BARBAT (OUD)

After Tanboor it is the oldest string instrument in Iran. In 800 B.C a kind of Barbat was used. In some books the invention of this instrument is a scribed to Barbad. As it is told in some books, the reason to name this instrument Barbat is that this name is the Arabic form of Barbad, but in some other books it is told that Bat means chest, so the similarity between the form of a Barbat and the chest of a drake is the other reason for its name. After Islam’s attack to Iran this instrument was taken to Arabia and after a while it came back to Iran with a bit change in it. For Islamic culture penetrated in to Europe, this instrument was used is some parts with different names , for example in Italy it was called "Lotto", in France "Loth" in Portugal "Aland" a and in Spain "Loud". This instrument was abolished in Safavidth period by an unknown reason (maybe because of the religious fanaticism), even till recent decades. This instrument was used again by Master Mansour Nariman.

link about Barbat

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