A harp is one of the oldest instruments originally made of a bow and with old drawings suggesting at least 15 thousand years of history. The harp's music is enchanting and emotional. In fact, old harpists were expected to master transferring three emotions to their listeners by playing this ancient instrument: happiness, relaxation, and sadness.

The harp has rich and versatile symbolism which pretty much varies depending on context. Sometimes it's interchangeable with the lyre. The harp is played by hands, a symbol of creativity. During play, the matter (harp's strings) is transformed into vibrations that are essential for life.

According to Greek mythology, Apollo heard Artemis while she was hunting. He was so enchanted by the sound of her bow, that he gave her additional strings to attach to her weapon thus creating a completely new instrument.

Some mythologies claim that the harp is played by the messenger of death. Everybody who hears it will die soon. This means that the harp connects the worlds of living and dead beings. It can be also understood as the bridge between heaven and earth with the man somewhere in between.

Harp's music is closely associated with heaven. Angels are often portrayed while playing harps. Harp's shape evolved from a half circle (the bow) to a rectangular triangle. The proportions of the sides are 3, 4, and 5 (famous Pitagora's equation a(sq) + b(sq) = c(sq) is magical on its own) so let's take a look just at the symbolic meanings of numbers.

Three represents the Divine (Trinity). Four stands for Earth (sides of the world). Five means Destiny. This means that the man from Earth with the blessing of divine beings creates his fate.

The harp is a well-known symbol of Ireland. At the beginning of the 12th century, Normans invaded Ireland. When Prince John and Gerald of Wales arrived in Ireland Gerald De Barri described Irish people as barbarous. Yet he added one positive remark. He was enchanted with their skillful playing of harps. He praised the Irish harpists so much since then everybody associated Ireland with this instrument. When the status of Ireland was upgraded from lordship to a kingdom in 1541 first Irish coins were made. A harp with a crown floating on the top became a symbol minted on the coin.

Image of the harp is still widely used on greeting cards sent on St. Patrick's Day.

Today we associate the harp and its delicate sound with beauty and wisdom. It has a strong influence on the body and emotions. We can see it as a tool and as a weapon.