ILLUMINATED HEARTS
"On Earth, as it is in Heaven"
(reproduction of painting from Egyptian tomb, ca. 1350 B.C.)
For thousands of years, music has been one
means by which people have sought to
illuminate their hearts
and uplift their souls.
In particular, one musical instrument stands out
from amongst the rest - the harp!
(wall painting tomb of Inherkhaut, ca. 1100 B.C.)
The harp is such an ancient instrument that it is difficult to say, with certainty, exactly when and where it was developed. Certainly, the depictions from ancient Egyptian tombs shows that the harp was already a well-developed instrument over 3,300 years ago! But there are even more ancient depictions that have been found, dating back nearly 5,000 years ago! In the area of present-day Iraq, ancient examples of harps have been found, dating from the ancient civilization of Sumeria and from the fabled city of Ur. Interestingly, the city of Ur is said to be the original birthplace of a figure in history known as "Abraham," a very important person in the beginnings of present-day religions such as Judaism, Christianity, and Islam!
(harp from tombs uncovered in Iraq, ca. 2500 B.C.)
