lyres

A lyre is a stringed musical instrument of the harp family, characterized by a yoke-shaped frame formed by two arms connected at the top by a crossbar. From the crossbar, strings run to a resonator or soundboard mounted on the body, typically a shallow bowl or box. The instrument is plucked with the fingers or with small plectra. Materials vary, but ancient lyres commonly used wooden frames, gut strings, and a membrane-covered resonator to project the sound. Tuning is achieved with pegs at the ends of the arms and, in some designs, movable loops or ties along the crossbar.

Historically, the lyre is among the oldest known stringed instruments, with evidence in the Near East and Egypt and widespread use across the Mediterranean. In ancient Greece, the lyre occupied an important role in education and performance and existed in several forms. The kithara was a larger, more formal instrument used by professional musicians in public settings, while the simpler lyre accompanied singing and poetry. The phorminx and barbiton were other Greek types with different proportions and neck lengths. The lyre is frequently depicted in ancient art and literature and is closely associated with mythic figures such as Orpheus.

In modern scholarship, the lyre is studied as part of ancient performance practice, and reconstructions are used in musicology and historically informed performances. Some contemporary ensembles perform arrangements that imitate ancient Greek repertoires, using period-appropriate tunings and playing techniques.