Tamburica ( or ) or
Tamboura (, , , meaning "little Tamboura"; ; , sometimes written
tamburrizza or
tamburitza) refers to any member of a family of long-necked
lutes popular in
Southern Europe and
Central Europe, particularly
Hungary,
Bosnia and Herzegovina,
Serbia (especially
Vojvodina),
Slovenia,
Croatia (especially
Slavonia). It is also known in
Burgenland. All took their name and some characteristics from the
Persian tanbur but also resemble the
mandolin, in that its strings are
plucked and often paired. The frets may be moveable to allow the playing of various
modes.