What is the musical instrument lyre? Turkish lira history and types of modern banknotes

Turkey is a country in western Asia and partly in the extreme southeast of Europe. The Asian part of Turkey is called Anatolia, the European part is called Eastern Thrace. Area 767.1 thousand square meters. km. Population 76,256 thousand people. Capital Ankara. Since October 1923 - a republic. The country's main source of income is tourism. Due to this, dollars and euros are in circulation.

The Turkish lira is the official currency of Turkey. It also serves as the official currency of the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus, recognized exclusively by Turkey. Historically, the name “lyre” comes from the Latin word Libra, translated as “scales”, and later used to designate a measure of the weight of silver in the calculations of merchants - the so-called troy pound.

1 lira is equal to 100 kurus. Denominations of current banknotes: 200, 100, 50, 20, 10, 5 liras. Coins: 1 lira, 50, 25, 10, 5, 2 and 1 kurus. The ISO code of the Turkish Lira is 4217, the official abbreviation is TRY, but in everyday life the previous abbreviation is often used - YTL (from the abbreviation Yeni Turk Liras, which translates as “New Turkish Lira”).

The Central Bank of Turkey has the right to issue. Turkey currently uses a floating exchange rate regime. The criterion for the effectiveness of exchange rate policy (exchange rate anchor) is inflation indicators. The Turkish lira has an unstable exchange rate in relation to other currencies of the world.

In March 2012, the Turkish lira received a graphic symbol, which passed a strict selection among 8 thousand options submitted to an open competition. According to the authors, the symbol of the national Turkish currency will help increase recognition and strengthen the lira. It represents an anchor-like double-crossed letter that is a cross between a t and an l.

Turkish money is a means of payment and also performs many other functions.

HISTORY OF THE TURKISH LIRA

The history of Turkish currency goes back to the times of the Ottoman Empire, which existed from 1299 to the end of the 19th century. Precious metals were widely used as money. Ancient coins were issued by the sultans and bore their names, but not their portraits, in accordance with Islamic tradition.

In 1327, Orhan minted akche (“whitish”). This small silver coin was in circulation in the territory of the Ottoman Empire and its neighboring states in the 14th - 19th centuries.

The first gold coin (zekhin) in the Ottoman Empire was the sultani or altun. It began to be minted under Suleiman I the Magnificent in 1454 after the conquest of Constantinople.

From 1623 until 1930, a Turkish silver coin, a pair, was also in circulation. Then it was used exclusively as a counting unit, 1/40 kurush. The kurush is a small Turkish coin used in the Ottoman Empire since 1688.

The Turkish lira first became an official currency in the Ottoman Empire in 1844. It replaced the previous currency, the kura, which was not withdrawn from circulation, but was used to exchange liras. At that time, 1 lira was worth 100 kuru.

In 1844-1881, the Turkish lira was created on the basis of bimetallism (metallic monetary systems built on a fixed ratio of the value of silver to gold). One lira was worth 6.61519 grams of pure gold or 99.8292 grams of pure silver. In 1881, a standard based on gold was adopted, and during the First World War, the lira “severed its relationship” with the value of precious metals.

Since the beginning of the 20th century, 9 series of banknotes have been issued in Turkey. At the end of the 20th century, during the action of the 7th series, the Turkish lira was considered an unstable currency, its exchange rate changed almost every day, and banknote denominations reached 20,000,000 liras.

At the end of December 2003, the National Assembly of the country adopted a law according to which 6 zeros of the currency were eliminated and a new Turkish lira was formed. On January 1, 2005, the "new Turkish lira" series 8 was introduced into circulation, replacing the previous lira at the rate of 1 new lira = 1,000,000 old lira.

The next, series 9, was released on January 1, 2009, and series 8 banknotes ceased to be valid after December 31, 2009 (although they can be freely exchanged at the Central Bank until December 31, 2019). Series 9 banknotes have the inscription "Turkish lira" without the word "new" as in series 8.

TURKISH LIRA BANKNOTES

Banknotes in denominations are 5, 10, 20, 50, 100 and 200 liras. On the front side of all Turkish banknotes there is a portrait of Mustafa Kemal Atatürk, the founder and first president of Turkey, under whose leadership the power of the Sultan was abolished and a republic was proclaimed.

5 Turkish lira. Size 64x130 mm. Brown color.

The reverse side depicts a portrait of the outstanding Turkish historian Aydin Sayili (Ayd n SAYILI), a fragment of the solar system, the structure of an atom and a fragment of a DNA chain.

