harp: Quick Facts

Written and fact-checked by

The Information Architects of Encyclopaedia Britannica

Photos

A woman seated outdoors in Ronda, Spain, plays a carved wooden harp, her fingers plucking the strings as she faces the instrument.

Egyptian statuette with angular harp

Wooden Irish harp with a curved neck, straight pillar, and multiple strings, shown against a black background.

Medieval manuscript illustration showing Hades and Persephone enthroned with the three-headed dog Cerberus at their feet, musicians playing instruments, and tortured souls in the background.

See All Images →

Topics

ngombi double harp kinde dital harp ardin chromatic harp pedal harp arched harp frame harp Irish harp lyre Aeolian harp barrel piano guitar violin zither piano lute harpsichord viola

Dig Deeper: More Articles That Discuss This Topic

Key People

default image

Sébastien Érard

French musical instrument maker

Young girl wearing a demin jacket playing the trumpet (child, musical instruments, Asian ethnicity)

Sound Check: Musical Vocabulary Quiz

Trumpet musical instrument.

Musical Instruments

Gong. Closeup of a khong wong gong circle chime. Thai classical musical instrument, part of piphat ensemble. (percussion, music)

Music Quiz