Oud

The oud (Arabic: al-oud) came to Europe in the 13th century via Islamic Spain. This was later adopted as the lute; a precursor of the guitar and was extremely popular in Western music for centuries. A pear-shaped body and fretless neck are the defining features of this instrument. The sound of the Oud vibrates within its hollow body. It is made of a rounded back, which is enclosed with a soundboard, a flat sheet of wood and the backside of it is made of 15-25 strips of wood. Ouds are decorated with often detailed purfling while the opening on the front is often an ornate design known as a rosette.