10 Turkish lira. Size 64x136 mm. The color is red.

The front side depicts a portrait of Ataturk.

On the reverse side there is a portrait of the mathematician Cahit Arf and his formula for the Arf invariant of quadratic form.

20 Turkish lira. Size 68x142 mm. Green color.

The front side depicts a portrait of Ataturk.

The reverse side depicts a portrait of the outstanding Turkish architect Mimar Kemaleddin, the building of Gazi University, an aqueduct, geometric figures: cube, ball, cylinder.

50 Turkish lira. Size 68x148 mm. Orange color.

The front side depicts a portrait of Ataturk.

On the reverse side there is a portrait of the Turkish writer Fatma Aliye Han m, a stack of papers, an inkwell with a pen, and books.
The first woman to appear on a Turkish banknote.

100 Turkish lira. Size 72x154 mm. Color blue.

The front side depicts a portrait of Ataturk.

The reverse side depicts a portrait of the Turkish musician Buhurizade Itri, a seated figure of Rumi, musical instruments, and musical notes.

200 Turkish lira. Size 72x160 mm. The color is lilac.

The front side depicts a portrait of Ataturk.

The reverse side depicts: a portrait of the Turkish poet Yunus Emre, who died in 1321, his mausoleum, flying doves, roses.

The larger the bill, the earlier the historical figure depicted on it lived. 200 lira is the largest banknote in Turkey.

In addition to the Turkish lira, US dollars, euros and pounds sterling are in use in the country, which are accepted for payment in shops, restaurants and hotels in large cities and resorts. However, it is difficult to pay in foreign currency in the province.

The Turkish lira is protected from counterfeiting in many ways. Each banknote has a watermark, a holographic stripe that changes color. The denomination number is stamped in the right corner of the banknote, which can be tested by touch, allowing recognition of the denomination by touch. Turkish banknotes use multi-level security systems. This makes them one of the most technologically advanced banknotes in the Eastern Mediterranean countries.

Due to the rapid deterioration of Turkish lira, the question arose about introducing plastic banknotes into circulation. In terms of wear and tear, plastic banknotes are five times more efficient than paper ones, which significantly extends their service life. Today, many countries have successfully used plastic money in circulation. They cost 50% more than their predecessors, but in terms of wear and tear they are five times more durable than paper ones. The advantages of plastic banknotes over paper ones are obvious: they do not get wet, do not wear out, and, most importantly, they cannot be counterfeited.

COINS

New coins are issued in denominations of 1, 5, 10, 25, 50 kurus and 1 lira. A portrait of Ataturk is printed on the obverse of Turkish coins, and the denomination, ornament and year of minting are printed on the reverse. The only exception is the 50 kurus coin: it features the suspension bridge, a landmark of Istanbul.

1 Turkish lira. Bimetal: ring – brass (Cu 79%, Ni 4%, Zn 17%), insert – copper-nickel-zinc alloy (Cu 65%, Ni 18%, Zn 17%). Diameter 26.15 mm, thickness 1.90 mm, weight 8.20 grams. The edge is corrugated. The coin was put into circulation on January 1, 2009.
Obverse: in the center, in a circle, to the left is the head of Mustafa Kemal (Ataturk) (1881 - 1938), Ottoman and Turkish politician, statesman and military leader, founder and first leader of the Republican People's Party of Turkey; first President of the Turkish Republic from October 29, 1923 to November 10, 1938. Under the portrait there is a dot, along the edge of the coin there is a circular inscription: TURKIYE CUMHURIYETI.
Reverse: in the center - the denomination in two lines against the background of the ornament: 1 TURK LIRASI. At the top of the coin is a crescent with a star, at the bottom is the year of issue.

50 kurus. Bimetal: ring – copper-nickel-zinc alloy (Cu 65%, Ni 18%, Zn 17%), insert – brass (Cu 79%, Ni 4%, Zn 17%). Diameter 23.85 mm, thickness 1.90 mm, weight 6.80 grams. The edge is corrugated. The coin was put into circulation on January 1, 2009.
Obverse: in the center, in a circle, to the left is the head of Mustafa Kemal (Ataturk). Under the portrait there is a dot, along the edge of the coin there is a circular inscription: TURKIYE CUMHURIYETI.
Reverse: in the center – denomination in two lines: 50 KURUS. against the backdrop of the “Ataturk Bridge” connecting the European and Asian parts of Turkey, which are symbolically depicted at the bottom of the coin. At the top of the coin is a crescent moon with a star, at the bottom is the year of issue.

