AMATI, the name of a family of violin-makers who flourished at Cremona from about 1550 to 1692. According to Fétis, Andrea and Nicolo Amati, two brothers, were the first Italians who made violins. They were succeeded by Antonio and Geronimo, sons of Nicolo. Another Nicolo, son of Geronimo, was alive in 1692. The violins made by this family are distinguished by their small size, exquisite finish, and the mathematical proportion of the parts. Their tone is soft and sweet, but deficient in intensity, owing to the flatness of their model. Stradivari was a pupil of the Amatis.

AMATITLAN, the name of a lake and town in Guatemala, Central America. The lake is 18 miles from the city of Guatemala, and is about 9 miles long and 3 broad. The town, which is sometimes called St Juan d’Amatitlan, is situated on the shores of the lake. The houses are all of one storey, and are mostly built of mud. The Jesuits formerly had extensive sugar plantations at Amatitlan, but the chief industry now is the raising of the cochineal. The wells of the town are strongly impregnated with salt and alum, and in the vicinity there are several hot springs. Population about 10,000, chiefly mulattoes and samboes.