Lyre Timeline

The first examples of the lyre in the Bronze Age Aegean occur in the Cyclades and on Minoan Crete.

Clay dancing figures including a rare female lyre player are made in Minoan Palaikastro.

Lyres across the Aegean assume S-shaped arms and become more decoratively carved, most often with sculpted birds.

A Linear B tablet from Greek Thebes mentions lyre players as members of the royal palace staff.

The silver stater coin of Calymna in Caria depicts a tortoise shell lyre on its reverse side.

The silver drachma of Delos depicts a lyre - symbolic of Apollo - on its reverse side.

Coins of Kos and Thespiai depict a lyre on their reverse side.