Bow harp

An item at Metropolitan Museum of Art

The harp, called benet in ancient Egyptian, was one of the most popular musical instruments throughout pharaonic history. This bow harp, among the oldest to have survived, is characterized by a long, curving neck and a shovel-shaped sound box. Originally covered by parchment or animal skin, the sound box would have resonated when the instrument’s five strings were plucked. Harpers played either alone or in ensembles with singers and other musicians.

Egyptian Art

An exhibit at Metropolitan Museum of Art

The Met collection of ancient Egyptian art consists of approximately 30,000 objects of artistic, historical, and cultural importance, dating from about 300,000 BCE to the 4th century CE. A signifcant percentage of the collection is derived from the Museum's three decades of archaeological work in Egypt, initiated in 1906 in response to increasing interest in the culture of ancient Egypt.

Metropolitan Museum of Art