A traditional Takht photographed while performing under the auspices of the Palestine Broadcasting Service (PBS) in Jerusalem, as part of the station’s Arabic programming. The group featured ouds, violins, qanuns, a santur, flute, and riqq, alongside vocalists. Members wore the standard attire of professional musicians at the time: suits paired with the tarboosh (fez).
The Palestine Broadcasting Service was established by the Colonial British Mandate authorities in 1936. Broadcasting from Jerusalem (with facilities in Ramallah), it aired in Arabic, Hebrew, and English, reflecting Britain’s use of radio as an administrative and propaganda tool. The Arabic programs were the most prominent and featured music, news, religious content, and cultural shows, becoming a significant cultural voice in the region.1 PBS operated for just 12 years and ceased in 1948 with the British withdrawal from Palestine, after which its facilities were taken over by the new authorities in Israel and Jordan on either side of the city, respectively.2
In the image, seated, left to right: Yahya al-Suʻudi (singer and oud); an Egyptian qanun player; Arteen Santurji (santur); Ibrahim ʻAbdel-ʻAl (qanun); and Ramiz al-Zagha (oud)
Standing, right to left: Jamil ‘Uwais; Yusuf Radwan (oud); Jalil Rukab (violin); Tawfiq Jawhariyya (flute); and Baseel Sarwa (riqq)