--- "Kåre A. Lie" <alberlie@...> wrote:

> Since we are talking of harps, it seems that in
> Viking age Scandinavia the
> word "harpa" was used about any plucked string
> instrument.

> There is a story
> about Gunnar, who was captured by his enemies.

Not me...

> But if we look closely at those carvings,
> we see that the
> instrument Gunnar is playing with his toes, is not
> what we today would call
> a harp, but a lyre.

If you take a look at
<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jew%27s_harp>, you will
find a "harp" with no strings, and one which even he
would have found it difficult to play with his toes,
unless he had practiced a lot of Hatha Yoga first (you
have to stick in in your mouth to get some sound out
of it).

Gunnar

gunnargallmo@...