Barbat

Overview

The barbat is a short-necked plucked lute with a deeply curved pear-shaped body, originally from the broader Persian-Central Asian world. It is widely considered the ancestor of the Arab oud and, by extension, of the European lute and many other plucked instruments across Eurasia and North Africa. After centuries of decline in Iran the barbat enjoyed a strong revival in the second half of the twentieth century, and is once again played as part of contemporary Persian classical music.

Origin & History

The barbat is one of the oldest documented short-necked lutes, with references in pre-Islamic Persian literature and depictions in ancient Sasanian art. Some scholars believe its name preserves an even older Central Asian word for the instrument. By the early Islamic period the barbat had spread widely across the Persian and Arab world, where it was gradually transformed into the oud through changes to body shape, string count, and tuning.

In Iran the barbat declined over the following centuries, partially displaced by the oud and by other indigenous lutes such as the tar and setar. Beginning in the mid-twentieth century, Iranian musicians and instrument makers — particularly the master luthier Ebrahim Ghanbari Mehr — worked to revive the barbat as a distinct Persian instrument with a body shape and tonal character separate from the modern Arab oud.

How It’s Played

The modern revived barbat has a deep, bowl-shaped wooden back, a flat soundboard with one or more rosettes, and a short fretless neck. It typically carries six courses (eleven or twelve strings) tuned in the Persian tradition. The player plucks the strings with a long flexible plectrum called a mezrab or risheh, producing a bright, slightly nasal tone with substantial sustain.

Right-hand technique combines fast plectrum strokes with subtle dynamic shading. Left-hand technique includes slides, vibrato, and the precise microtonal pitch placement required by Persian classical music’s dastgah modal system. Players draw on the deep tradition of Persian classical melody and improvisation in their performances.

Cultural Significance

In Iranian musical history the barbat occupies a special place as an ancient indigenous instrument that represents continuity with pre-Islamic Persian culture. The modern revival has reasserted its identity as separate from the Arab oud, even as Iranian players also engage actively with oud playing and with cross-cultural projects.

In contemporary Iranian classical music the barbat is one of several plucked instruments — alongside the tar, setar, and oud — used to perform the dastgah-based repertoire. It also features in chamber ensembles and in collaborative projects with musicians from other Middle Eastern, Mediterranean, and Western traditions.

Related Instruments

• Oud – the Arab descendant of the barbat
• Lute – the European descendant of the oud
• Tar – the Persian double-bowled long-necked lute
• Setar – the Persian small long-necked lute
• Tanbur – another long-necked Persian and Central Asian lute

Where to Hear It

Recordings by Hossein Behroozinia, who has been one of the leading figures in the modern barbat revival, are essential listening. Pejman Hadadi’s percussion-led collaborations with barbat players and recordings by the Dastan Ensemble and the Masters of Persian Music project also feature the instrument prominently.

• Wikipedia: Barbat
• Wikimedia Commons: Barbat

Learning Resources

Barbat instruction is concentrated in Iran and within the international Iranian musical diaspora, with major teachers based in Tehran, Toronto, Los Angeles, and several European cities. Many students approach the barbat from a background in oud or tar. Method books and online lessons are increasingly available in Persian and English.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is the barbat the same as the oud?
The two instruments are historically related — the oud descends from the older barbat — but the modern revived barbat has a distinct body shape, tuning, and tonal character.

How old is the barbat?
References to the instrument appear in pre-Islamic Persian literature and Sasanian art, suggesting an unbroken history of well over fifteen hundred years.

How many strings does it have?
The modern barbat usually carries six courses (eleven or twelve strings).

Is the barbat difficult to learn?
For an oud player the transition is relatively straightforward. For a beginner, the fretless fingerboard and the microtonal pitch placement of Persian classical music require dedicated study.