| Collector Edition
Lyre of Zeus (13 strings) – ancient Greek lyre – Collector Edition
3,450.00 €
“Most glorious of Immortals, mighty God invoked by many a name, O sovran King of universal Nature, piloting this world in harmony with Law,—all hail!” – Hymn to Zeus (3rd century B.C.)
This is a replica of a chelys lyre, named after the mighty Zeus, the sky and thunder god who ruled as king of the gods of Mount Olympus. Known for his erotic escapades, he is the father of many godly and heroic offspring, including Athena, Apollo, Aphrodite, Artemis, Hermes, Ares, Persephone, Dionysus, Perseus, Heracles, and the Muses.
LUTHIEROS Lyre of Zeus is the biggest and best kylix lyre that has ever come out from our workshop! It is a beautiful instrument not only for its craftsmanship but also for its one of a kind potentials. In practice, this means that we have chosen the best-shaped horns we have found during the last decade for this premium and massive kylix lyre. What differentiates kylix lyres from other ancient replicas is their primitive and genuine design, with a tortoiseshell replica for a soundbox, animal horns for arms, skin for the soundboard, etc. Every one of these lyres is one-of-a-kind, as there are no two pairs of animal horns that can be the same.
LUTHIEROS Lyre of Zeus has 13-strings, and so it gives almost two full octaves, making an ideal instrument for anyone willing to focus on the ancient musical heritage, and for professional musicians with harp (or even piano) background. Whatsmore, by incorporating harmonics and other advanced playing techniques in your playing, the Lyre of Zeus can produce three to four full octaves, including sharps!
3,450.00 €
Endorsed by the Best
Great performers using LUTHIEROS lyres
^ Lina Palera performs an original song on a LUTHIEROS Lyre of Zeus (13 strings) at the SEIKILO Museum of Ancient Music (Greece).
Historic Accuracy & Playability
It's not a battle. It's about finding the right balance.
^ Sophocles playing a lyre with horns for arms and tortoiseshell for a soundbox, in the year 480 B.C. The Greek dramatist of tragedy sings while leading the chorus of victory after the Battle of Salamis. This is a modern work by John Talbott Donoghue (1885) based on the work of Herodotus (5th century B.C.). The Metropolitan Museum of Art, Los Angeles, USA.
< Sophocles playing a lyre with horns for arms and tortoiseshell for a soundbox, in the year 480 B.C. The Greek dramatist of tragedy sings while leading the chorus of victory after the Battle of Salamis. This is a modern work by John Talbott Donoghue (1885) based on the work of Herodotus (5th century B.C.). The Metropolitan Museum of Art, Los Angeles, USA.
Bringing Ancient Artifacts Back to Life
To handcraft premium ancient-replicas with a focus to the modern musician, you have to research a lot, analyze hundreds of ancient depictions, build a lot of prototypes, test them with great musicians, etc.
And all of these, to conclude to meaningful compromises that have to be made, that are both deeply justified and make sense in terms of usability/playability. All in all, our ultimate goal is to serve the modern musician, and to bring ancient artifacts back to life as fully functional musical instruments.
Manufactured at the premises of the ancient Europos (Northern Greece) by a family of musicians and luthiers, the LUTHIEROS Lyre of Zeus is made exclusively using natural materials available during the antiquity. All parts are made of quality wood with great musicality, the soundbox is a reproduction of an actual tortoiseshell, while the tuning pegs are made by ebony and mulberry wood. The bottom part of the strings is attached to animal skin, while the plectrum is manufactured by wood.
This ancient artifact was evolved to become a modern musical instrument ready to be used by both amateur and professional musicians. For all the minor (but very important) alterations, top-notch technologies were used during the prototyping phase (such as 3d Modeling and rapid prototyping) as part of University-based research by members of LUTHIEROS family. Key collaborations include the International Hellenic University and the Aristotle University of Thessaloniki.
References
Koumartzis et al. (2015). A New Music Instrument from Ancient Times: Modern Reconstruction of the Greek Lyre of Hermes using 3D Laser Scanning, Advanced Computer Aided Design and Audio Analysis. Journal of New Music Research. 44. 324-346.
Maas, M. & McIntosh Snyder, J. (1989). Stringed Instruments of Ancient Greece, New Haven.
Various authors (2012). Greek Musical Instruments: Research in visual and written sources (2000 B.C. - 2000 A.D.), Teloglion Foundation, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki.
