WORKSHOP / INSTRUMENT MAKING / 2007
Experimental reconstruction
An experimental reconstruction between the ancient lyre and the ancient kithara.
Olympia Kithara was shaped, carved and assembled entirely by hand. Its twelve-string design, sculpted frame and double-domed soundbox form a personal study of ancient musical heritage, woodworking and acoustic invention.
The name presents the instrument as an artistic tribute to the Olympian gods and to the mythic imagination of the ancient Greek world, without expressing or requiring any religious affiliation.
Select the instrument to explore all sixteen completed views.
CONSTRUCTION ARCHIVE / 53 RECORDED STAGES
From the first compass lines to the final tuning mechanism, this archive follows the physical decisions, hand tools and acoustic experiments behind the instrument. The original 2007 notes have been edited into neutral historical language while preserving their technical detail and mythic atmosphere.
Chapter I / Stages 01–15
01
The first drawings established a twelve-string instrument combining the openness of a lyre with the stronger architectural presence of a kithara. The name Olympia Kithara arose as an artistic reference to the Olympian gods and the broader mythic heritage of Greece. A large compass transferred the principal curves onto the wooden board.
02
The first silhouette was cut manually from the prepared board. The design began to leave the page and acquire weight, grain and physical resistance — a meeting between imagined form and the living character of the material.
03
The two uprights were gradually shaped as a symmetrical pair. Their curves had to answer one another while retaining enough mass for later carving, joining and string tension.
04
The main frame was assembled provisionally so the proportions of the body, upper crossbar and future tuning system could be judged together.
05
A small angled scraper was made specifically for the project, allowing safe access to narrow transitions that ordinary tools could not reach.
06
The principal members were joined with wooden dowels, chosen for strength and to avoid unnecessary metal within the vibrating wooden structure.
07
The upper crossbar was prepared for the tuning pegs and the brass element that would guide and support the twelve strings.
08
The frame was assembled and dismantled repeatedly without glue. Each trial exposed small inaccuracies, allowing correction before final jointing.
09
The holes and joining surfaces were cleaned carefully. Powdered pine resin formed part of the traditional-minded preparation of the joints.
10
With every component aligned and tested, the frame was prepared for permanent assembly. This was the last opportunity to verify symmetry and seating depth.
11
Each joint was marked to control its exact insertion depth. A wooden block and hammer seated the components without striking carved surfaces directly. Incense and Orphic hymns were part of the maker’s personal workshop atmosphere and aided concentration.
12
Adhesive was applied only after every part had been tested. Because several joints had to close together, preparation and speed were essential.
13
The central assembly required pressure from three directions at once, balancing force, alignment and protection of the wood.
14
The frame was bound firmly and left to dry. The bindings acted as a distributed clamp, keeping the members in position while the joints cured.
15
The basic structural frame was complete. Its proportions could finally be assessed as a unified object rather than as separate pieces.
Chapter II / Stages 16–32
16
The next phase followed a patient rhythm of marking, cutting and reassessment. Material was removed gradually so no irreversible cut exceeded the intended form.
17
The joined frame was brought into visual and tactile alignment. Uneven transitions were corrected and the surfaces began to read as one continuous structure.
18
An additional structural member was introduced to support the front and rear panels of the future soundbox.
19
Excess wood was removed and the inner surfaces were squared with the custom scraper, establishing reliable seating surfaces for the acoustic body.
20
A broad sanding plate levelled several surfaces as a single plane. The original workshop notes retain a humorous acknowledgement of the extraordinary amount of wood dust produced.
21
The first major sanding pass was completed and the inner ribs were refined in preparation for the decorative and acoustic stages.
22
The side decoration was planned around a Greek meander. Its repeated geometry follows the vertical movement of the arms and emphasises the instrument’s architectural character.
23
The frontal decoration was transferred as a working stencil. Fourteen holes were planned around the brass support and twelve-string arrangement.
24
The full decorative scheme was laid across the front so scrolls, borders and acoustic elements could be judged as one composition.
25
The ornament was cut with scalpels and refined with abrasive paper. The shallow relief required controlled pressure to keep the line clear without weakening the frame.
