The Lyre Of Megiddo
The "lyre of Har Megiddo" is an instrument etched onto an ivory plaque
that was discovered by archaeologist Gordon Loud in the excavations of a
royal palace in the ancient city of Megiddo (aka Armageddon) in Israel.
One of the interesting things about this image, which appears at the
beginning of this video, is that it dates from roughly the time of the
biblical King David (slightly before 1000 B.C.) and if David played a
harp, as the Tanach (Old Testament) says he did, it was almost certainly
an instrument of this sort. David's instrument, which was called
a "kinnor" in ancient Hebrew, had ten strings, and we know that he
played it "with his hand" (as opposed to using a plectrum or pick for
strumming - 1 Samuel 13:9). Being curious as to what this instrument
might have sounded like, I built a replica of it, and that is what I am
playing in this video. It is tuned to an F harmonic minor scale, and
strung with pure silk. Harps and lyres in ancient time were strung with
gut but silk, when it is properly prepared, is equally hard, strong and
resonant. Was this the sound that lulled troubled King Saul to sleep? We cannot know for sure, but it is possible. Peter Pringle
