Renaissance diatonic cittern I've just finished building

[Dusepo]

[billhay4]

Dusepo,
Nice looking instrument.
Do the "bars" at the neck/side join have a structural function or are they just decorative?
Thanks,
Bill

[Dusepo]

Dusepo,
Nice looking instrument.
Do the "bars" at the neck/side join have a structural function or are they just decorative?
Thanks,
Bill

They are just decorative. They were common on Renaissance citterns as that instrument was believed during the renaissance to be from the Roman/Ancient Greek citara which is a lyre and those were the remaining 'wings'.