How to Identify an Insignia Lyre

U.S. military troops who were also in band units, such as the militia bands, wore the lyre insignia. The lyre insignia started before the Civil War and continued up until the 1960s, when the use of unregulated insignias ended, according to the Encyclopedia of United States Army Insignia and Uniforms. Therefore, most lyre insignia you find today are pre-World War II and even pre-World War I, in some cases.

Instructions

1. • 1

     Look for the lyre. It is shaped like a harp with only three strings. Any insignia with this shape is a lyre insignia.

   • 2

     Examine the lyre for a number. Many lyre insignias had a number on or above the lyre that signified what military band in which they played or what unit they were a part.

   • 3

     Look for a lyre surrounded by a wreath. Starting in the 1890s, a number of lyre insignias have wreaths around the lyre.