Castanets are percussion instruments that get their name from the Latin castanea, which means “chestnut,” the wood that castanets traditionally were made from. Now generally made from hardwoods, some modern castanets are made from fiberglass. Although their origin is unknown, some scholars believe they may have evolved from the brass finger cymbal that Muslim conquerors brought to Spain in AD 700. A pair of castanets has 2 pitches. The lower pitch is called male or macho and is generally held in the left hand while the higher pitched female or hembra is held in the right hand.

Castanets are used in the Spanish flamenco dances the zambra and siguiriyas, and as such as sometimes called palillos which means “little sticks.”

Because castanets are so difficult to play, castanets are generally mounted on sticks in the orchestra setting. Sometimes an orchestra will use a castanet machine.