Scientifically introducing the Fufel Wood Used in Iranian Musical Instruments

Foofel has been used in making instruments in Iran from ancient times. It is thought that this hardwood comes from the palmaceae family which doesn’t have any woody structure. To ascertain what this species really is، some Foofel samples were prepared from an instrument maker for examination. In this investigation، transverse، radial، and tangential microscopic samples were taken from three sides of 1x1x1 Cm pieces of wood by using a microtome. The same preparation method was applied to each section. All anatomical characteristics were measured and determined according to the IAWA Hardwood Feature List. After using the INTKEY software، the samples’ anatomical features displayed more similarities with Dalbergia latifolia Roxb. To make sure if the identified sample is exactly Dalbergia Latifolia، some pieces of it were transferred from India (the origin of this species) to Iran. Comparing the microscopic samples of Dalbergia with the prepared samples، and macroscopic observation supported the conclusion that the sample is indeed Dalbergia latifolia Roxb. Results of this study regarding to knowing this wood characteristics would enable the instrument makers to find the real Foofel wood or its equivalents easier.