Rubab or robab (Persian: رُباب) is a lute-like
musical instrument from Afghanistan, Iranian
Beluchistan and North Western Pakistan. There
are many diffenret translitration for this
instrument like Rabab, Rebab, Robab or Rubab.
The robab is a short-necked lute whose body is
carved out of a single piece of wood, with a
membrane, covering the hollow bowl of the
sound-chamber, upon which the bridge is
positioned. It has three melody strings tuned in
fourths, three drone strings and 11 or 12
sympathetic strings. The instrument is made from
the trunk of a mulberry tree, the head from thin
goat skin and the strings either gut (from the
intestines of young goats, brought to the size
of thread) or nylon.