’ud

Lute called an oud or 'ud in Arabic. Its wooden body is pear-shaped on the front with a short tapering neck and the bowl-like back resembles the outside of half a watermelon. The back of the instrument is made of thin staves of alternating dark and light wood glued together on edge. Four decorative stripes of patterned dark wood are inlaid on the bowl. Originally with eleven strings, this one has two strings remaining. There are three circular sound holes which are decorated with wooden rosettes. An oblong cartouche inlaid with bone or ivory in a split-palmette design is added between the rosettes. The neck is made of a single piece of wood and veneered in a striped pattern similar to that of the back. The plain pegbox meets the neck at a severe angle and is made from separate side, end and back pieces glued together.