25 kurus. Diameter 20.5 mm, thickness 1.65 mm, weight 4 grams, composition: 65% copper, 18% nickel and 17% zinc, ribbed edge. The coin was put into circulation on January 1, 2009.

10 kurus. Diameter 18.5 mm, thickness 1.65 mm, weight 3.15 grams, composition 65% copper, 18% nickel and 17% zinc, smooth edge. The coin was put into circulation on January 1, 2009.
Obverse: Mustafa Kemal Ataturk.
Reverse: denomination, pattern, year of minting.

5 kurus. Diameter 17.5 mm, thickness 1.65 mm, weight 2.9 grams, composition: 65% copper, 18% nickel and 17% zinc, smooth edge. The coin was put into circulation on January 1, 2009.
Obverse: Mustafa Kemal Ataturk.
Reverse: denomination, pattern, year of minting.

1 kurush. Diameter 16.5 mm, thickness 1.35 mm, weight 2.2 grams, composition: 70% copper and 30% zinc, smooth edge. The coin was put into circulation on January 1, 2009.
Obverse: Mustafa Kemal Ataturk.
Reverse: denomination, pattern, year of minting.

Note to tourists

In tourist places, both dollars and euros are accepted, but it is better to have Turkish lira with you. You can exchange currency in banks, exchange offices, hotels, and post offices. The rate at banks is not the most favorable, but only they provide confirmation of the exchange, on the basis of which unused Turkish lira can be exchanged. It is often more attractive at exchange offices, although there is a possibility of encountering unpleasant surprises. The most attractive rate is usually observed in post offices (yellow sign with the inscription "PTT").

Under no circumstances should you trust hotel and transfer guides who say that they have the best rates and that you will certainly be deceived in other places. It is strictly not recommended to change money by hand! Moreover, the exchange rate on the “black market” is not very different.

It is best to carry money partly in cash and partly on a card. Cash may be required at passport control. In Turkey, no one has repealed the law requiring those entering the country to have a proof of arrival (tourist voucher, tour package, invitation to an event) and cash at the rate of $50 per day. They are asked to present them very rarely, but no one is immune from this. In this case, a plastic card will not be an argument, even if there is a very large amount on it.

It is better not to take VISA Electron, Maestro and American Express cards, as some ATMs simply do not take them seriously and often delay them. Classic VISA and Master Card are accepted absolutely everywhere and are serviced by all ATMs. Better take a ruble card.

In Turkey, small bills are considered popular. If you pay with a 200 lira bill at lunch, you will have to wait until the evening for change. Therefore, try to exchange money with change, that is, so that you have as many small bills as possible in denominations of 5, 10 and 20 Turkish lira. The concept of change from 1 dollar or euro does not exist.

In the shops of traders in numerous bazaars, sometimes there is no difference in currency at all. That is, the product costs roughly 50... and it doesn’t matter what: liras, dollars or euros. Therefore, having Turkish lira in your pocket is not only convenient, but also profitable. In the markets you should bargain for every lira. If a compromise on price is not reached, you can leave calmly, but always with a smile.

Many goods are cheaper in Turkey than in Russia. For example, jewelry, wardrobe items, accessories, household appliances. It is not surprising, since many of these goods are brought to Russian cities from Turkey. Transport costs and price increases by resellers lead to higher prices. Therefore, shopping in Turkey is considered not only exciting, but also profitable.

So, there is very little normal information on the lyre on the Internet, and therefore I will express myself in the dry language of the well-known library - Wikipedia...

Lyra- a stringed musical instrument in the form of a curved frame with strings of various tunings stretched from the inside, well known in classical antiquity and later. The oldest samples were excavated by L. Woolley's expedition in Ur. It is a symbol and attribute of poets, an emblem of military bands.

In Ancient Greece, recitation was accompanied by playing the lyre. The lyre of classical antiquity was usually played by plucking the strings with a plectrum, like playing a guitar or zither, rather than plucking the strings, like playing a harp. The fingers of the free hand muffled the strings that were unnecessary for this chord.

In Ukraine and Belarus, the lyre is an ancient stringed folk instrument (XVII centuries) with a large elongated body, otherwise called a “snout”. In Europe this instrument is known as a hardi-gardi. Three strings of different tunings are stretched above the body, placed in a special box. A small keyboard with 8-11 keys is attached to the side of the drawer. The player presses the keys with his left hand, and with his right hand he turns the handle, which sets in motion a special wheel covered with hair, leather and rubbed with rosin. The wheel rubs against the strings and makes them sound. The middle string changes its height depending on the pressing of the keys and is used to play melodies. The outer strings do not change their height during playing. The sound of the lyre is strong, sharp, and somewhat nasal in tone.

