七弦琴的牛头饰 - 美国大都会艺术博物馆展品查阅

品名（中）	七弦琴的牛头饰
品名（英）	Bull's head ornament for a lyre
入馆年号	1947年，47.100.81
策展部门	古代近东艺术（Ancient Near Eastern Art）
创作者
创作年份	公元前 2600 - 公元前 2350
创作地区
分类
尺寸	高 5 1/4 x 宽 4 1/8 英寸 (13.3 x 10.5 厘米)
介绍（中）	这个牛头，一个最有可能用于附着在七弦琴上的物体，被铸造成一块实心。其精湛的工艺与制造中使用的丰富材料相得益彰，包括镶嵌从阿富汗东北部进口的青金石的学生。以卷发结尾的波浪形脊勾勒出公牛的胡须，而头顶的发丝可能因长期使用而变得光滑。在眼睛上方，堆叠的褶皱表明皮肤有皱纹，并突出了动物凝视的表现力。横跨公牛鼻子的脊可能代表一条带子，表明动物戴着假的礼仪胡须。在美索不达米亚的几个地点发现了印有金、银或青铜牛头的七弦琴，其背景可追溯到公元前三千年。最著名的是乌尔皇家公墓六座墓葬中的八尊牛头七弦琴。七弦琴与打击乐器和管乐器一起被用来演奏皇家和神圣的赞美之歌，陪伴征服的军队，以及用于私人娱乐。有人认为，带有牛头附件的七弦琴可能具有深沉的音调，与牛发声的低音一致。
介绍（英）	This bull’s head, an object most likely made for attachment to a lyre, was cast in one solid piece. Its skilled craftsmanship complements the rich materials used in its manufacture, including pupils inlaid with lapis lazuli imported from northeastern Afghanistan. Wavy ridges ending in curls delineate the bull’s beard, while the hair locks at the top of the head are perhaps worn smooth by long use. Above the eyes, stacked folds suggest wrinkled skin and highlight the expressiveness of the animal’s gaze. A ridge across the bull’s nose may represent a strap, indicating the animal is shown wearing a false, ceremonial beard. Lyres with bovine heads of gold, silver, or bronze affixed to the front of the sound box have been found at several sites in Mesopotamia in contexts dating to the third millennium B.C. Most famous are the eight bull-headed lyres from six burials in the Royal Cemetery at Ur. Together with percussion and wind instruments, lyres were used to play royal and divine songs of praise, to accompany conquering armies, and for private amusement. It has been suggested that lyres with bull’s head attachments may have had a deep tone, in keeping with the low tones of bovine vocalizations.