phorminx
Phorminx is also a genus of cylindrical bark beetles. • Illustration — A phorminx The phorminx was one of the oldest of the Ancient Greek stringed musical instruments, in the yoke lutes family, intermediate between the lyre and the kithara. It consisted of two to seven strings, richly decorated arms and a crescent-shaped sound box. It most probably originated from Mesopotamia.
phorminx
Achilles Painter · User:Bibi Saint-Pol, own work, 2007-02-10 · Public domain
- Field
- chordophone, plucked string instrument and yoke lute.
VALÉORINE Encyclopedia
VALÉORINE documentary reading
Documentary summary
Phorminx is also a genus of cylindrical bark beetles. • Illustration — A phorminx The phorminx was one of the oldest of the Ancient Greek stringed musical instruments, in the yoke lutes family, intermediate between the lyre and the kithara. It consisted of two to seven strings, richly decorated arms and a crescent-shaped sound box. It most probably originated from Mesopotamia.
Admitted source layer · organised and presented by VALÉORINE
Note VALÉORINE
No house-authored Note is published until its assertions and sources pass the VALÉORINE evidence contract. The documentary article remains available in full while that enrichment is being consolidated.
Documentary enrichment in progress · no unsupported statement published
Reference Check
Propose documentary evidence for phorminx. A contribution is never written directly as fact: identity, source, rights and evidence gates still decide.
Sign in to contribute
World of VALÉORINE
Documentary connections
Only confirmed graph relationships appear here. Images are shown only when their identity and reuse rights both pass the documentary gate.
Broader Term · outgoing
chordophone
Term
[1]
Broader Term · outgoing
plucked string instrument
Term
Carolingian manuscripts, Württembergische Landesbibliothek Stuttgart, Germany ( http://www.thecipher.com/cythara_9th-cent_Stuttgart-Psalter_c830_deta.jpg ) Original image, Stuttgarter Psalter - Cod.bi
Broader Term · outgoing
yoke lute
Term
Own work
Documentary evidence
Evidence Panel
wikipedia incomplete · checked 25 September 2026
- Identity
- resolved
- Independent source families
- 0
- Admitted assertions
- 0
- Open conflicts
- 0
Authority files
gnd · 16042828-2 · wikidata · Q539942 · wikipedia · Phorminx
In this article
Overview
While it seems to have been common in Homer's day accompanying the rhapsodes, it was supplanted in historical times by the seven-stringed kithara. Nevertheless, the term "phorminx" continued to be used as an archaism in poetry. The term "phorminx" is also sometimes used in both ancient and modern writing to refer to all four instruments of the lyre family collectively: • Barbitos • Kithara • Lyre • Illustration — 1250-750 B.C, Zargoza, Spain. Lyre in Spain similar to phorminx, engraved on the Funerary stela of Valpamas.
Historical stringed music instrument
Citations
References
Each reference names the institution holding it, so a reader may go to the document itself.
reference work
Partially resolvedreference work
Partially resolved
The Encyclopedia exists whether or not anything is for sale. Corrections are recorded rather than overwritten, and every version of this record is kept. Published 14 August 2026.
Elsewhere in Collectables
20,755 published records in this field, each with its sources named.
- PhondarTerminology
- Phone StoryWork
- phonofiddleTerminology
- phonographTerminology
- Photo DojoWork
- Photo KanoWork
- photoplayerTerminology
- Photoshop contestWork
Best supported in this field
For owners
Own an object connected with phorminx?
A specialist will read what you send and tell you what the house can establish, what it cannot, and whether the object is suited to sale. There is no charge and no obligation. The object stays with you throughout; nothing is shipped to us unless it is arranged in writing beforehand.