Crafting and playing the oud: A living musical heritage in Iran

TEHRAN – With its resonant melodies and distinctive pear-shaped body, the oud has long been part of the musical traditions of Iran and the wider West Aisa. Its craftsmanship and performance, sustained through generations of makers and musicians, received international recognition in 2022 when Iran and Syria jointly inscribed the tradition on UNESCO’s Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity.