Record ID: IOW-408DF5 - POST MEDIEVAL jews harp

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JEWS HARP

Unique ID: IOW-408DF5

Object type certainty: Certain

A resized image of IOW-408DF5 Post-Medieval Jews Harp

An incomplete post-Medieval cast copper-alloy Jews harp (c. 1500-c. 1800 AD).
In plan, it has a circular head and tapering arms both of which are characteristically lozenge-shaped in cross-section. The outer diameter of the head, also lozenge-shaped in cross-section, is 22.82mm. At the apex, on the front face, is a rabbet to accommodate the iron prong. There is iron staining around the rabbet. The arms are complete. They are about 4.09mm in width at their junction with the head.
The surfaces are mainly covered with light green corrosion products. It has numerous file marks overall. The iron prong that was plucked to produce a note is missing.
51.26 x 22.82 x 6.16mm. Weight: 8.94g.
Geoff Egan, formerly of The Museum of London has commented on Medieval Jews harps: 'The Jews 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 European Jews 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, G. 1998. 'The Medieval Household Daily Living c. 1150 - c. 1450'. 284. London: The Stationery Office. Similar examples are illustrated in Bailey, G, 1993, 'Detector Finds 2', 76-77, refs: 4-6. Bailey (page 76) suggests that these examples date to the eighteenth century.

Subsequent actions

Current location of find: Finder
Subsequent action after recording: Returned to finder

Chronology

Broad period: POST MEDIEVAL
Period from: POST MEDIEVAL [scope notes | view all attributed records]
Period to: POST MEDIEVAL [scope notes | view all attributed records]
Date from: Circa AD 1500
Date to: Circa AD 1800

Dimensions and weight

Length: 5.26 mm
Width: 22.82 mm
Thickness: 6.16 mm
Weight: 8.94 g
Quantity: 1

Materials and construction

Primary material: Copper alloy [scope notes | view all attributed records]
Manufacture method: Cast [scope notes | view all attributed records]
Completeness: Incomplete [scope notes | view all attributed records]

Spatial data

Region: South East And London
County: Isle Of Wight
District: Isle Of Wight
To be known as: Isle of Wight

Method of discovery: Metal detector [scope notes]
General landuse: Grassland, Heathland [scope notes]
Specific landuse: Regularly improved [scope notes]

Discovery dates

Date(s) of discovery: Wednesday 25th January 2012

Personal details

Found by: This information is restricted for your login.
Recorded by: Mr Frank Basford - [ view all attributed records]
Identified by: Mr Frank Basford - [view all attributed records]

Other reference numbers

Other reference: IOW2012-4-64

References cited

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