A musical instrument that is shared by various cultures in Eastern Mediterenian.

Turkish Bağlama

Bağlama, sometimes referred to as saz or a member of saz family, is the fundamental instrument in Turkish folk music. Its name literally translates to "something that is tied up".

Bağlama is a string instrument consisting of 7 strings divided into groups of 2, 2 and 3. These groups of strings can be tuned to different combinations, each corresponding to a different system.

Bağlama is believed to be a synthesis of historical musical instruments in Central Asia and pre-Turkish Anatolia.

Greek Baglama

The greek bağlama or baglamas is different from the Turkish baglama from which it is derived. The baglama instrument travelled towards Greece where the instruments lent some characteristics to the bouzouki. The Greeks adapted the instruments, giving them staved backs and metal frets. A half-size version of the bouzouki gave a cursory nod to its roots, also called a baglama. The Greek baglama, has a small body, with a bowl, staved back. It has three pairs of strings, each pair tuned to D, A, and an octave D, respectively.

For additional information, consult the history of Greece over the last hundred years, with particular reference to Rembetika (also called Rebetika), which was inspired by Turkish fasil music, derived from the Ottoman classical genre.