Comparison of the historical development processes and structural features of Iranian and Azerbaijani tar

The tar is a traditional plucked string instrument that holds an important place whitin the musical heritage of Azerbaijan and Iran. Belonging to the family of plucked string instruments, the tar is distinguished by its two resonating bodies of different sizes, covered with animal skin, which are connected to a tuning box through a long wooden neck. This distinctive form not only defines its characteristic timbre but also demonstrates the craftsmanship and design principles developed in the regions where it has been cultivated. Historically, the tar has been performed across a wide area, including Azerbaijan, Iran, Afghanistan, parts of eastern Turkey, and the Caspian coastal regions of northern Iran. Its geographical spread reflects centuries of historical interaction, regional exchange, and political developments. A turning point in the instrument's history came in the 19th century with the separation of Azerbaijan from Iran following the Treaty of Turkmenchay (1828). This event initiated independent paths of development for the tar in each region. While the Iranian tar maintained a design suited to the needs of Persian classical music, the Azerbaijani tar underwent certain structural changes to accommodate performance practices and tuning systems specific to Azerbaijani mugham. Over time, these variations became more pronounced, producing two distinct yet related instrument types. Althogh the tar's origins are more recent compared to some other Middle Eastern string instruments, it has secured a significant role in the traditional and classical repertoires of both regions. Its construction details-such as the dimensions and proportions of the resonating bodies, the materials used, the neck design, the arrangement of frets and the plectrum technique-show notable differences between the Azerbaijani and Iranian versions. These distinctions make the tar an ideal subject for comparative study from the perspectives of musicology, ethnomusicology and organology. The present thesis, titled "Comparison of the Historical Development Processes and Structural Features of Iranian and Azerbaijani Tar ", examines the instrument with a focus on its historical development, structural features and technical aspects of performance. The research employs a combination of literature review, analysis of historical documents and fieldwork that includes interviews with master performers and instrument makers in both regions. The thesis is organized into seven chapters. The introduction outlines the research aim, significance and methodology. The second chapter reviews the existing academic literature in Turkey. The third chapter clarifies the key concepts and terminology used in the study. The fourth chpter investigates the historical background and etymology of the tar based on historical sources and literary texts. The fifth chapter analyzes the structural characteristics of the tar in Azerbaijan and Iran separately. The sixth chapter presents a comparative evaluation of the cultural roles of the instrument in both cultures. Finally, the seventh chapter outlines the main conclusions based on literature review and interviews conducted with musicians.