The history of the harp

By poyapoyapoya
  • 2500 BCE

    Ancient Egyptian harps

    Ancient Egyptian harps
    The harp was probably invented in Ancient Egypt. The earliest evidence of the harp, was found there.
    At that point, they were shaped like bows. Because they did not have a column, the could not support much tension. Resulting in them not having many strings.
  • 800

    Medieval Western Europe

    Medieval Western Europe
    There was a harp called the “frame harp”, it had a straight “pillar” or “column”. It made its first appearance in mediaeval Western Europe. They had about 10 to 11 strings.
  • 1301

    Stronger neck for more strings

    Stronger neck for more strings
    The first harp to have a hollowed sound box (The amplified the instrument’s sound) dates back to Ireland in the 14th century. It had a curve for a pillar, and a stronger neck so that it could have 30 to 36 brass strings.

  • Diatonic Harps

    Diatonic Harps
    The harps in continental Europe were different from Irish harps. These harp’s forepillar were thinner and less curved, the neck was more slender. It’s neck curved upward to the end of the column. They were also called Renaissance harps, and they usually had 24 or more gut strings. They were fixed to the soundboard with wooden pegs.

  • Triple Strung Harps In Italy

    Triple Strung Harps In Italy
    Double strung harps were made in Italy, and later the triple strung harp. The two major benefits, were that you could quickly play the note a second time and the resonance of the instruments was increased.

  • Cross strung harps

    Cross strung harps
    A new version of the harp was made it had two sets of strings, two necks, and two bodies. The stings crossed over in the middle. It had 40 strings. It waThis was later simplified to one body, a wider neck and two sets of strings, that crossed over, and attached to the sound board. This was big, and hard to play (physically). By the mid 1950’s this was practically abandoned.

  • Double-Action Pedal Harps

    Double-Action Pedal Harps
    In 1810 there was a harp with double-action pedals. That way, you could depress 7 strings twice. Each string passed through two pronged discs (instead of passing through one). Other than a few mechanical improvements, this version of the harp is used today.

  • Bibliography

    https://www.metmuseum.org/art/collection/search/501801
    https://artsandculture.google.com/asset/double-action-pedal-harp-s%C3%A9bastien-erard/AgFu2GpEVEuzog
    https://www.historical-harps.de/en/harps/baroque-harps
    https://www.europeana.eu/en/item/09102/_MINIM_UK_43658
    https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Trinity_College_harp#/media/File%3ATrinity_College_harp%2C_Dublin%2C_Ireland%2C_2017_(cropped).jpg
    https://www.harp.com/history-of-the-harp/
    https://earlymusicmuse.com/medieval-harp-development/