Amongst musical finds from frozen tombs at Pazyryk and Bashadar are two stringed instruments. Although they were in several pieces when found, they clearly resemble harps shown in Assyrian reliefs and in still earlier Egyptian paintings.
Substantial pieces of their finely crafted bodies survive, carved from solid wood. Each had a covering of thin hide, stretched tightly so as to resonate, dyed dark red with cinnabar (vermilion).
As currently reconstructed, the body of the Pazyryk instrument is over 30 ins (76 cm) long. Traces of five strings remained, made from sinew. Although few in number, such strings could have permitted elaborate musical performance, and probably accompanied singing.
