Ūd

Abdo George Nahat Syrian

On view at The Met Fifth Avenue in Gallery 681

The ūd is a short-necked lute with a pear-shaped body, characterized by its bowl back, made of thin strips of wood. It is a descendant of the barbat, a similarly shaped instrument with origins in Central Asia. The ūd is found through much of the Middle East and North Africa. Taken to Spain by the Moors, it was the predecessor of the lute. It also traveled east, where it was transformed into the Chinese pipa and Japanese biwa.

#George Mgrdichian plays a Syrian Ud (89.4.374) from The Met collection. Improvisation excerpt, Huseyni, Saz Semai. "Lend Us Your Ears", NPR

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Ūd, Abdo George Nahat (Syrian, 1860–1941), Wood, camel bone, Syrian

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Ūd, Abdo George Nahat (Syrian, 1860–1941), Wood, camel bone, Syrian
Ūd, Abdo George Nahat (Syrian, 1860–1941), Wood, camel bone, Syrian
Ūd, Abdo George Nahat (Syrian, 1860–1941), Wood, camel bone, Syrian
Ūd, Abdo George Nahat (Syrian, 1860–1941), Wood, camel bone, Syrian

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