Tar decorated with mother-of-pearl. The early 20th century. Collection of the Azerbaijan State Museum of the Musical Culture.
A stringed long-necked musical instrument which is played with an ebonite or bone plectrum-pick. Its body is composed of two bowls (big and small) shaped like a figure 8 with a thin membrane of stretched fish-skin covering the top, a long neck with 22 adjustable frets on it and a head. The instrument has 11strings of various thicknesses. The tar body is curved from mulberry wood while its neck and head part are made of walnut wood. The instrument is usually decorated with mother-of-pearl. Tar is mainly played in a mugham trio or ensemble.
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