The Bull-headed harp from tomb 789 (also known as Bull-headed lyre and sound box) is currently contained at the Pennsylvania University Museum. The Bull-headed harp and sound box is a significant archeological find that relates to Sumerian art. The harp was found in the “Kings Grave at the Royal Cemetery of Ur” (Zettler 12). The instrument was found with all its fragmented parts, including the harp and its accompanying sound box.
According to archeologists, the harp was created around 2600 BC. When the harp was found, it consisted of a wooden harp, a sound box that is covered with bearded bullhead, and the sound box itself which was adorned with gold and other precious stones. The adornments in the sound box depict scenes that feature various types of bearded animals and people.
In total, four scenes are depicted in the sound box, and scholars think that they are depicting a party in the spirit world, or the land of the dead (Pollock 99). The scene depicting the scorpion man indicates the passage through which animals and human beings have to go through before they reach the world of the dead.
It is also thought that all the bearded animals are from the land of spirits. The creator of the harp and the sound box is unknown, but it is clear that he/she used the beards to represent continuity and a sense of belonging in all his/her characters.
Instruments such as the Bull-headed harp were commonly found in the gravesites of the rich people. It was common practice to play harps such as this one in funerals during the Sumerian period. Also, the depictions of the men in the sound box are by the Sumerian art of this era. For example, the “men in the sound box are depicted in a composite view while the animals are depicted in profile, a common characteristic of Sumerian art” (Kleiner 76).
The scenes’ arrangements indicate that the creator of the harp was emphasizing on the religious beliefs of the time where it was believed that man dominates beast. Hence, the heraldic bulls surround a more dominant force of nature (the man). Furthermore, the use of humanlike beasts was a common feature in the Eastern artworks.
One of the most significant aspects of this archeological find is that it represents one of the earliest instances of animal personification. The animals in the art scenes are attending a party as human beings would. Furthermore, the Bull-headed lyre depicts one of the earliest instances of narrated scenes. From this piece of archeology, it is also revealed that music was of great importance to Sumerians whether they were living or dead.
The elaborate artwork in the harp is evidence of how important music was to the Sumerians. Cultures that hold music in high regard also tend to be spiritual (Cheng 165). The Sumerians also had strong beliefs in the spirituality of human beings. An example of another archeological find that has artwork depicting different scenes is the Warka Vase. However, the scenes in the Warka Vase depict people offering sacrifices to Inanna a Sumerian goddess.
The idea of hierarchy is upheld through the scenes in the Warka Vase although instead of just animals, the vase’s scenes depict other hierarchical elements such as water, earth, and gods. The Warka Vase also features bearded animals, and this shows religion and music were important factors of the Sumerian culture.
Works Cited
Cheng, Jack. “A Review of Early Dynastic III Music: Man’s Animal Call.” Journal of Near Eastern Studies 68.3 (2009): 163-178. Print.
Kleiner, Fred. Gardner’s Art Through the Ages: The Western Perspective, New York, NY: Cengage Learning, 2009. Print.
Pollock, Susan. Representations of Political Power: Case Histories from Times of Change and Dissolving Order in the Ancient Near East, New York, NY: Cengage Learning, 2007. Print.
Zettler, Richard. Treasures from the royal tombs of Ur, Philadelphia, PA: UPenn Museum of Archaeology, 1998. Print.