Chang (instrument)
The chang (; ; ; (ṣanǧ); Georgian: ჩანგი changi) is a Persian musical instrument, a vertical angular harp. It was very popular and used widely during the times of ancient Persia, especially during the Sasanian Dynasty where it was often played in the shahs' court. It was also played until the 19th century in the Ottoman Empire but has since disappeared from Turkish folk music. History The chang first appears in paintings and wall art in Persia in about 4000 BCE. In these paintings and mosaics, the chang went from the original arched harp to an angular harp in the early 1900s BCE, with vertical or horizontal sound boxes. From the Hellenistic period (~300 BCE) and through beginning of Common Era (~1 CE), the chang changed shape to be less of a handheld instrument and more of a large, standing harp, and subsequently gained in popularity. Sassanian courts were enamored with the Hellenistic chang, which increased its popularity, and by the end of the Sasanian period the chang had been redesigned to be as light as possible. By becoming more slender, the chang lost much of its rigidity and structural soundness, but gained a portability that made it the primary