According to Greek myth, the first lyre was invented by the infant Hermes. He took an empty turtle shell, attached cow horns and a crossbar to it on both sides, and pulled three strings. An adventurous continuation of this myth tells how Hermes kidnapped the herd being herded by Apollo, and then exchanged this herd for his invention, the lyre, to which Apollo added a fourth string. This myth is even retold in Leopold Mozart's Violin School, published in 1756!
Later, the lyre usually had seven strings, and it looked like this (on the left is a reconstruction of the remains of an instrument found during excavations in Attica; an exhibit from the British Museum; on the right is a young Apollo with a lyre; a kylix from Delphi):

In Crete, the lyre was already known around 1400 BC. (depicted on a fresco in the tomb of the Holy Trinity), but the instrument itself is apparently even older.
According to legend, the lyre was played by legendary Greek musicians of divine or semi-divine origin: Orpheus (who was supposedly given the lyre by Apollo himself) and Amphion, who built the walls of Thebes to the sounds of the lyre. The same legends echoed in ancient musical treatises even brought to us the structure of the so-called Orpheus lyre - in modern terms these are the notes “E, B, A, E”, taken from the first octave down.
However, Orpheus and Apollo were not always depicted playing the lyre, but this time we will pay attention only to it.
On the left is the death of Orpheus, who is apparently trying to save his lyre from the enraged bacchantes, exposing his defenseless chest to attack (vase, Louvre). In the center - Orpheus among the Thracians.
On the right is Apollo and, probably, Orpheus, the latter holding a lyre (Attica, 5th century BC).

The lyre was played either by plucking and plucking the strings with the fingers, or by striking them or plucking them with a bone plate - a plectrum (now called a mediator among guitarists). In the latter case, the sound was more sonorous, the resonance was longer, and the musician did not risk calluses or bloody fingertips. Orpheus in the central image plays exactly like this.
Eros, shown in the next picture, clearly approaches his work professionally and uses a plectrum (the lyre was usually played at weddings and other fun and joyful events). The plectrum, so that it does not fall at the wrong moment and is not lost, is attached to the lyre with a leather strap.

Although the lyre was used by many outstanding musicians, who increased the number of strings on it to 9 (Theophrastus of Pieria) and even to 12 (Melanippides), in the classical and Hellenistic eras it was mainly a “home” instrument, since its sound was not very loud. Beginners were taught on it - as in both pictures below. In the picture on the right, another stringed instrument, the forminga, is hanging on the wall.

Women also played the lyre, since it was not as heavy as the cithara and did not require great physical strength. Moreover, unlike the wind instrument aulos, or aul (about him some other time), playing the lyre was not considered an activity indecent for a decent woman, since some Muses were also depicted with a lyre.

Lyre - this ancient string instrument came to us from Ancient Greece. It consists of a frame with stretched strings of various settings. Playing the lyre was part of the education of any ancient citizen. The very first examples of lyres were found in Ur.

There are several varieties: helis, forming, barbite, cithara. But the principle of playing is the same for everyone, it is similar to playing the guitar. The lyre was picked up at an angle of 45 degrees and the strings were plucked with a plectrum. The other hand muffled unnecessary chords. The seven-string lyre is classical and symbolically conveys the harmony of the world. Each of its strings is a modal function of the ancient fret. But there can be more strings: 11, 12 or even 18. And although Greek authors such as Virgil or Boethius often wrote about the lyre in their books, instructions on its precise tuning have not yet been found.

Lyra, of course, is mentioned in myths. According to legend, it was created by Hermes, the god of trade, from a tortoise shell, seven strings and two reed tubes. For this instrument, he received from Apollo his famous winged staff, with two snakes in the form of ribbons, power over animals, the gift of a seer and fifty cows.

This ancient Greek god is often represented wearing a laurel wreath and holding a golden lyre. When he started playing it, even wild animals came out of the forest to listen to these beautiful sounds. Once upon a time, Marsyas, who played the flute, challenged Apollo to a duel. But the shepherd was far from reaching the golden-haired god, and he lost the competition. For the insolence of a mortal, Apollo hung him on a tree and tore off his skin.

Belarus and Ukraine had their own version of the lyre, called the “ryle” or Hardi-gardi. It was a small box with three strings of different tunings stretched inside. On the side there were from 8 to 11 keys for changing the height of the middle string and a handle. Together with the handle, a special wheel rotated, extracting sounds from the strings.

