Dutar

The dutar (Also dotar or doutar) is a traditional long-necked two-stringed lute found in Central Asia. Its name comes from the Persian word for "two stings", dotar (do "two", tar "string"), although the Herati dutar of Afghanistan has 14 strings. When played, the strings are usually plucked by the Uyghurs of Western China and strummed and plucked by the Uzbeks, Tajiks, Turkmen, and Afghans. In the instrument's fifteenth century beginings in the hands of shepherds, its strings were made from animal intestines. With the coming of the Silk Road, the strings were woven from silk. Modern instruments also have silk or nylon strings.

The dutar has a warm, dulcet tone. Typical sizes for the pear-shaped instrument range from one to two meters.