Chitarra italiana

The chitarra italiana is a lute-shaped plucked instrument with four or five single (sometimes double) strings, in a tuning similar to that of the guitar. It was common in Italy during the Renaissance era.

According to Renato Meucci, the designation 'italiana' followed the introduction to Italy of the flat-backed development of the instrument – referred to in this context as chitarra alla spagnola (literally 'Spanish guitar') – to distinguish between the two versions. It is believed to have descended from panduras, the Mediterranean lutes of antiquity, and to be related to the North African kwitra.