Sound board of a lyra

Sound board of a lyra made from a tortoise shell, reinforced with an iron rod, with an iron tailpiece.The lyre consisted of a sound board (ekéion) made from a hollowed-out tortoise shell or a similarly shaped wooden or ivory chest, over which a cowhide was stretched. Two slightly curved wooden arms (pécheis) were mounted on the case and connected at the top by a crossbar made of bone or ivory called the yoke (zygòn). The strings were connected to the tailpiece (chordòtonon) at the bottom of the sound board via a bridge (magàs) and to the yoke by pegs (kòllopes). The instrument’s reduced sound range made it suitable for accompanying singers in schools and at banquets.