MOSCOW, July 9. /TASS/. Researchers from the Institute of Archeology at the Russian Academy of Sciences have unearthed the remains of ancient Greek musical instruments - a harp and a lyre - on the Taman Peninsula in southern Russia, the Academy said in a statement.

"Until recently, we had known of only one partially preserved ancient Greek harp found in the Piraeus necropolis in Athens and the tuning pegs of a harp uncovered from a necropolis in Taranto, southern Italy," the statement says, citing expedition leader Roman Mimokhod. "The harp found in the Piraeus necropolis dates back to the late fifth century BC and the tuning pegs from Taranto were discovered in a tomb dating back to the third or second centuries BC. Compared to these previous discoveries, the harp unearthed in Taman is one of the most ancient and well-preserved as far as ancient Greek musical instruments are concerned," the researcher added.

Russian researchers made this discovery while examining an ancient necropolis located near the Volna settlement. Archeologists say that a Greek polis existed there from the second quarter of the sixth century BC to the fourth century AD, which belonged to the Bosporan Kingdom, spanning both sides of the Kerch Strait.

The Institute of Archeology’s Sochi expedition has been going on in the area for the third year in a row. Researchers have examined more than 600 tombs and unearthed unique artefacts that prove close links between ancient Greek and local cultures.