Lyre (Greek λuρα, Latin lyra) is a plucked string instrument (chordophone). The body (resonator) of a round or quadrangular shape is connected to the crossbar (transverse rod) by two handles. Strings of equal length are stretched between the body and the crossbar. Distributed from ancient times to the present day. The oldest samples were excavated by L. Woolley's expedition in Ur.

Lyre in Ancient Greece
In Ancient Greece, the word lyre denoted any instrument of the lyre family - helis (lit. turtle), barbite, forminga, cithara. In the narrow sense, the lyre was called helis (the simplest of the lyres, with a body made of a tortoise shell, covered with cowhide). The technique of playing all ancient lyres is approximately the same: the musician held the instrument at an angle of approximately 45 degrees to the body, playing standing (especially the lyre) or sitting. The sound was produced by a bone plectrum. The fingers of his free hand muffled the unnecessary strings. There was no gender difference among lyre players, with the exception of the lyre, which was a male instrument. Learning to play the lyre was a basic part of a citizen's education in ancient Greece and Rome.

The strings (made from sheep intestines) of the lyre gave their name to the steps of the Greek full scale; in essence, the string names represent the modal functions of the ancient mode. The 7-string lyre is considered classic; in its seven-string, it was considered as a reflection of world harmony (according to the famous saying of Virgil - septem discrimina vocum, “seven<высотных>sound differences"). Iconographic, musical-theoretical and literary sources indicate that the number of lyre strings could be increased to 18, but most often experimental instruments are described as 11- or 12-stringed. “Multiple strings” led to a soul-disturbing “polyphony” and therefore was assessed (for example, in the Spartan decree of the 5th century BC, published in the book “Fundamentals of Music” by Boethius) as a harmful excess. Despite the fact that many treatises describe the Greek scale as the strings of a lyre, accurate and unambiguous information about its tuning has not been preserved.

Other liras
In Ancient Armenia, the lyre was called arm. (knar).
In Ukraine and Belarus, a hurdy-gurdy is an ancient (17th century) stringed folk instrument with a large elongated body, otherwise called a “ryle”. In Europe this instrument is known as the Hardi-Gurdi. Three strings of different tunings are stretched above the body, placed in a special box. A small keyboard with 8-11 keys is attached to the side of the drawer. The player presses the keys with his left hand, and with his right hand he turns the handle, which sets in motion a special wheel covered with hair, leather and rubbed with rosin. The wheel rubs against the strings and makes them sound. The middle string changes its height depending on the pressing of the keys and is used to play melodies. The outer strings do not change their height during playing. The sound of the lyre is strong, sharp, and somewhat nasal in tone.

It is difficult to imagine the music of Ancient Greece and Rome without the lyre, because it was in these cultures that it played the most important role. However, this instrument was known to mankind long before the advent of the civilizations mentioned above. The images that have survived to this day testify to the close connection between the lyre and poetry.

During excavations of the Sumerian city of Ur, richly decorated lyres were found, created around the 3rd millennium BC. In Assyria, the first lyres were known as sabit. Given their size, historians speculate that these instruments were placed on the floor when played, giving them the name "Sumerian standing lyres." These models had from eight to twelve strings stretched between the lower left part of the resonator and the crossbar to which they were attached. Most often, the resonator of the Sumerian lyres was shaped like the head of a bull, a symbol of fertility. The ancient lyre was usually played with two hands.

Over time, earlier models were replaced by more convenient, portable lyres. Hand lyre, or Algar, had an asymmetrical shape and on one side, which was higher than the other, towered above the musician’s head.

Around 1800 BC, the lyre appeared on the island of Crete, and then went to Greece, where it acquired its characteristic horseshoe shape. The lyre was played mainly by women: they held the instrument horizontally and moved wooden strings along it.

Thanks to illustrations of ancient books, musicologists were able to establish that in the Middle Ages the lyre occupied a significant place in the musical life of society. Most of them claim that the most common one at that time was seven string lyre.

Around the 11th century, the lyre, played with a plectrum, left the musical scene, but the model that arose from it with a bow survived for another four centuries. However, in the late Middle Ages the instrument gradually disappeared from the world of music. The place of the lyre was taken by the so-called folk violin, which received great recognition throughout the continent.

However, the lyre still managed to survive in some regions where it can still be found today. For example, it is considered part of Welsh culture mole- a model of a lyre of a specific shape, which was widely used until the 19th century.

In Africa, the lyre is primarily used as a solo instrument. The five-stringed Ethiopian lyre is known as kissar" In Kenya, they believe that the lyre has healing properties, so Kenyans use this instrument as a ritual attribute.