 A man plays an Ottoman shahrud, from a 1582 A.D., from an illustration in the Surname-i Hümayun. | |
| String instrument | |
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| Classification | |
| Developed | Antiquity |
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The Shahrud (Turkish: Şehrud, from Persian: شاهرود, DMG šāh-rūd or šāh-i-rūd) was a short-necked lute, illustrated in the Surname-i Hümayun, resembling an oud or barbat, but being much larger.[1] The larger size gave the instrument added resonance and a deeper (bass) range, like the modern mandobass, mandolone or Algerian mandole.
The word also referred to a type of zither written about by Al Farabi and illustrated in his book Kitāb al-mūsīqī al kabīr. That illustration has led scholars to speculate the instrument was a box-zither, or a harp combined with a psaltery. The šāh-rūd was introduced to Samarkand in the early 10th century and spread to Middle Eastern Arabic music.
Another writer who referred to the instrument was Abd al-Qadir in his work Maqasid al-Alhan (Persian for: purports of Music)(مقاصد الحان). al-Qadir was interested in the restoration and improvement of stringed musical instruments, and his work provides information about numerous musical instruments, including the shahrud.[2]
- ^ "ŞEHRUD". Retrieved 26 November 2022.
- ^ "5.4 - Piecing Together History, String By String - The Reconstruction of Azerbaijan's Medieval Instruments". Azer.com. Retrieved 21 April 2021.