Crafting and Playing the Oud

The oud is a traditional musical lute-type instrument played in Iran and Syria. It consists of a pear-shaped box or bowl made of walnut, rose, poplar, ebony, or apricot wood.
The oud is made in different sizes, and it takes up to twenty-five days to make it, during which the wood is left to dry and harden, then it is treated with water and steam to increase its durability, and most of its craftsmen are men. The oud is decorated with wood-carved and mosaic motifs.
It is played solo or in an ensemble on a variety of occasions, and its playing is accompanied by a range of traditional songs and dances. The skill of playing the oud and its making is mainly transmitted through vocational training and through apprenticeships in music centers, colleges, and universities in urban areas.

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Crafting and Playing the Oud was inscribed in 2022 on the UNESCO Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity in Iran, Syria.