Arabian music originated in antiquity but gained sophistication between the 8th and 13th centuries during the Islamic Empire. Little is known about Arab music before 622 CE, but it later incorporated Persian and Syrian elements. Important treatises were written in the 9th century by scholars like al-Kindi and al-Farabi. Turkish influence entered in the 11th century, bringing a gradual decline. Arabian music is characterized by modal homophony, ornamentation, and rhythm rather than scales. Principal instruments include the short-necked lute called the ud and long-necked lute called tanbur.