thumb The ''šargija'' ( sh-Latn-Cyrl, šargija, шаргија; ), anglicized as ''shargia'', is a plucked, fretted long necked

lute A lute ( or ) is any plucked string instrument with a neck (music), neck and a deep round back enclosing a hollow cavity, usually with a sound hole or opening in the body. It may be either fretted or unfretted. More specifically, the term "lu ...

used in the

folk music Folk music is a music genre that includes #Traditional folk music, traditional folk music and the Contemporary folk music, contemporary genre that evolved from the former during the 20th-century folk revival. Some types of folk music may be ca ...

of various Balkan countries, including

Bosnia and Herzegovina Bosnia and Herzegovina, sometimes known as Bosnia-Herzegovina and informally as Bosnia, is a country in Southeast Europe. Situated on the Balkans, Balkan Peninsula, it borders Serbia to the east, Montenegro to the southeast, and Croatia to th ...

Serbia , image_flag = Flag of Serbia.svg , national_motto = , image_coat = Coat of arms of Serbia.svg , national_anthem = () , image_map = , map_caption = Location of Serbia (gree ...

Albania Albania ( ; or ), officially the Republic of Albania (), is a country in Southeast Europe. It is located in the Balkans, on the Adriatic Sea, Adriatic and Ionian Seas within the Mediterranean Sea, and shares land borders with Montenegro to ...

Kosovo Kosovo, officially the Republic of Kosovo, is a landlocked country in Southeast Europe with International recognition of Kosovo, partial diplomatic recognition. It is bordered by Albania to the southwest, Montenegro to the west, Serbia to the ...

and

North Macedonia North Macedonia, officially the Republic of North Macedonia, is a landlocked country in Southeast Europe. It shares land borders with Greece to the south, Albania to the west, Bulgaria to the east, Kosovo to the northwest and Serbia to the n ...

. The instrument is part of a larger family of instruments which includes the Balkan ''tambura'' and the '' saz'' (or ''tambura saz''), '' tamburica'', and the '' tambouras''.

History

The instrument was studied by musicologists in the 20th century. Their studies have been characterized as speculative and nationalistic. More recently, an American researcher, Richard March, concluded that the tambura arrived in the Balkans with Turkish people in the 1500s. It was adopted by people living in the Balkans, including "urban Muslim Slavs" and "Bosnia Christians." It also arrived in Croatia with laborers. Today the ''šargija'' is played by

Albanians The Albanians are an ethnic group native to the Balkan Peninsula who share a common Albanian ancestry, Albanian culture, culture, Albanian history, history and Albanian language, language. They are the main ethnic group of Albania and Kosovo, ...

Bosniaks The Bosniaks (, Cyrillic script, Cyrillic: Бошњаци, ; , ) are a South Slavs, South Slavic ethnic group native to the Southeast European historical region of Bosnia (region), Bosnia, today part of Bosnia and Herzegovina, and who sha ...

Serbs The Serbs ( sr-Cyr, Срби, Srbi, ) are a South Slavs, South Slavic ethnic group native to Southeastern Europe who share a common Serbian Cultural heritage, ancestry, Culture of Serbia, culture, History of Serbia, history, and Serbian lan ...

and

Croats The Croats (; , ) are a South Slavs, South Slavic ethnic group native to Croatia, Bosnia and Herzegovina and other neighboring countries in Central Europe, Central and Southeastern Europe who share a common Croatian Cultural heritage, ancest ...

. The ''sharki'' is used by the Gheg Albanians in northern Albania, Kosovo, Serbia and parts of Montenegro and North Macedonia. The Instrument accompanies singing and dancing.

Characteristics

Its original four strings have been increased to six or even seven. These are grouped to create courses of strings; the instrument has 3 or 4 courses. In the past, frets were moveable, although generally not moved once the instrument was set up. Modern instruments may be inlaid with non-moveable metal frets. The pattern that the frets are set up to play depends on the tonal system used by the musical tradition a musician participate in. The instrument's body can be made from separate staves, or carved from one piece of wood. The ''šargija'' usually accompanies the

violin The violin, sometimes referred to as a fiddle, is a wooden chordophone, and is the smallest, and thus highest-pitched instrument (soprano) in regular use in the violin family. Smaller violin-type instruments exist, including the violino picc ...

, and has a jangling quality, similar to the Turkish '' saz''. Musician's play with "complex polyphonic techniques". The ''sharki'' is a similar to or related to the two-string '' Çifteli'' or '' qiftelia'', but with more strings.

Sources

Additional works which discuss the instrument

Atlas of Plucked Instruments
— San Diego State University

External links

Video of a Šargija being played.
Necked bowl lutes Bosniak culture Bosnian musical instruments Albanian musical instruments Croatian musical instruments Serbian musical instruments {{lute-stub