Many people dance to the turkish oud, an interesting little instrument that has a deep, pear shaped back, that is responsible for giving this interesting instrument its unique depth and quality of sound. Many of the ethnic dances from Turkey and also the eastern and Middle Eastern countries, are performed on the oud, and this low instrument is also the ancestor of the Western lute. These instruments have a unique history in that the oud was at one time actually made out of animal skins. It was not until later that the oud was made out of its characteristic strips of wood, as it is seen manufactured today.