Tanbûr Long-Necked Lutes along the Silk Road and beyond

By (author) Hans de Zeeuw

Book cover: Tanbûr Long-Necked Lutes along the Silk Road and beyond

Extent: 206 pages

Publisher: Archaeopress Publishing

Subjects: Ancient Near East

Language: English

Paperback (Published)

(March 2019)

ISBN: 9781789691696

8.07 x 11.42 inches

Price: $64.00

In stock

This book is divided into two main parts: ‘The Tanbur Tradition’ discusses the origin, history, construction and playing techniques of tanburs; ‘The Tanbur Family’ focusses on long-necked lutes as a family of musical instruments. After a short introduction, the construction, playing technique, and musical traditions are discussed.


‘Tanbur Long-Necked Lutes Along the Silk Road and Beyond’ explores the origin, history, construction, and playing techniques of tanburs, a musical instrument widely used over vast territories and over many centuries. The diffusion of the tanbur into the musical cultures along the Silk Road resulted in a variety of tanburs with two or more, occasionally doubled or tripled courses, a varying number and variously tuned frets, each having its own characteristic sound, playing technique, and repertory. Since the last century, tanburs spread beyond the Silk Road while new versions continue to appear due to changing musical and tonal demands made on them. Similar or identical instruments are also known by other names, such as saz or baglama, dotar or dutar, setar, dombra, and dambura.

  • By (author) Hans de Zeeuw