The kithara of Apollon reconstructed

The ancient Hellenes adored music, and it was a huge part of their religious devotion. Hymns were sung, and processions often accompanied with easy to carry instruments, adding to a festive mood and serving as a way to draw the attention of the Gods. Of course, the acient Hellenes carried different instruments than we are used to today, and chief amongst them was the Kithara (κιθάρα).

The kithara was an ancient Hellenic musical instrument in the lyre or lyra family. It was a professional version of the folkish two-stringed lyre. Musicians who played the kithara were called 'kitharodes'. The kithara's origins are likely Asiatic. The barbiton was a bass version of the kithara. In modern Greek the word kithara has come to mean 'guitar', making that the closest modern equivalent, although the sounds would be quite different.

Recently, luthier Michalis Georgiou invested a lot of time re-inventing the long-lost instrument, and there is a video of this journey of discovery. It's well-worth the watch, and full of information. I adore initiatives like these where the sounds of the ancients are truly brought back to life.