West, M.L. (1992). Ancient Greek Music, Oxford.
Our research is featured in major media:
With Each Order You Will Receive
Delivery
Lifetime guarantee
Tuning and maintenance guide
Instrument report
Superior strings
Every instrument handcrafted by LUTHIEROS is shipped with sugarcane strings, mindfully sanctioned to match the needs of our ancient-inspired musical instruments by the world-renowned “Aquila Corde Armoniche.” We choose sugarcane strings as a default due to their soothing sound, and durability.
Additionally, you can order our Premium Gut Strings here, explicitly produced for LUTHIEROS musical instruments in collaboration with top string manufacturers around Europe.
A pack of extras
Including a wooden plectrum, along with extra small gifts to say "thank you" for making our family's dream possible!
40+ ancient melodies
A book with 40+ ancient melodies that survives to this day, plus all the different ancient Greek modes according to Aristoxenus: Mixolydian, Phrygian, Dorian, etc. Find out what modes were used during the antiquity for evoking specific feelings such as sorrow, happiness, bravery, etc.
Ancient music album
A music album featuring some of the most talented performers around the world, with authentic ancient melodies and modern compositions.
Someone you can trust
We love what we do, and we deeply care about our musicians.
It's about time to experience our top-notch customer care.
"All of these beautiful lyres, lovingly hand-crafted by Luthieros are indeed, divine artifacts, reintroduced into the modern world… " - Michael Levy, a world-renowned lyre player. Read his extended review here.
"Electric guitars are very often provided with vibrato, tremolo or whammy bars. That concept was in fact invented by the ancient Greeks twenty four hundred years ago. Kithara was a musical instrument very popular during the Golden Age of Ancient Greece. This is a reproduction that was made by the Greek master luthier Anastasios Koumartizis of Luthiers Music Instruments." - Peter Pringle, a professional Canadian musician, and well-known ancient instruments player. Watch his extended video review here.
"Can't be happier with my lyre! Learning how to play this amazing piece of art! The lyre has amazing finishes and you can feel it's made with love and skilfull hands." - Jaume Gual Bennàssar, Balearic Islands, Spain (verified review through Etsy.com).
Our family is world-renowned for its dedication, love and care. Here are some amazing reviews concerning our whole product range!
"It’s handcrafted with such care and the materials are fine and well chosen. It arrived to us safely all the way from Greece and we were able to track it all the way so we always knew what was happening." - Rachel Loeb, Los Angeles, U.S.A. (verified review through Etsy.com).
"Amazing company! I was very skeptical about ordering an instrument online but it was packaged very safely and arrived in such a timely manner! Luthieros also has some of the best communication skills I've ever encountered with a company, I had many questions that were all answered with great detail shortly after I asked them." - Batherus Batherus, New York, U.S.A. (verified review through Etsy.com).
"The Koumartzis familia have been making replicas of ancient Greek instruments for many years, used by famous lyre players. They also contribute to their musical passions through research and collaborations." - Ancient History Encyclopedia. Read the extended tribute here.
"My ancient Kithara, handcrafted by Luthieros Music Instruments, is for me a very interesting challenge. As an instrument is both old and new. It carries a history of many centuries and at the same time_ it is a very modern challenge that requires a creative approach to musical archetypes. After many experiments […] I discover that this instrument has but many extensions and features that are not noticeable at first glance. The construction is both sturdy and thin, and made of quality woods, which are eclectic, stylish and durable." - Ross Daly, a professional world musician of Irish descent.
"Absolutely fantastic! A truly wonderfully crafted instrument. I can’t put it down. It feels wonderful to play and is transporting me back in time." - Sarah Tilsley, West Sussex, U.K. (verified review through Etsy.com).
Add a Premium Gigbag
Multi-purpose protection
Water-resistant, dust-proof, and shock-absorbing thanks to its extra reinforced power-padding!
Beautifully designed to the detail
An impressive black / deep red color with many small details that add up to a premium product: color-coordinated features, ancient-inspired embroidery, top-quality zippers, and clippers, breathable back, extra reinforced straps, water-resistant and dust-proof materials.
Ergonomic design
Extra-thick
No extra shipping cost
Lyre of Zeus (13 strings) – ancient Greek lyre – Collector Edition
3,450.00 €
