Wilkinson, John Gardner; Birch, Samuel [Mitarb.]: The Egyptians in the time of the pharaohs: being a companion to the Crystal Palace Egyptian collections (London, 1857)

22

DOMESTIC HABITS OF THE EGYPTIANS.

The instruments were of various compass. The harps were
of four, six, seven, eight, nine, ten, eleven, twelve, fourteen,
seventeen, twenty, twenty-one, or twenty-two strings; and
lyres are represented of five, seven, ten, and eighteen. Both
were of very varied shape; and some harps were highly orna-
mented with leather, painted in bright colours. Harps of a
small size were frequently raised on a stand or foot, and played
by the performer seated on the ground; to others it was
customary to stand, as to the large harps in the tomb of
Eemeses III., at Thebes, which are of ten and twelve strings,
and are ornamented with the head of a king, and painted
with the richest colours. Both men and women played the
harp ; but, when of very great size, it was usually represented
in the hands of men.

Of the lyre there were many varieties, which were mostly
played by men. It was frequently ornamented with the head
of a gazelle, oryx, or some other animal,—an idea adopted by
the Greeks, whose lyre, formed of the horns of an Egyptian

(W. 9.)

antelope (unknown in Europe), was improved upon by their
taste, and made into a far more elegant instrument. Like