Ancient veena
Videos
Page
The ancient veena is an early Indian arched harp, not to be confused with the modern Indian veena which is a type of lute or stick zither. Names of specific forms of the arched harp include the chitra vīṇā with seven strings, the vipanchi vīṇā with nine strings and the mattakokila vīṇā a harp or possibly board zither with 21 strings.
Plaque with a Dancer and a Vina Player 1st century B.C.
Carved decoration from a hand-mirror's handle, depicting a woman playing the vina, 6th–7th century.
Rock painting at Nimbu bhoj, Pachmarhi, India, date uncertain, possibly 2nd millennium B.C. - 1st millennium B.C.. Bronze Age harper playing a bow harp; the resonator for the harp is the box on its end.
Coin ca. 335-380 CE. (Front side) Samudragupta seated left on a low couch or throne, playing veena set on his knees. (Reverse side) Lakshmi seated left on wicker stool, holding diadem and cornucopia.
Arched Harp
Videos
Page
Arched harps is a category in the Hornbostel-Sachs classification system for musical instruments, a type of harp. The instrument may also be called bow harp. With arched harps, the neck forms a continuous arc with the body and has an open gap between the two ends of the arc.
Before becoming stick zithers Indian veenas were arched harps. Sculpture of a woman playing the veena 6th–7th century, India (Jammu and Kashmir, ancient kingdom of Kashmir)
Cycladic culture harp player, 2800–2700 B.C
Open angular-harp.
Frame harp, the opening is closed.