An incredible Egyptian rababa (also spelled rabab or rebaba), dating from the late 20th century. 58x12x9cm This traditional bowed string instrument is very popular in Egypt and throughout various regions of the Middle East and North Africa. Its rounded body is made from hollowed-out wood covered with a stretched goatskin membrane. It is a type of spike fiddle, in which the neck passes all the way through the resonating body, ending in an exposed spike at the bottom. It has two wooden tuning pegs on the sides for tuning its two traditional strings, originally made from horsehair. Historically, the rababa is one of the world’s oldest bowed instruments and played a crucial role as one of the ancestors of the modern European violin.