Scroll
The carved, spiral finial at the top of the pegbox on bowed string instruments.
What it means
The scroll is the topmost termination of a bowed string instrument's neck, above the pegbox that holds the tuning pegs. It is carved from the same piece of wood as the neck, in a characteristic spiral shape resembling a snail's shell.
The scroll has no acoustic function; it is a purely decorative, craft-related element at the top of the instrument.
Musical use
On the violin, viola, cello, and double bass, the scroll has been a fixed part of the instrument's design since the classical form took shape in the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries, and has since served violin makers as an individual stylistic signature by which particular workshops and masters can be recognized.
Occasionally the scroll is replaced by a different carving, such as a lion's head or another figurative motif, though this remains the exception and is usually reserved for special commissions or folk instruments.
The scroll should be distinguished from the pegbox, the hollow part beneath it that houses the tuning pegs: the scroll forms its purely decorative upper termination, while the pegbox itself is functionally necessary for tuning.
Performance practice
Never hold or lean a bowed instrument by the scroll alone, since the neck is sensitive to sideways pressure at that point. When packing the instrument in its case, always cushion the scroll and protect it from knocks.