Ghijak

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Ghijak

Classification	Bowed string instrument
Related instruments
Kamancheh

The ghijak (also spelled ghidjak, ghichak, gidzhak, gijak, g'ijjak,,^[1] or ghijek (Uighur: غېجەك, ғиҗәк, romanized: ghijek, Uighur: غىجەك, romanized: ghijek, or occasionally Uighur: غىرجەك, ғирҗәк, romanized: ghirjek; Chinese: 艾捷克 aijieke or 吉孜哈克 jizihake; Russian: Гиджак), is a group of related spike fiddles, used by Afghans, Uzbeks, Uyghurs, Tajiks, Turkmens, Qaraqalpaks^[2] and in the Xinjiang province of western China. Despite the similarity of the name, it is more closely related to the Persian kamancheh than the ghaychak.

History[]

The instrument name appears in 10th-century manuscripts, which indicate that the bridge (harrak) was made of almond shells. The ghidjak as depicted in 15th-century Persian miniatures resembles the modern instrument in its construction.^[1]

Xinjiang[]

The ghijek as it is used in Xinjiang has four strings, either with a bowl soundbox (similar to the kamancheh), or with a box soundbox often made from a tin can.^[3] One of Xinjiang's most prominent ghijek players is Akram Omar (艾克热木·吾买尔 / ئەكرەم ئۆمەر / Акрам Омар), from Kashgar.^video

See also[]

kamancheh

References[]

External links[]

• Afghan ghaychak (box lute)
• Tajik ghijak (box lute

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