The volume contains 16 contributions that were partly presented at conferences in New Delhi 1993, Jerusalem 1994 / 95, Turin 1995, and Limassol 1996. An introduction [Hickmann] is followed by articles on the oldest representation of a harp at Megiddo in the 4th mill. B.C. [Braun], on the task and status of musicians and shamans [Brentjes], musical scenes in Indian rock art [Dubey-Pathak] as well as strings and frets [Eichmann]. Other investigations deal with painted Hellenistic graves with musical scenes [Kloner, Braun], angular harps [Lawergren], Polish Early Medieval string instruments [Malinowski], musical representations in Eurasian rock art [Meshkeris], Central Asiatic string instruments of the 6th / 5th century B.C. to the 11th century A.D. [Meshkeris]. Also, there are considerations of Palaeolithic music [Otte], Sumerian innovations of string instruments [Rashid], the importance of songs in native American culture [Rudolph], string instruments on Antique coins [Seidel], cuneiform texts with musical notations [Smith, Kilmer] as well as string instruments on Middle Asiatic monuments [Vasilieva]. [http://www.vml.de/e/detail.php?ISBN=978-3-89646-636-5]