Donated to DUMIC by Nancy and William Hern on June 15th, 2005.

The Arabic Rabab is the earliest known bowed instrument, and is known as the ancestor to nearly all European bowed instruments. The term Rababa was used in ancient times for nearly all bowed instruments, and the term also usually corresponds to an Egyptian spike fiddle instrument. The body shapes of the Rababa vary, the most common being pear and boat-shaped bodies, as well as rectangular bodies such as this one. The rectangular body style is noted as being used predominantly by Bedouin musicians.

The Rababa, along with other traditional Arab instruments such as the smsmiyya, tablah, mizmar, etc., were often used to accompany storytellers, poets, and singers. These were all mostly wooden instruments. The instrument is valued for its voice-like sound, but it has little tonal range. For this reason, it was replaced over time in the Arab world by the violin and kemenche. The simple, 2-string Rabab from Egypt is sometimes called the “fiddle of the Nile,” often crafted from half of a coconut shell.