The ancient veena is an early Indian arched harp, not to be confused with the modern Indian veena which is a type of lute or stick zither. Names of specific forms of the arched harp include the chitra vīṇā with seven strings, the vipanchi vīṇā with nine strings and the mattakokila vīṇā a harp or possibly board zither with 21 strings.[1][2]
The instrument is attested on a gold coin of the Gupta Empire from the mid-300s CE.[3][4][5] The instrument was also illustrated in the oldest known Saraswati-like relief carvings, from Buddhist archaeological sites dated to 200 BCE, where she holds a harp-style veena.[6]
- ^ Piyal Bhattacharya; Shreetama Chowdhury (January–March 2021). "How the Ancient Indian Vīṇā Travelled to Other Asian Countries: A Reconstruction through Scriptures, Sculptures, Paintings and Living Traditions" (PDF). National Security. 4 (1). Vivekananda International Foundation: 50–53.
- ^ Sadie, Stanley, ed. (1984). "Surmandal". The New Grove Dictionary of Musical Instruments. p. 477. Volume 3.
in...Sangītaratnākara, a chordophone with 21 strings...is mentioned...does not make it clear whether this was a board zither or even whether the author had actually seen one...may have been a...harp-vīnā...
- ^ "Coin, Samudragupta". The British Museum.
Gold coin.; Samudragupta, seated on a high back couch, facing to the left, wearing a waistcloth, ear rings and necklace. Has halo around head. Holds a lyre/vina in his lap which he plays.
- ^ "The Gupta Empire: A Time of Great Prosperity and Achievement in the Elites". 5000 years of Indian History. 17 October 2016.
- ^ "The Coin Galleries: Gupta: Samudragupta". CoinIndia.com.
[The coin is in the 12th image down, under the title "Lyrist type."]
- ^ Catherine Ludvík (2007). Sarasvatī, Riverine Goddess of Knowledge: From the Manuscript-carrying Vīṇā-player to the Weapon-wielding Defender of the Dharma. BRILL Academic. pp. 227–229. ISBN 90-04-15814-6.