The santur is an ancient struck-string instrument, widespread in the classical music of Persia (Iran) and, in various forms, in India, Iraq, Turkey, and Greece. It has a trapezoidal wooden body with numerous strings stretched in groups over bridges.
The player holds two light curved hammers (mezrab) in the fingers and, striking the strings deftly, draws out a ringing, crystalline, quickly-decaying sound. The santur is considered one of the forefathers of the whole dulcimer family, to which the Hungarian cimbalom and the Ukrainian tsymbaly also belong. In Persian classical music the santur holds an honoured place as a refined and contemplative instrument, capable of conveying the finest shades of the traditional dastgah modes.
