Material : Wood
Acquisition : Rogers Fund (1943)
XVIIIème dynastie
| Shoulder harp
Item 7 on 40
Ancient Egypt
Musical instrument (Harpe)
Area related
Egypte
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| Description |  |
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Egyptian arched harps, from Dynasty 4 onwards, co-existed with a great variety of harps in different shapes and sizes. Two harp types were most common, the arched harp with a curved neck, like this one, and the angled harp with a neck sharply pependicular to the body. Unlike modern European versions, ancient Egyptian harps have no forepillar to strengthen and support the neck. Skin, now missing, covered the top of this slightly waisted harp.
Older forms od arched harps had four or five strings but musicians of this period experimented with newer forms that accomodates many strings. Rope tuning rings under each string gave a buzzing sound to the soft-sounding tone produced. The portable, boat-shaped, arched harp was a favorite during the New Kingdom and is shown in the hands of professional women musicians performing alone or in ensembles with singers, wind instruments, sistrums and rattles. Prior to the Middle Kingdom depictions of harpists show men as the chief musicians. Harps and other instruments were used for praise singing and entertainment at ritual, court and military events. Today, arched harps derived from these ancient Egyptian forms are still used in parts of Africa or Asia.
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