Rebec

(also rebek), an ancient stringed and bowed musical instrument. A rebec has a wooden, rimless, and pear-shaped body, whose upper part tapers directly into the neck. The soundboard has two soundholes, and the three strings are tuned in fifths. The rebec first appeared in Western Europe about the 12th century and was used until the third quarter of the 18th century. It influenced the shape of instruments belonging to the violin family.