(Fr. vièle à pique: Ger. Spiessgeige).
A bowed spike lute; see Chordophone for the Hornbostel-Sachs classification. Its distinguishing characteristic is that the neck of the lute passes diametrically through the sound chest to protrude as a spike or stub at the lower end, to which the strings are attached (for illustration see Lute, fig.3). Notable examples are the Middle Eastern Rabāb and Kamāncheh, the Javanese rebab, various types of Mongolian Huur, the Chinese Huqin and the Karakalpak qopïz.
See also Lute, §1; Mahōrī; Sārindā; Rāvanhatthā; and Haegŭm.