![]() A similar harp, the gonghu was played in ancient Korea, documented as early as the Goguryeo period (37 BCE – 686 CE). The Chinese konghou harp is documented as early as the Spring and Autumn period (770–476 BCE), and became extinct during the Ming Dynasty (1368–1644 CE). The harp was popular in ancient China and neighboring regions, though harps are largely extinct in East Asia in the modern day. The ancient veena survives today in Burma, in the form of the saung harp still played there. Some Samudragupta gold coins show of the mid-4th century CE show (presumably) the king Samudragupta himself playing the instrument. Īnother early South Asian harp was the ancient veena, not to be confused with the modern Indian veena which is a type of lute. Iconographic evidence of the yaal appears in temple statues dated as early as 600 BCE One of the Sangam works, the Kallaadam recounts how the first yaaḻ harp was inspired by an archer's bow, when he heard the musical sound of its twang. Variants were described ranging from 14 to 17 strings, and the instrument used by wandering minstrels for accompaniment. The works of the Tamil Sangam literature describe the harp and its variants, as early as 200 BCE. An arched harp made of wooden brackets and metal strings is depicted on an Indus seal. ![]() Mesolithic era paintings from Bhimbhetka shows harp playing. The instrument had great popularity in Europe during the Middle Ages and Renaissance, where it evolved into a wide range of variants with new technologies, and was disseminated to Europe's colonies, finding particular popularity in Latin America.Īlthough some ancient members of the harp family died out in the Near East and South Asia, descendants of early harps are still played in Myanmar and parts of Africa other variants defunct in Europe and Asia have been used by folk musicians in the modern era. Harps have been known since antiquity in Asia, Africa and Europe, dating back at least as early as 3000 BCE.
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