Cello
The earliest known cello was made in Italy. At first called Viola da gamba, it literally meant "leg viola" as no endpin was used at that time and the cello was held resting on the player's calves; contrast "Viola da braccio", "arm viola". Through its development the Viola da gamba was a fretted instrument that could have 5 or 6 strings. Other non fretted varieties did exist but were generally considered to be of the basso variety and not a predecessor of the cello.
