테베 무덤에서 발견된 고대 이집트 리라에 관한 연구

Abstract

The ancient lyre which is well known as a Greek string instrument has developed at first in Mesopotamia and Egypt. The Egyptian lyre, adapted from the eastern region, began to appear rarely in the Middle Kingdom, but came out affluently in the time of New Kingdom. Iconographical archaeological evidence presents that Egyptian lyres has developed in well four types, asymmetrical thin lyres, giant lyres, thick lyres and symmetrical thin lyres in chronological patterns. The paper examines synthetically the first type of Egyptian lyres which appeared mostly in Theban tombs. The real 6 instruments are compared with their published and unpublished iconographical materials which music scenes I researched newly. The asymmetrical thin lyre has a shallow resonator which is 3~4 cm deep. The soundbox is rectangular or slightly trapezoidal and its base is open, thus acting as a sound hole. The upper end of the resonator has two curved prolongations to support the arms, the shorter like a 5 or S on base, the longer like a 7. The yoke is slightly curved which makes the whole form asymmetrical. The painting of the Theban tombs shows that the thin lyre has 4 to 9 strings. The reconstruction of the lyres offers that thin lyre sounds poor in overtones because of its thin resonator. This research, based on new musicarcheological material, not only confirms the fact that has been partly known until now, but gives us a wide understanding of the lyre's playing art, performer, application and its role in ensemble.