File:Post-Medieval Jews Harp (FindID 575680).jpg

The iron prong is missing.

The lyre-shaped instrument has a sub-circular head (as viewed in plan) which is about 24.0mm in diameter. The tapering arms are both about 34.0mm in length and together with the head are characteristically lozenge-shaped in cross-section. At the apex of the head, on the front face, there is a rabbet that accommodated the prong or tongue. This was probably made of iron as there is a small deposit of iron staining within.

The instrument is matt reddish brown with traces of a green patina.

Length: 53.9mm; width: 24.1mm; thickness at head: 6.6mm. Weight: 12.37g.

Geoff Egan, formerly of The Museum of London commented that: 'The jew's harp, or trump, is an ancient folk instrument with a wide geographical distribution. It is indigenous to South-east Asia, and was certainly introduced to Europe by the time of the Crusades...The jew's harp, familiar today, is made of metal, usually iron, and the tongue is a separate component hammered into a rabbet in the thickest part of the frame. At its other end the tongue is bent into a prong, but this rarely survives in archaeological contexts. In play, the instrument is held in one hand and the frame is lightly supported between the player's teeth, while the metal tongue is plucked with the fingers on the other hand. The mouth cavity acts as a resonator and the pitch is modified by the position of the lips, tongue and cheeks (Egan 1998: 284).