar does not have a snare on the back of the frame. The bodhrán is played with a beater instead of being struck directly.