Sackbut

SACKBUT, Sambuca, a sort of antient Dan. iii. 5, 7.musical Instrument, which was in use in Chaldea, and which is thought to be a String -Instrument, of a shrill Sound, and which had generally but four Strings. Thus it is Athæn. Dipnos. l. 14. c. 3. p. 633. Vitruv. l. 6. c. 1.described by Athenæus, Vitruvius, and Festus. Athenæus gives us to understand, that this Instrument was pretty near the same as Magadis, Pectis, and Trigonos, String-Instruments, the Figure of which is not much known to us, but which cannot be very far from our modern Psaltery, except that they had not so many Strings. See our Dissertation upon the Instruments of Musick of the Hebrews, before the second Tome of the Commentary upon the Psalms. Isidore of Isidor. Origin. l. 3.Sevil seems to have thought, that it was a kind of Flute or Haut-bois, since he says, that Sambuca takes its Name from the Elder-tree, call’d in Latin Sambucus, because at first this Instrument was made with a Pipe of Elder.

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