The musical instrument was discovered in the 16th century, in Italy. As it had a very different shape and properties back then, as time passed and craft men and artists curved the shape, along with the properties of the instrument it was modified to a larger extent. Then in the 18th and 19th century further modification was brought in it giving more powerful sound and projection to the instrument.
As the western culture then had a vast effect on the fiddle's property which is another name for violin, as the instrument has the highest pitch and is the smallest in the family.