Replicating the World’s Oldest Stringed Instrument
1 min read
Summary
Posts on Hackaday rarely cover hacks that date back to the Bronze Age, but when musician Peter Pringle detailed his replication of an ancient Sumerian instrument, it caught the editors’ attention.
The instrument is the Golden Lyre of Ur, a man-sized lyre (similar to a harp) that was buried with a number of other grave goods around 4,400 years ago.
The remains of the instrument were preserved by the precious metals and stones decorating it, and it was excavated in 1922.
Peter Pringle’s reconstruction of the tuning pegs was based on both practical engineering concerns and the scarce pictographic evidence.
The lyre has a distinct sound due to its buzzing bridge, which gives it a droning quality reminiscent of a hurdy-gurdy.
