Citole
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The citole was a string musical instrument, closely associated with the medieval fiddles and commonly used from 1200–1350. It was known by other names in various languages: cedra, cetera, cetola, cetu
Citole made c. 1300, exhibited at the British Museum
Italy. Ducal Palace Studiolo Cittern or late citole showing the remains of the citole thumb hole, as a hook on the back of the neck, 1478–1482. Sound holes drilled in soundboard in a circle, with soundboard rose. Two sound holes in side of instrument.
England. British Museum Citole (formerly Warwick Castle Gittern), with three of the holly-leaf points (the shoulders and the trefoil).
A reconstruction of a medieval citole
Portuguese guitar
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The Portuguese guitar is a plucked string instrument with twelve steel strings, strung in six courses of two strings. It is one of the few musical instruments that still uses watch-key or Preston tune
Citole
…instruments, giving people the concepts needed to quickly switch to the newly arriving lutes and gitterns. Two possible descendant instruments are the Portuguese guitar and the Corsican Cetera, both types of cittern. It is known today mainly from art and literary sources. Early examples include Provençal poetry (there…
Left: Coimbra guitar; right: Lisboa guitar
Portuguese guitar
Fado, by José Malhoa (1910)
António Chainho and his Portuguese guitar (Lisbon model)