The lute’s rise and fall

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The origins of the lute are not very clear, but the musical instrument was certainly not called by that name until the 20th century — while several lute-like instruments, made of animal skin and not wood, were in use as early as the 7th century.

It was in the Middle Ages that the lute came into its own, with musicians in Spain, Portugal, Catalan and Italy adopting it. During the Norman reign, the lute was played often in the courts of Palermo.
The lute during this time had about four or five strings and a quill was used to pluck them. But as melodies composed for the instrument grew more complex, musicians found that strumming the instrument with their fingers produced a greater range of sounds. After the 1800s, the lute lost its popularity and is not much in use today.