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Samudragupta Coin: Lyrist Type
This gold coin issued by Emperor Samudragupta (335/350 – 370/380 CE) of the Gupta dynasty shows him playing the vina, an Indian stringed instrument resembling the lyre or lute. The legend on the coin says "Maharajadhiraja-Shri-Samudraguptah”...
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Ancient Egyptian Sistrum
Bronze Sistrum (rhythm instrument) with handle in the shape of the god Bes, 30th Dynasty, c. 350 BCE. (Neues Museum, Berlin)
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The Microscope & the Scientific Revolution
The microscope was one of the most significant inventions of the Scientific Revolution, opening up completely new and miniaturised worlds. The first microscopes were invented in the first quarter of the 17th century in the Netherlands, but...
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Greek Double Aulos
The ancient Greek double aulos (diaulos) consisted of two pipes (auloi) attached at the mouthpiece and sometimes held in place with a leather strap (forveia) to the player's face. The pipes could be of equal length or unequal, the latter...
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Shell Clappers with Luwian Hieroglyphs
These musical instruments were given to the Assyrian king Shalmaneser III (reigned 858-824 BCE) by the king of Hamath (now Hama) in Syria. His name, Urhilina, appears in Luwian hieroglyphs on the underside of the right shell. The border was...
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Ancient Greek Panpipes
A modern reproduction of the most common form of panpipes played by the ancient Greeks (Museum of Ancient Greek Musical Instruments, Katakolon, Greece).
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Egyptian Sistrums
Four Egyptian sistrums (musical rattles) depicting goddesses (Hathor and Isis). Late Egyptian-Ptolemaic period. Copper alloy/faience. (National Archaeological Museum, Athens)
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Aztec Musicians
A scene from the 16th century CE Florentine Codex depicting Aztec musicians. Music and dance were an important element of Aztec education and public life.
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The Golden Lyre of Ur at the Iraq Museum
This is the finest among all lyres found at the Royal Cemetry at Ur and was given to the Iraq Museum; the other lyres were divided between the British Museum in the UK and the Penn Museum in the USA. The head of this bull is a replica and...
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Erato
A 1st century CE Roman sculpture of Erato, the Muse of lyric poetry, playing the lyre. (Vatican Museums, Rome).