Although this instrument has been altered over the years, it originally would have had strings passing over a low flat bridge. Whether the player would have plucked the instrument with a plectrum or quill or played it with a bow is unknown. The highly carved decoration on the back of the instrument illustrates the association of string instruments with the planet Venus, love, and springtime: a young couple stands under a Tree of Life where Cupid is waiting with his bow. The falcon and the dog symbolize faithfulness and are juxtaposed with the serpent-like dragon on the neck of the instrument, a symbol of lust. This tiny instrument might have been a wedding gift to a young woman.

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