Written by Petrit Latifi

According to Vincenzo Galilei, in Dialogue on ancient and modern music, 1582, the following can be read:

“This very noble instrument was reported to us by the Pannonians, with the name of Laut” Panonnia was an Illyrian region, Northern Montenegro, and western Serbia today in the North Bosnia, The Albanians call this instrument “lahuta”, like the ancient Pannonians “Laut “, instead the Slavs call it “Gusla” Romanian lauta, Greek *Laoutho “Laut ‘ is a single-stringed musical instrument for songs, prayer, laments of uncertain etymology. For many historians a musical instrument associated with the Byzantine period arrived from the Persians / Arabs- Arabic word Sgi (al-ud, “wood”). The Albanian linquist Topalli connects the name ‘lahuta’ with the Turkish word *Luata and other linguist with albanian word” Lut” / praver or lament from Proto-Albanian *lutsi-, from Proto-Indo-European *|euT-. Cognate to Latin laudo (“to praise”), Gothic (liupon, “to sing”).”