Digital worksheet
Tower bells differ greatly in size, weight, and ornamentation. Even their uses and configurations may vary, from change ringing and carillons to single bells that toll the hour. But all of them, generally, are composed of the same parts. Can you identify them?
Parts of a bell:
- Yoke | The cross piece from which a bell is hung and swung.
- Crown | The top or head of a bell.
- Waist | The middle sides of a bell.
- Lip | The lowest edge of a bell.
- Clapper | A metal shaft terminating in a solid sphere that swings back and forth inside to strike a bell and make it ring.
- Canons | Suspension loops that attach a bell to a yoke or other structural support.
- Shoulder | The upper sides of a bell, often bearing inscriptions or designs.
- Sound Bow | The thick part of a bell against which the clapper strikes.
- Mouth | The open part of a bell.
Challenge yourself!
After studying the different parts of the bell above, can you remember them all? Download and complete this worksheet to challenge yourself and your family. Simply click on the image below!
Don’t stop there! You can also learn about the different parts of a Japanese temple bell to discover how they differ from bells cast in a Western tower bell profile.
Go ahead. Be proud.
Share your bell knowledge online by tagging #BellFest in your posts! We’d love to see how you got creative and celebrated the New Year.