26
The lower ends of the holes were enlarged so the strings would not strike sharp edges or the surrounding wood while vibrating.
31
The main carved decoration began with corner channels and curved motifs. The work progressed in stages so depth and rhythm remained consistent.
32
The design was deepened gradually to its final relief. It was among the most time-consuming phases, yet one of the most rewarding as the instrument’s visual identity emerged directly from the wood.
Chapter III / Stage 33
33.1
The ribs, or wings, of the domed soundbox were drawn onto a third wooden board. Their geometry had to produce volume while remaining compatible with the surrounding frame.
33.2
The ribs were cut vertically to form a non-concentric double dome. Because the shape followed no simple radius, measurement was combined with trial, correction and visual judgement.
33.3
The individual ribs were arranged before assembly, making it possible to compare their curves and correct the sequence in which they would meet.
33.4
The paired sections A–A1 and B–B1 were joined, establishing the main volume of the rear acoustic chamber.
33.5
The dome was completed in its rough state. Crossed internal wedges reinforced the structure and helped transmit vibration across the assembled ribs.
33.6
Both faces of the chamber were smoothed. As its facets were refined, the bipolar dome acquired a more continuous, almost bull-shaped form.
Chapter IV / Stages 34–54
34
The principal carving and first smoothing phase were complete. Tuning pegs, bridge, resonating elements and base were deliberately postponed until the structure was ready to receive them.
35
The frame is recorded after carving and before the later acoustic fittings, preserving a clear view of the work at this transitional stage.
38
The tuning pegs were developed while the rear face of the upper bridge received lunar imagery. Twelve stars accompany the Moon, marking the night-facing side.
39
The front of the bridge was dedicated visually to Helios. Twelve rays answer the twelve strings, pairing musical structure with solar symbolism.
40
Carving began on the back of the instrument. The design evolved during execution rather than remaining a literal copy of the preliminary sketch.
41
The frontal carving advanced and twelve rays associated poetically with Hyperion began to emerge — mythological iconography expressed through wood and light.
42
The soundbox was secured with six wooden wedges. Their taper and seating had to be exact so the chamber would be held firmly without distortion.
43
Four lower wedges were fitted at an angle, and the bronze bar that would retain the strings was installed at the base.
44
The seated soundbox reveals the relationship between the acoustic chamber and the main frame before the final assembly stages.
45
The instrument is shown during the transition from structural assembly to final acoustic detailing.
46
A smaller purpose-made scraper was produced for the final shaping and smoothing of difficult internal and curved areas.
47
Further refinement brought the soundbox and its meeting surfaces into a more exact acoustic and visual relationship.
48
The completed rear view reveals the night-facing side of the design and the full volume of the domed soundbox.
49
The front soundboard was designed and carved. A brass support was placed opposite the bronze retaining bar to control the string path across the body.
50
An earlier HELLAS inscription was replaced by a pair of openings conceived as the eyes of Medusa, creating a stronger symbolic identity while serving an acoustic function.
51
The bridge and principal openings were completed. The top was nearly ready, with holes for the fastening wedges already prepared.
52
The front soundboard was ready to be fixed with wooden wedges. Four additional wedges, outside this view, completed the planned fastening system.
53
The assembled body was inspected before the final stringing and tuning work.
54
The final numbered photograph closes the construction sequence and leads into the completed-instrument archive.
EPILOGUE / FINAL ADJUSTMENTS
Tuning and completion
The first tuning keys were ultimately replaced with beech components, and a dedicated tuning lever was made for accurate adjustment. With the strings fitted and the mechanism refined, Olympia Kithara was ready to be played.
The Muses and Eros remain here as poetic images of inspiration: creativity survives when it is exercised, shared and given material form.
Return to the workshop ↗PROTOTYPE NOTE / FUTURE EDITION
This archive documents the original Olympia Kithara prototype. A refined edition is planned, with a revised selection of tonewoods intended to improve resonance, projection and overall acoustic balance.
Further information about future commissions will be announced soon. To register your interest, contact us at contact@zedanor.com.
