fresco: woman with kithara and child
Woman playing a kithara (lyre), Roman fresco, c. 40–30 bc; in the Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York City.
kithara
musical instrument
Also known as: cithara, cithera
kithara, stringed musical instrument, one of the two principal types of ancient Greek lyres. It had a wooden soundboard and a box-shaped body, or resonator, from which extended two hollow arms connected by a crossbar. Three, originally, but later as many as 12 strings ran from the crossbar to the lower end of the instrument, passing over a bridge on the soundboard. The strings were usually played with a plectrum, the left-hand fingers damping unwanted...
Discover the world with Britannica
Subscribe to Continue Reading
Free Trial
|
No Ads
|
Exclusive Content
Explore Subscriptions
