This category includes objects, or the remains of objects that are strung and played. Hand held versions are usually known as lyres, but we have combined the two into one category.  Many of these have figural heads or shell plaques decorating the sound boxes, and those have been tagged as figural objects or plaques as well as harps.  

Objects: Harps and Lyres Export: JSON - XML - CSV

Object U Number Museum Number (UPM Date Reg Number) Museum Number (BM Registration Number) Museum Number (UPM B-number) Description (Catalog Card)
10412 (none) 1928,1010.1 (none) Harp The upright of wood with gold cap, bound below with gold and with a bitumen shoe: in the upright are the keys, copper nails with gilt heads. The body has disappeared, but there was a vertical border of gold and lapis along the edge. On the body stood a wooden sounding-box, the edge inlaid with shell having patterns in red paint and lapis. The head of the harp, in front, was a gold bulls head with eyes, hair, and beard of lapis. Found in very bad condition, all the wood gone and only the decoration left, but that virtually in its original position
10556A (none) (none) B17694B [A] Bull's head. Gold, with lapis hair between the horns and a lapis beard set in silver; the gold horns are tipped with lapis. [B]The body was of wood (see Field Notes) and down the front are [C] shell plaques with engraved mythological scenes
10556B (none) (none) B17694A [A] Bull's head. Gold, with lapis hair between the horns and a lapis beard set in silver; the gold horns are tipped with lapis. [B]The body was of wood (see Field Notes) and down the front are [C] shell plaques with engraved mythological scenes
10556C (none) (none) B17684 [A] Bull's head. Gold, with lapis hair between the horns and a lapis beard set in silver; the gold horns are tipped with lapis. [B]The body was of wood (see Field Notes) and down the front are [C] shell plaques with engraved mythological scenes
10916 (none) (none) B17065 Silver Bulls Head With long horns and inlaid eyes The muzzle has been damaged, and one of the horns broken off and re-attached. It came from a wooden statue, judging from the fact that nothing else was found to which it could have belonged: the shell plaques U.10917 A and B must have been on its chest as usual Photo 1020 (a)
11781 (none) 1929,1017.491 (none) Harp. Fragments of i.e. the silver band at the foot of the upright beam, 15 copper nails serving as keys, & the silver cap of the beam, mushroom-shaped: also a quantity of inlay from the sounding-board. (see Field Notes).
12351 (none) (none) (none) Harp. A plaster case of the original wooden frame (see detailed drawing in Field Notes) to which is attached, in front of the sounding-board, a copper head of a cow: below this is a shell plaque in 2 pieces with border-strip between, showing 2 goats rampant and back to back in bushy country.
12353A (none) (none) (none) Harp with [A] inlaid sounding box, mosaic imprints, silver top bar, decorated with a [B] bull's head, beaded, in gold, below which are [C] shell plaques.
12353B (none) (none) (none) Harp with [A] inlaid sounding box, mosaic imprints, silver top bar, decorated with a [B] bull's head, beaded, in gold, below which are [C] shell plaques.
12353C (none) (none) (none) Harp with [A] inlaid sounding box, mosaic imprints, silver top bar, decorated with a [B] bull's head, beaded, in gold, below which are [C] shell plaques.
12354 (none) 1929,1017.2 (none) Harp of silver throughout the sounding-box decorated with a band of blue and white strip inlay and with a cow's head in silver. For measurement drawing see field notes. [Photos 1210-1214 and 1218 show object in situ, 1341 shows restoration]
12355 30-12-253 (none) (none) Harp of silver throughout. The body is boat shaped and the front upright is supported by a silver statue of a stag 700mm high, its forefeet resting in the crook of a long-stemmed arrow-leafed plant which rises up on each side of the head (this in copper). [All photos depict object in situ except 1339 which shows restoration]
12435A 30-12-696 (none) (none) [A] Copper bull's head and shell plaques [B]. From a wooden harp. The head (?) that of a calf rather than a bull is in good condition except that the horns are both damaged: the eyes are of lapis and shell and a triangular piece of lapis is inlaid in the forehead. The collar was of white shell triangles and lapis square. The shell plaques have, above, 3 rows of geometric design, each row on a separate strip of shell: then a figure scene, a single strip of geometrical design, another figure scene and 2 strips of geometrical design at the base. The figure scenes are in the mosaic, the white shell figures silhouetted against a composite background of lapis. In upper, a figure seated left holds in his raised right hand a cup while an attendant stands before him. In lower scene, 2 figures advance right, each with his hands raised and clasped in front of him. All the figures wear the fleeced skirt with a belt which forms a tail-like tassel behind: all are clean shaven as to the face but the standing figure s have a lock of hair hanging down the back of the head.
12435B 30-12-484 (none) (none) [A] Copper bull's head and shell plaques [B]. From a wooden harp. The head (?) that of a calf rather than a bull is in good condition except that the horns are both damaged: the eyes are of lapis and shell and a triangular piece of lapis is inlaid in the forehead. The collar was of white shell triangles and lapis square. The shell plaques have, above, 3 rows of geometric design, each row on a separate strip of shell: then a figure scene, a single strip of geometrical design, another figure scene and 2 strips of geometrical design at the base. The figure scenes are in the mosaic, the white shell figures silhouetted against a composite background of lapis. In upper, a figure seated left holds in his raised right hand a cup while an attendant stands before him. In lower scene, 2 figures advance right, each with his hands raised and clasped in front of him. All the figures wear the fleeced skirt with a belt which forms a tail-like tassel behind: all are clean shaven as to the face but the standing figure s have a lock of hair hanging down the back of the head.
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Related Terms

Flutes - Gaming Board - Gaming Piece - Rattles

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Parent Terms

Games and Music > Harps and Lyres


Linked Resources

British Museum Semantic Web Collection Online