Snape Lyre
Archaeologists found this lyre, in Snape Anglo-Saxon Cemetery, which is in the Sandlings area of East Suffolk:
(in Grave 32, see EAA 95, 2001: Snape Anglo-Saxon Cemetery: Excavations and Surveys 1824–1992, by William Filmer-Sankey and Tim Pestell Anglo-Saxon ISBN 0 86055 264 0,) Identified by its circular mounts and arm straps, this lyre is more unusual as it has an oak soundboard on a maple body, with the arms hollowed out all the way to the top. My first copies of this lyre, which I built in 2004 and 2005, closely followed Sutton Hoo dimensions but produced a poorer sound. My earlier versions of this lyre, which I made in 2004 and 2005, had close to Sutton Hoo dimensions but a poorer sound. With the current version, I have achieved a beautiful, resonant instrument by using lighter maple wood, worked slightly thinner, and selecting a bell-like, resonant when tapped, perfect quartersawn piece of oak for the soundboard.I offer this lyre only in oak and maple, with a choice of bronze or brass fittings, pegs in plum or boxwood, with a choice of tunings and string options.Video of Snape Lyre
YouTube
Sheet music of my 7 String Lyre tune"Lyre Meditation no.1) available in print on Amazon
Please feel free to email if you have any questions about these.