Apollo's Lyre

Delphi
54.90
FA 001601
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Our collection of accessories includes a guitar pick with an engraved depiction of Apollo's lyre. Apollo was the patron god of music and arts. The lyre is the most respectable and known of all the musical instruments in ancient Greece and it was closely associated with the worship of god Apollo, Hermes and the nine Muses. The lyre was the main instrument of the musical education of the Greek youths. The design of the lyre is based on a representation of Apollo with his lyre on an attic white-ground lekythos (vase) from Delphi, attributed to Pistoxenos Painter. It is dated to 480 - 470 B.C. The guitar is crafted by hand and is made of solid silver 925°.

Dimensions: 2,6cm x 3cm x 1mm

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The lyre is considered the “national” musical instrument of the ancient Greeks. It is the most respectable and known of all the instruments and it was closely associated with the worship of god Apollo, Hermes and the nine Muses. Due to its simple construction and function, the lyre was the main instrument of the musical education of the Greek youths. The lyre was also named "chelys" (tortoise), because its sound box was made from the shell of a tortoise. It appears on greek art towards the end of the 8th century B.C., whereas it is documented with a greater frequency in historic sources and in literature from the 6th century B.C.

The Greeks claimed a Greek origin for the lyre. In greek mythology, the invention of the lyre is attributed to Hermes at Kyllene of Arcadia. The new-born baby turned the shell of a tortoise into the sound box of the first lyre. He also stole a heard of cows from his brother Apollo and used the intestines of the cows as chords to the lyre. Hermes offered the lyre to Apollo, in order to appease him, when the latter found out about the theft. Hermes also taught the art of the lyre to Orpheus and Amphion, who was the first lyre player of the world.

The design of the lyre is based on the representation of Apollo and his lyre on an attic white-ground lekythos (vase), which was found in the archaeological site of Delphi and is dated to 480 - 470 B.C. It is probably attributed to Pistoxenos Painter and is now at the Delphi Archaeological Museum.

Area:
Delphi
Date:
480 - 470 B.C.
Dimensions (WxHxD):
2,6 cm x 3 cm x 1 mm
Gross Weight:
86 gr
Includes:
Gift packaging - Description Greek & English
Material:
Sterling Silver 925°
Subcategory:
Guitar pick
Weight:
6 gr

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