Breaking News: Russian archaeologists discover ancient Greek musical instruments near Crimea - News Paper

Researchers from the Institute of Archaeology at the Russian Academy of Sciences have unearthed the remains of ancient Greek musical instruments - a harp and a lyre - on the Taman Peninsula in southern Russia, the Academy said in a statement.

The remains of harp found in the ancient necropolis of the Volna-1 settlement in the Temryuk district
of the Krasnodar Territory [Credit: Institute of Archaeology, RAS]

"Until recently, we had known of only one partially preserved ancient Greek harp found in the Piraeus necropolis in Athens and the tuning pegs of a harp uncovered from a necropolis in Taranto, southern Italy," the statement says, citing expedition leader Roman Mimokhod.

The burial in which the remains of the harp were found. Necropolis of the settlement 'Volna-1'
[Credit: Institute of Archaeology, RAS]

Burial of a warrior with cithara. Necropolis of the settlement 'Volna-1'
[Credit: Institute of Archaeology, RAS]

"The harp found in the Piraeus necropolis dates back to the late fifth century BC and the tuning pegs from Taranto were discovered in a tomb dating back to the third or second centuries BC. Compared to these previous discoveries, the harp unearthed in Taman is one of the most ancient and best-preserved as far as ancient Greek musical instruments are concerned," the researcher added.

Bone plectrum from the burial in the necropolis of the settlement 'Volna-1'
[Credit: Institute of Archaeology, RAS]

Russian researchers made this discovery while examining an ancient necropolis located near the Volna settlement. Archaeologists say that a Greek polis existed there from the second quarter of the sixth century BC to the fourth century AD, which belonged to the Bosporan Kingdom, spanning both sides of the Kerch Strait.

Left: Muse of Terpsichore playing the harp. Fragment of red-figured amphora, 440 BC. British museum.
Right: Cithara. Fragment of red-figured amphora, 490 BC. The Metropolitan Museum
[Credit: Institute of Archaeology, RAS]

The Institute of Archaeology’s Sochi expedition has been going on in the area for the third year in a row. Researchers have examined more than 600 tombs and unearthed unique artefacts that prove close links between ancient Greek and local cultures.

Source: TASS [July 09, 2018]



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Breaking News: Russian archaeologists discover ancient Greek musical instruments near Crimea - News Paper