Percussion instruments in Roman Egypt included drums, tambourines, castanets, clappers, and cymbals and were used to provide rhythmic accompaniment to music and dancers. Examples of drums and tambourines rarely survive, although representations of these instruments being played are common. A wide variety of castanets-pairs of L-shaped wooden objects held in the hand and struck together-were found at Karanis. Pairs of cymbals made of bronze were played by striking them together, either with the hands or in a wooden frame. Wooden clappers, consisting of handles with smaller pieces attached by cord, were shaken to produce sound.