Psaltery, or psalterium, a box zither constructed of a flat resonating box with open strings spanning its surface (secured with pegs at each end). To generate sound, the player plucked the strings with fingers, or by using a plectrum (often a feather quill). Used widely in Europe until the beginning of the 16th century, its origin is rather difficult to unearth as its Greek and Latin etymology predates actual representations of any instruments.