Piriform body made up of 17 hardwood articulated by strips of band inlay. The central three ribs are inlaid with small circles, keys, and hearts of mother-of-pearl. Table of spruce pierced by three sound holes with elaborately carved roses. Fingerboard veneered with bone with arabesque inlay of hardwood. The back of the neck is covered with alternating strips separated with band inlay to match the ribbing of the body. The six double courses (pairs) of gut strings are tightened by 12 pegs.

The ʿūd (Eng.: oud) is traditional lute of the Arabic world. It is notable not only for its importance in the musical traditions of the Near East and Northern Africa, but also for its position in history as the precursor to European plucked short-necked lutes, a family that includes both the lute proper and the guitar family. The oud was in widespread use in Arabic culture from the 7th century on, and it is believed to have made its way into Europe through the Moorish occupation of Spain. Today it is popular in Algeria, Morocco and Tunisia, where it is made with either four or six courses of strings. In contrast to the European lute, the oud has a shorter neck, a pegbox less acutely angled from the neck, and three soundholes in place of the single one on a european lute. The word ‘ūd means "twig" or "flexible rod",and evolved into the familiar western name, 'lute.'