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The kora is a unique stringed instrument from West Africa. It has two rows of strings that are played like a harp. But it also has a hollow body at the bottom like a guitar.
The Lyres of Ur are some of the oldest stringed instruments found. Ur is an ancient city in modern-day Iraq. This image shows one of the Lyres of Ur. It was found at the tomb of a queen. The bull’s head is made of gold, and the beard is made of blue gems. The art on the edges shows bulls, leopards, and more. Scientists think the lyre was created around 2600 BCE.
© The Trustees of the British Museum
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Making Connections
Text-to-Self
Would you want to learn to play a string instrument? If so, which one? If not, why not?
Text-to-Text
What other books have you read about musical instruments? How are those similar to and different from this book?
Text-to-World
Have you ever seen someone perform with a string instrument? If so, what was it like? If not, which string instrument would you like to hear?