Barbat

Barbat
 

Barbat is an older version of U’d, a well-known and popular musical instrument of the East. The first evidence of Barbat dates back to 3000 BC between Sumer civilizations’ remnants. Barbat and Chang were the most popular Persian ancient musical instruments and, for centuries, have been mentioned in quite a few manuscripts and paintings.

After centuries of being a divine musical instrument, Barabt (also Chang) disappeared from music performances in the 17th century without apparent reason. Some pieces of evidence show that inventing Tar and Santur during the Safavid civilization, with clear crystal and resonant sonorities, forced Barbat (also Chang) to be left.

Barbat is pear-shaped with a short neck curved at the end by a 90° angle to the sound-box surface. In the past, four silk strings were fixed on the bridge from the top of the neck to the bottom of the sound-box, which was played by a large plectrum. As described by Barbat, it is very similar to U’d, but a longer neck, smaller sound-box, and preparing sound-box with one piece of wood are specific properties of Barbat. Nowadays, both words, Barbat and U’d, refer to U’d, whereas there is evidence for the origination of U’d from early versions of Barbat. It should be mentioned that classical guitars have been made by developing U’d.