Music of Ancient Egypt
Ezz Al-Turkey
We all associate songs with specific memories or feelings. Music has played an integral part in the global community for centuries, from weddings to graduations to even your most vulnerable moments. We can guarantee that music has been your companion through all these feelings and memories. What you probably didn’t know, however, is that music dates back more than 2000 years ago and that our ancestors, the ancient Egyptians, also used music to commemorate big life events. But it didn’t sound quite like music now.
The ancient Egyptians had their own set of instruments, different from what we use now. But although they’re not the same, these sounds are still very common. Percussion instruments included rattles, tambourines, drums, the sistrum, and, subsequently, bells and cymbals, wind instruments such as the shepherd's pipe, double-pipe, clarinet, flute, oboe, and trumpet; and stringed instruments such as lyres, harps, and the Mesopotamian lute. Just like now, musicians performed the music individually or in groups.
Musical notation was unknown to the ancient Egyptians. The songs were handed down among musicians from one generation to the next. So, the exact sound of Egyptian musical compositions is uncertain, however, some historians think that the Coptic liturgy of today is a direct ancestor. The music employed in Coptic religious services is believed to have developed from previous Egyptian ceremonies, just as the Coptic language itself evolved from Greek and ancient Egyptian.
Although music was important in ancient Egyptian society, its significance was underestimated. They were essential to the process of creation and communication with the gods, as well as the human reaction to life's gift and all of life's events.
We can’t have music without a little dancing, and apparently, neither could the ancient Egyptians. Dancing was also used in the worship of gods and temples. Dancers were not restricted to temples, however, and offered a well-liked kind of entertainment across ancient Egypt. Dancing was connected to the elevation of earthly pleasures, human sexuality, and religious commitment, all at the same time.
Music transcends generations, and while the music of today is different from ancient Egypt’s, it still plays the same role – it holds your hands through the biggest moments of your life.