Strummed instruments are musical instruments that are played by strumming or plucking the strings. Two examples of strummed instruments are ukes and lyres. Ukes, also known as ukuleles, are small four-stringed instruments that originated in Hawaii in the 19th century. Lyres are stringed instruments that have been around since ancient times and were popular in Ancient Greece. They typically have seven strings and a yoke-shaped body.