The giga was a type of bowed lyre that was very popular, especially in Norway, but also common in England, Iceland and Denmark.Otto Emanuel Andersson. The bowed-harp: a study in the history of early musical instruments. AMS Press, 1973. , . Pg 258. It is considered to be extinct; however, there are some reconstruction projects. The name does not originate from Latin, but rather derives from an Old Norse word meaning "to vibrate", "to move in a fast way". This term is also the origin of the name of the dance called Jig, which is very common in Northern Europe, especially in the UK and Ireland.
Sources Otto Emanuel Andersson. The Shetland Gue, the Welsh Crwth, and the Northern Bowed Harp. Offprint from the Budkavlen 1954, nos. 1–4. Åbo: s.n., 1956
See also Ģīga
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