The ardin belongs to a family of African bridge harps — instruments where the strings attach to a long arm leaning over a hollow gourd. The gourd amplifies the sound the way a loudspeaker makes sound bigger. Skilled ardin players pluck the strings with both hands, creating flowing melodies and rhythms at the same time.
Traditionally, ardin players come from a social group called the 'iggawen' — hereditary musicians in Moorish society who are responsible for keeping music, history, and poetry alive. Playing the ardin is a respected and specialised skill passed down from mother to daughter over many generations.
The ardin is often played alongside the tidinit — a four-stringed lute played by male musicians. Together they create the classical music of Mauritania, called 'Moorish classical music', which has its own ancient system of modes (sets of notes) similar to how classical music in other parts of the world has its own scales.
Modern Mauritanian musicians have begun blending ardin music with jazz, world music, and electronic sounds, taking a very ancient instrument into exciting new directions. The musician Dimi Mint Abba, who played ardin, became famous across Africa and beyond for her beautiful voice and music.