CROTAL

percussion instrument consisting of two small metal plates or clappers struck together. The crotalum of ancient Greece and Rome was a pair of finger cymbals, i.e., wooden or metal shells held in one hand and manipulated like castanets, though probably not as rapidly. They were used to accompany dancing and were played almost exclusively by women. Cymbals in the form of two small saucers attached to handles or fastened with leather straps were also used in ancient times. The discovery of finger cymbals in ancient Egyptian tombs inspired modern French composers such as Claude Debussy and Maurice Ravel to include crotales in scores that required an Oriental or antique tone colour.