The beautiful bull headed lyre which inspired this piece of jewelry was discovered in the so-called King's Grave in the Royal Cemetery at Ur. The instrument dates to ca. 2600-2500 BC.
It was uncovered in the late 1920's during the joint expedition to Iraq by the University of Pennsylvania Museum of Archaeology and Anthropology and the British Museum.
The lyre is part of the great Mesopotamian collection at the University of Pennsylvania Museum.
24 Karat antique gold-plate over pewter and brass.