HailaR Daníel!

> In one of those contentious debates about the use of drums in the
Viking period on another list, we've been examining words for "drum".
Apparently, "trumba" means "drum" in modern Icelandic, but "trumpet"
in Old Icelandic. Can anyone confirm this, and maybe explain why?
Also, are there any known OI words for drum?"

Yes. I should know this, as I am a musician myself!
The magical word is: BUMBA f. drum; pl. bumbur

The Sami´s still use them, but the Norse ones were destroyed by
Christians. Music played a huge role in ON society and religion,
causing Christian rulers to resort to Taliban-like measures. These
measures could be severe. One of my own ancestors is known to have
suffered a terrible fate as a musician in the 19th century. He was
not alone. Kristján (the Danish king) was only the most rescent
ruler to attempt a systematic destruction of all non-church related
instruments within his domain. If anyone is interested, I have a
small collection of good articles on major Scandinavian instrument
burnings. Imagine every Harðangrsfiðla in Norðvegr on a bonfire.
Well, the bastards really did that, og í jesú nafni. What, they
would never do such a thing. You must be kidding me? No, I´m not. It
started with the onset of Christian rule. In the earliest recorded
lawbook from Scandinavian (Westgautalögin - 1200 or earlier) we find
this hideous passage:

Uaþeær lekæri barþær (verðr leikari barðr)
þæt skal e ugilt uaræ (Þat skal æ ógilt vera)
Varþær lekari sargaþær (verðr leikari sárgaðr)
þen sum mæþ gighu gangær (sá sem með gígju gengr)
ællær mæþ fiþlu far (ellar með fiðlu ferr); ellar - eða
ællær bambu (ellar bumbu WN)
þa skal kuighu taka otamæ (þá skal kvígu taka ótama)
ok flytiæ up a bæsing (ok flytja upp á "bæsing" EN?)
þa skal alt har af roppo rakæ (þá skal allt hár af "roppo" EN? raka)
ok siþæn smyria (ok síðan smyrja)
þa skal hanum fa sko nysmurþæ (þá skal hánum fá skó nýsmurða)
þa skal lekarin takæ quighuna um roppo (þá skal leikarinn taka
kvíguna um "roppo" EN = tagl)
M skal til huggæ mæþ huassi gesl (maðr skal til höggva me hvasri
"gesl" EN? some kind of whip or stick)
Gitær han haldit (getr hann haldit)
þa skal han hauæ þæn goþa grip (þá skal hann hafa þann góða grip)
ok niuta sum hundær græss (ok njóta sem hundar grass)
Gitær han eigh haldit (getr hann eigi haldit)
havi ok þole þæt sum han fek (hafi ok þoli þat sem hann fekk)
skama ok skaþæ (skamma ok skaða)
biði aldrigh hælldær ræt (biði aldrigi heldr rétt)
æn huskonæ hudstrukin (en húskona húðstrokin)
E a væriændi vitu (æ á verjandi vítu)
ok skyldæsti arf at takæ (ok skyldasti arf at taka)

And some spelling to sorry fellow has!

Here is how the law SHOULD read:

Verðr leikari barðr
(ok friðr á brotinn)
þat skal æ gilt vesa
Verðr leikari sárgaðr
sá es með gígju gengr
eða með fiðlu ferr
eða (á) bumbu (berr)
þá skal hengja þann es barði

þvíat með fögrum söngvi
ok slegnum slætti
skal fjörg öll fága

Wait until Haukur feels inspired to lay the old lawman to waste!

bumb...bumb...bumb...bumb...bumb...bumb...bumb...bumb..BUMBA!