In his paper which summarized what was known about early examples of Asian harps and lutes, focusing on images and literature for his sources, Michael Nixon pointed out that one image of the barbat from Sasanian Iran (estimated origin in his paper 3rd-7th centuries A.D and 7th-8th centuries A.D. by the British Museum) resembled other images of the barbat from Sasanian and Gandharan sources. He said that the instrument itself resembled these and was held in the same manner. The instrument also resembled an image from a door-lintel bas-relief from the Gupta period in Padmavati Pawaya, India.(240-605). A.D.)