Harp, flute and lute were perhaps the most important musical instruments in Ancient Egypt!
Did you know that the bow was the prototype of the harp? Therefore, the first harps were arc, and a little later, more complex angular harps became widespread. Images of harps throughout the history of Ancient Egypt are simply amazing! It turns out that these musical instruments differed not only in the variety of forms, but also in the ways of playing them.
But the flute in all the images has practically the same appearance. Their shape was quite simple: a hollow cane, open at both ends. When the flutist played it, he covered the far end with his palm.
The musical instruments were about a meter long, and there was only one hand left to manipulate the open holes on the barrel. Therefore, it was possible to close only adjacent holes, so that the melody sounded smoothly, without jumps.
Even later than the harp and flute appeared, the lute arose. In any case, in Ancient Egypt it became known later than the listed musical instruments. Perhaps its appearance is associated with the strengthening of the influence of Asian culture during the XVIII dynasty?
It is worth noting that they made their own changes to the instruments that were borrowed by the Egyptians. For example, the ancient Egyptian lute was played using a plectrum, a small plate held by the thumb and forefinger of the right hand. And the plectrum hung on a string that was attached to the neck of the instrument. By the way, the sound of such a lute sounded like the sound of a modern balalaika or domra.