BANDURRIA OR MOORISH GUITAR

​The moorish guitar was a plucked stringed instrument. It is a kind of lute with vaulted back and a sickle-shaped pegbox. It appears several times in ancient manuscripts like Cantigas (specially ner. 150), and by Johannes de Grocheo (near 1300), who told it quitarra sarracénica. It is supposed to be an hybrid instrument between latin guitar and medieval lute. It should be plucked with a pick as well as using the fingers.

Vertical Divider

In the 14th Century it is known under the name of moorish guitar, written by Arcipreste de Hita in the Libro de buen amor. According to other sources, the name bandurria was used in Castilla for oval-shaped instruments, with vaulted back (sometimes made from a turtle shell) and a sickle-shaped pegbox with a carved head. The number of courses appeared to be no more than 3 during the Medieval Era.
Similar instruments still survive in different countries, under the name of tanbura (Bulgary), buzuk and saz (Turkey), and tar (Iran), among others.

​This reproduction is based on the Cantiga de Santa María 150 painting. The body is carved and hollowed in a single piece of limewood, with olivewood fingerboard and goat skin top. It has 3 gut string courses (1+2+2), and finished with oil.
String length: 530 mm.

Cantiga de Santa María nº 150

Vertical Divider