When Was The First Guitar Invented? This seemingly simple question leads us on a fascinating journey through millennia, tracing the evolution of stringed instruments and the guitar’s ancient ancestors. While pinpointing the exact moment of the guitar’s “invention” is impossible, we can explore the rich history of instruments that paved the way for the guitar as we know it today.
Long before the guitars we strum today, stringed instruments existed in various forms across ancient civilizations. One intriguing legend, attributed to Farabi, suggests the oud’s origin is linked to Lamech, a figure from the Bible. According to this tale, Lamech, mourning his deceased son, was inspired by the skeletal remains hanging from a tree to create the oud. This mythical origin story highlights the deep cultural significance and ancient roots associated with lute-like instruments in the Middle East.
Archaeological evidence provides a more concrete glimpse into the past. Dating back to around 3000 BCE, during the Uruk period in Mesopotamia (modern-day Iraq), we find the earliest pictorial representation of a lute-like instrument. This image, etched on a cylinder seal now housed in the British Museum, depicts a woman playing a stringed instrument on a boat. This discovery demonstrates that instruments resembling lutes were already present thousands of years ago. Variations of these instruments, with both long and short necks, became prominent throughout Mesopotamian and ancient Egyptian history, appearing in artifacts housed in museums worldwide. These early stringed instruments were integral to the music of numerous ancient cultures in the Mediterranean and Middle East, including the Sumerians, Egyptians, Babylonians, and Greeks, showcasing a continuous musical tradition.
An ancient Egyptian mural depicting a harpist playing music for the god Ra Harakhte, illustrating the long history of stringed instruments.
Moving forward in time, while not directly related to the guitar’s invention, it’s fascinating to note the historical context of music and instruments. Around 1011 BCE, King Solomon, known for his wisdom, was born. Centuries later, his words from Ecclesiastes were adapted into the famous song “Turn! Turn! Turn!”, highlighting the enduring power of ancient texts in modern music. Similarly, the celestial event around 7 BCE, believed to be the Star of Bethlehem, occurred during a period of significant cultural and religious shifts, further underscoring the backdrop against which musical traditions evolved.
The Medieval Period (500 – 1400 AD) marks a crucial era in the development of instruments that more closely resemble the guitar. During this time, instruments with 3, 4, and 5 strings were already in use in Europe. Two notable instruments emerged in Spain: the Guitarra Latina and the Guitarra Morisca. The Guitarra Latina, believed to have originated elsewhere in Europe, featured curved sides and is considered a direct ancestor of the guitar. The Guitarra Morisca, introduced by the Moors, had an oval soundbox and multiple sound holes. These two instruments represent distinct branches in the evolution of stringed instruments in Europe, with the Guitarra Latina being particularly significant in the guitar’s lineage.
During this period, musical forms were also evolving. The Gregorian Chant, developed between 590-604 and named after Pope St. Gregory the Great, became the standard form of liturgical music in the Roman Catholic Church. Its influence helped spread musical developments across Western Europe. By 695, evidence suggests the early stages of counterpoint, known as ‘Organum’, were emerging, indicating a growing complexity in musical composition.
The introduction of the oud to Western Europe by the Moors in 711 AD further enriched the musical landscape. While instruments similar to the oud, like the ancient Greek Pandoura, might have arrived in the Iberian Peninsula earlier, the Moorish influence significantly popularized the oud. Zyriab, a renowned oud player in Al-Andalus (Moorish Spain), even established a music conservatory and added a fifth course of strings to the instrument. The European adaptation of the oud became known as the lute, and the term “luthier,” referring to makers of stringed instruments, originates from the French word “luth.” An important distinction between the oud and the lute was the introduction of frets on the lute, typically made of tied gut. The construction of the oud and lute shared similarities, with backs made of thin wooden staves glued together and tops usually crafted from spruce.
By 850, Gregorian Chants began to evolve from simple melodies to include parallel intervals, marking the development of polyphony and eventually harmony, further enriching Western music. The 11th and 12th centuries witnessed the rise of Troubadours and Trouvères, who popularized secular songs about chivalry and courtly love, expanding musical themes beyond the religious sphere. Rhythmic music notation appeared between 1150 and 1250, and the Notre Dame school of polyphony became a central hub for musical innovation in Europe. Simultaneously, folk music traditions like ‘Geisslerlieder,’ songs of flagellants, emerged, reflecting diverse musical expressions within society. In Germany, ‘Minnesang,’ a lyric and songwriting tradition influenced by the French Troubadours, gained prominence between 1100 and 1300, continuing the themes of courtly love and secular pleasures.
The year 1265 marks a significant milestone: the first documented mention of the term “guitar.” Later, in 1349, records indicate the Duke of Normandy employed musicians who played instruments called Guiterre Morische (Moorish Guitar) and Guitarra Latina (Latin Guitar). It is understood that the Guiterre Morische evolved into the European lute and the modern Arabic oud, while the Guitarra Latina is the direct predecessor of the modern guitar.
A depiction from the Cantigas de Santa Maria circa 1320 showing a guitarra latina (left) and guitarra morisca (right), illustrating two distinct types of early guitars in Spain.
In conclusion, while we cannot pinpoint a definitive date for “when the first guitar was invented,” the journey through history reveals a fascinating evolution of stringed instruments. From ancient Mesopotamian lutes and the mythical origins of the oud, to the medieval Guitarra Latina, we see a clear lineage leading to the guitar. The Guitarra Latina, appearing in Spain by the 14th century, stands out as the most direct ancestor. Therefore, rather than a single invention, the guitar is the result of centuries of development and refinement of stringed instrument technology and musical traditions across various cultures. The story of the guitar is a testament to the enduring human fascination with music and the ongoing evolution of musical instruments.
