Silver Kithara from Old Nisa

A silver artifact discovered at Old Nisa, a Parthian fortress now recognized as a UNESCO World Heritage Site, has been reattributed by researchers. Previously thought to be a ceremonial axe symbolizing martial power, the silver kithara arm and its cylindrical yoke with tuning pins suggest it was part of a larger musical instrument, likely from a bronze or silver statue. This reattribution challenges conventional interpretations and sheds new light on the cultural significance of such artifacts in Greco-Iranian contexts during the 2nd century BC. The study employs stylistic analysis to date the kithara between the 3rd and 1st centuries BC, supported by comparisons with Hellenistic pictorial evidence. Reconstruction drawings provide further insight into its design, contributing to our understanding of ancient musical instruments and their symbolic roles in antiquity.

Dedyulkin, A. (2020). Silver Kithara from Old Nisa. Vostok. Afro-Aziatskie Obshchestva: Istoriia I Sovremennost, (3), 74. https://doi.org/10.31857/s086919080009920-9