Lute design

English cittern, circa 1600. A stringed instrument dating from the Renaissance, descended from the Medieval citole, or citole. Its flat-back design was simpler and cheaper to construct than the lute. It was also easier to play, smaller, less delicate and more portable. Played by all classes, the cittern was a premier instrument of casual music making much as is the guitar today.

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Lute ('ūd)

Lute inlaid with ivory.

A Mac-Fuirmidh cittern (pronounced: /mækˈfɜːrmɪd/ mæk-FUR-mid[4]) was a masterwork magic cittern and one of the Instruments of the Bards.[2][1] Mac-Fuirmidh citterns were pear-shaped citterns similar to lutes,[2] superior in every way to ordinary citterns.[1] Like other Instruments of the Bards, they could only be used properly by bards, and could be dangerous if anyone else attempted to play or even carry them.[2][1] Bards wielding a Mac-Fuirmidh cittern had their charming abilities greatly…

Lâvta (lute) | Turkish | The Metropolitan Museum of Art