Famous Instruments in History: Egyptian Harp from the Tomb of Ani

Blogger: Amber Lemus

Continuing our journey through history to find the most famous musical instruments, we come to ancient Egypt somewhere between 1,069-1,550 B.C. During the 18th Dynasty (or 19th by some sources), there lived a Theban Scribe by the name of Ani. He must have been a very rich and influential character, because his tomb is one of the most consequential finds from Ancient Egypt.

During archeological excavations of the city of Thebes, Egypt, they found the tomb of Ani with several legendary artifacts. Not much is known about the actual excavations, and many of the artifacts ended up being sold on illegal antiquities markets.

The most well-known artifact from Ani's tomb, is the Papyrus that was discovered there. It is considered the most complete "Book of Going Forth by Day" or the better-known title, "Book of the Dead" ever discovered. It contains the depiction that all of us imagine when we think of Egyptian art with Anubis weighing the heart of Ani. It is believed that Ani created this papyrus himself.

Papyrus of Ani
Public Domain

The artifact we are interested in today is lesser known. It is a harp made of wood, inlaid with glazed ceramic and bone. It had a length of just over 3 feet, and a width of about 5 inches. This harp had only five strings, and the sound box was shaped as the head of a deity or ruler with a striped headdress and double crown. On the other end of the harp, it features a falcon head. Which was fairly common for this type of instrument. The upper neck of the harp had tuning pegs for the five strings.

The harp was the most important instrument in Ancient Egypt. It was often featured during banquets by male soloists, according to the depictions we find in tombs. Harps during this era usually had nine to twelve strings, making Ani's harp unique. Some harps in this era could be even taller than this one, reaching sometimes to the full height of the person playing it.

Harp of Ani's Tomb on display at the British Museum

Creative Commons: Dreamyshade

It is unclear if this harp was buried with Ani as an item of wealth or possessions, to ensure his comfort in the afterlife, or if it was a prized personal possession. If it were the latter, it would indicate that he probably played the instrument and enjoyed it immensely.

In 1976, this harp appeared in the third volume on musical instruments in the British Museum’s catalog of Egyptian Antiquities, written by the Egyptologist Robert David Anderson.

This beautiful harp currently resides at the British Museum in London.

*****

Two-time winner of the Christian Indie Award, Amber Lemus writes enthralling non-fiction for children and adults alike. She has a passion for travel, history, books and her Savior, so her writing is centered around faith, family and history.

She lives near the Ozarks in her "casita" with her prince charming. Between enjoying life as a new mom, and spinning stories out of soap bubbles, Amber loves to connect with readers and hang out on Goodreads with other bookish peoples.

Amber is a proud member of the American Christian Fiction Writers Association. Visit her online at www.AmberLemus.com/ and download a FREE story by subscribing to her Newsletter!