Although its derivation cannot be proved, the fretted folk zither of northern Europe is believed to be descended from the medieval monochord. First mentioned by
Praetorius
(1619), it is undoubtedly older. In Germany it was called Scheitholt (wooden log
) except in the maritime area, where it was known as Hummel (drone
); in the neighboring Low Countries it was either a noordsche balk (northern log
) or a hommel; in northern maritime France it was usually a bûche (log
) or else an ) or else an ...
