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Ancient Harp Idol Rewrites Music History
26 Aug
Summary
- A 1800-year-old idol of Goddess Saraswati was found.
- The sculpture depicts the earliest known Indian harp.
- It offers insights into ancient Malava culture and music.
A nearly 1,800-year-old sculpture of Goddess Saraswati, discovered in Madhya Pradesh, is shedding new light on ancient Indian musical instruments. The black sandstone idol, dating to the second century CE, was found in the Manasa town and has been housed in the Ujjain Museum for decades.
This artifact is significant as it is believed to be the oldest Saraswati idol found in Madhya Pradesh depicting a musical instrument. The sculpture features a harp-like veena, providing crucial evidence of early Indian string music traditions. Experts associate the idol with the Malava community, whose historical presence in the region is well-documented.
Further analysis of the sculpture and comparison with other artifacts, including cave reliefs and ancient coinage, suggest the harp instrument's long history in India. References to similar instruments are found in ancient texts like the Rigveda and Bharata's Natyashastra. The tradition of the arched harp also survives today in Myanmar.
