DAMASCUS: In a workshop filled with the scent of walnut wood and the sound of hand tools, Syrian craftsman Firas Salka carefully shapes what will eventually become a Damascus oud, one of the Arab world’s most iconic musical instruments.
Over several months, each piece of wood is carved, assembled and polished by hand before it is ready to produce the rich, resonant sound that has defined the instrument for centuries.
More than just a musical instrument, the Damascus oud is regarded as one of Syria’s most enduring traditional crafts. Combining woodworking, decorative arts and musical heritage, it has become both a cultural symbol and an exported item sought by musicians across the Arab world and beyond.
Salka, a master craftsman specializing in musical instruments, said the oud represented both tangible and intangible cultural heritage because it combined traditional craftsmanship with musical performance.
He said Syrian oud-making evolved significantly over the past century, earning an international reputation for quality and craftsmanship.
In 2022, the craftsmanship and performance traditions associated with the oud were inscribed on UNESCO’s Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity.
Beyond its cultural importance, Salka said the instrument had economic value as a handcrafted export.
Demand from regional markets reflects the reputation of Syrian-made ouds and highlights their potential to support the country’s creative industries.
According to Salka, producing a high-quality oud begins with selecting the right wood, particularly Damascus walnut, prized for its durability and acoustic properties.
Each instrument is built in a series of carefully measured stages, including shaping the soundbox, soundboard and neck before assembling and calibrating every component. Even minor inaccuracies, he said, can affect the instrument’s tone and balance.
Decoration is equally meticulous. Syrian craftsmen traditionally embellish ouds with mother-of-pearl and mosaic inlays, decorative elements that enhance the instrument’s appearance without altering its acoustic performance. The work often involves collaboration between instrument makers and specialists in traditional inlay techniques.
Bilal Ahmad, another Syrian instrument maker, said oud production depended on the expertise of several specialized craftsmen, from woodworkers and decorators to technicians responsible for assembly and fine tuning.
While traditional techniques remain largely unchanged, he said modern materials have found their place in the craft.
Many makers now use treated nylon and carbon-fiber strings instead of the natural strings once commonly used, improving durability, tuning stability and performance for today’s musicians.
Despite these technological advances, the essence of the craft remains rooted in manual skill passed down through generations.
For Syrian artisans, preserving the Damascus oud is about more than maintaining a traditional profession.
It is also about safeguarding a cultural legacy while creating opportunities for Syrian handicrafts to reach wider international markets.
