Saz

Unknown

late 19th century · Wood inlaid with ivory and pearl. · Musical Instruments

In addition to lutes like the ūd with large, vaulted backs, wood bellies, and relatively short, unfretted necks, the Middle East possesses a large number of long necked lutes. These may be identified by carved or carvel-built (strips of wood glued together) tear-shaped bodies, fretted necks, wooden bellies, and pegblocks which extend from the lute's neck (sāz, tanbūr types), or by bodies that incorporate a waist, bipartite, parchment-covered bellies and openwork pegboxes (tār type). Linguistic connections may be made between these instrument names and those from other cultures; for example, tanbūr and tambūrā (India); tār and sitar (India), among others. In Turkey the term, bağlama is fairly interchangable with saz which refers to long-necked lutes. It is used in many contexts in Turkey to accompany song, dance and ritual.

Artist

Unknown

Date

late 19th century

Medium

Wood inlaid with ivory and pearl.

Culture

Turkish

Department

Musical Instruments

Credit line

The Crosby Brown Collection of Musical Instruments, 1889