The slit drum is made from African coralwood, a durable hardwood.

Evidence

It is made from a single piece of reddish African coralwood, a durable hardwood found in the forested areas of Central Africa and valued for making drums because it stands up well to repeated striking, maintains a constant tone and is resistant to termites. — Neil MacGregor, A History of the World in 100 Objects, 1429

Categorization

• corroborated: 2 independent passages support this claim — Neil MacGregor, A History of the World in 100 Objects, 1429