The name 'zither' refers both to a specific instrument and the name of a family of chordophones. The characteristic feature of this family is the zither's structure - essentially, it is a wooden sound box; unlike the guitar or violin, it has no 'neck'. Wire (or sometimes gut) strings run the length of the sound box. They date back at least to 2000 B.C., when variants such as the psaltery were used by ancient Greek and Egyptian cultures. Portable, accessible, easily constructed and easily played, these instruments may be plucked (that is - you use a 'pick' to strum the strings) or struck with wooden mallets. |
