Lyre in Sumer and Babylon

Author: * Pu`Ab Etana - 2 Posts on this thread out of 5 Posts sitewide.
Date: Feb 22, 2004 - 19:36

Lyre was a popular instrument and it was made in various sizes and variants (considering decoration AND shape).Number of strings in lyre varies from 4 or 5 (assuming that from decorations, wall reliefs and sculptures which didn`t have to be in accordance with the truth, because artists and sculptors often reduced the number of strings in their artworks in order to have more space for other details), to 7, 8 and 11 on the found specimens; 11 was favourite number of strings. In artworks depicting lyre playing during family or friendly meetings, the lyres are mostly small and rudely shaped.Large lyres found in tombs of early dynastic period in Ur match the lyre descriptions in different texts, in which it is said that they were used on religious occasions in temples.Because of that, most of them were made of copper, silver and gold and also decorated with bull, cow, calf or ox head.The reason of such animals adorning lyre was its sound: to Babylonians, it resembled a bull`s roar. Sometimes, even the body of instrument was depicted as a bull`s.On one found lyre an ox was depicted standing in a boat. According to Sir Leonard C. Wooley, most popular metod of playing lyre was the following: there were more players (from three onwards) playing simultaneously, with each one having her lyre tuned differently.In that fashion they produced an accord, which had a fantastic effect. Lyre was preferred as an accompanying instrument for singing.On "Flag of Ur" is depicted a musician playing lyre (in shape of bull) accompanying female solo vocalist, celebrating Sumerian victory at a royal banquet; in a "Hymn to Ishtar", dating around 2110 B.C., is written: "I shall speak to you with lyre (AL-GAR), of which sound is sweet."