Lyre; beganna

Beganna, box lyre. The resonator is of wood; made in a complex shape, with a domed back flaring to a rectangle with incurved sides at the front. A cruciform hole is cut into the back. The soundtable is of leather which is stitched together and covers about half of the back. The leather is decorated with blind-tooling in geometrical patterns; these are also scratched on the soundtable. There are six heavy gut strings, with tops and tails for four more. One of the strings is broken at the yoke. The strings are tuned by toggles at the top of the yoke. The strings are tied at their lower ends to a wooden rod which is attached by leather straps to the end of the instrument. The arms are cylindrical for most of their length, but a part at the top is of square section. The squared parts of the arms and the ends of the yoke are decorated with carved geometrical patterns. There are carved scrolls above the junctions of the arms and yoke. The flat bridge is of plain wood. A tab of leather is folded round each string, supporting it at the bridge. The number 9241 is painted on the left arm.