Oud
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The oud is a Middle Eastern short-neck lute-type, pear-shaped, fretless stringed instrument, usually with 11 strings grouped in six courses, but some models have five or seven courses, with 10 or 13 s
Oud crafted by Emmanuel Venious in 1916
Egyptian lute players with long-necked lutes. Fresco from the tomb of Nebamun, a nobleman in the 18th Dynasty of Ancient Egypt, c. 1350 BC
Hellenistic banquet scene from the 1st century AD, Hadda, Gandhara. Short-necked, 2-string lute held by player, far right
Iran, 11th or 12th century A.D. Earthenware statue of a musician playing a short-necked, lute-style instrument
Archlute
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The archlute is a European plucked string instrument developed around 1600 as a compromise between the very large theorbo, the size and re-entrant tuning of which made for difficulties in the performa
Archlute by David Tecchler, c. 1725
Painting of a lady playing an archlute, Jean Baptiste Vanmour