An instrument last played in the Middle Ages can be heard again, thanks to Cambridge-based research. The epigonion is a Greek string instrument similar to a harp. Although there are no surviving examples, it is possible to hear how it sounded using a computer model that makes use of archeological artefacts and historical pictures and writings . "For the first time we can actually hear the musical sounds of the past, using modelling techniques rather than guesswork," said Francesco De Mattia, project co-ordinator.

Emma Byrne