The lyre 
Rade Lukšić
Sutivan, the island of Brač, 19th century

wood
cutting, insertion, drilling

 

lenght = 56,3 cm
body = 21,5 x 41 x 6,6 cm
lenght of the neck = 15,3 cm
length from the first peg to the bottom of the instrument = 42,5 cm
the shortest string length = 32,8 cm

 

Et 7247
The Collection of Musical Instruments

Description

The lijerica is simply crafted, it is rough and primitive. Its body is bulky and its neck is short. The body is crafted from one block of wood, and the short neck and the long soundboard from another. The soundboard and the body are joined together with iron nails. Initially three holes were drilled on the neck for three strings, and later a bridge was added with seven additional peg holes for seven additional strings.

Note

The instrument was crafted by a blind person (the inventory card says: Keka’s husband, Lukšić Rade). The instrument is unusually shaped. There is no information about whether the instrument was ever played or not.