Ancient Egyptian Music

Musicians of Amun, Tomb of Nakht, 18th Dynasty, Western Thebes.

The music of Egypt has been an integral part of Egyptian culture since ancient times. The ancient Egyptians cre ite one of their go s !athor "ith the in#ention of music, "hich $siris in turn use as part of his effort to ci#ili%e the "orl .

The earliest material an representational e#i ence of Egyptian musical instruments ates to the &re ynastic perio , but the e#i ence is more securely atteste in the $l 'ing om "hen harps, flutes an ouble clarinets "ere playe . &ercussion instruments, lyres an lutes "ere a e to orchestras by the Mi le 'ing om. Many mo ern ay concert percussion instruments an stringe instruments mo el after ancient Egyptian musical instruments.

(ymbals fre)uently accompanie music an ance, much as they still o in Egypt to ay. Egyptian folk music, inclu ing the tra itional *ufi hikr rituals, are the closest contemporary music genre to ancient Egyptian music, ha#ing preser#e many of its features, rhythms an instruments, an instruments that looke like recor ers an clarinets. +n general, mo ern Egyptian music blen s these in igenous tra itions "ith Turkish, Arabic, an Western elements. Arabic music is usually sai to ha#e begun in the ,th century in *yria uring the -mayya ynasty. Early Arabic music "as influence by .y%antine, +n ian an &ersian forms, "hich "ere themsel#es hea#ily influence by earlier /reek, *emitic, an ancient Egyptian music. The tonal structure of Arabic music is efine by the ma)amat, loosely similar to Western mo es, "hile the rhythm of Arabic music is go#erne by the a%"an 0"a%n, sing.1, forme by combinations of accente an unaccente beats an rests. Typically ancient Egyptian music is compose from the phrygian ominant scale, phrygian scale, Double harmonic scale 0Arabic scale1 or ly ian scale. The phrygian ominant scale may often feature an altere note or t"o in parts to create tension. 2or instance the music coul typically be in the key of E phrygian ominant using the notes E, 2, / sharp, A, ., (, D an then ha#e a A sharp, ., A sharp, / natural an E to create tension. *ince the Nasser era, Egyptian pop music has become increasingly important in Egyptian culture, particularly among the large youth population of Egypt. Egyptian folk music continues to be playe uring "e ings an other tra itional festi#ities. +n the last )uarter of the 34th century, Egyptian

music "as a "ay to communicate social an class issues. Among some of the most popular Egyptian pop singers to ay are Mohame Mounir an Amr Diab. 5eligious music remains an essential part of tra itional Muslim an (optic celebrations calle muli s. Muli s are hel in Egypt to celebrate the saint of a particular church. Muslim muli s are relate to the *ufi %ikr ritual. The Egyptian flute, calle the ney, is commonly playe at muli s. The liturgical music of the (optic (hurch also constitutes an important element of Egyptian music an is sai to ha#e preser#e many features of ancient Egyptian music.

Dance

Dancing playe a #ital role in the li#es of the ancient Egyptians. All social classes "ere e6pose to music an ancing. The laborers "orke in rhythmic motion to the soun s of songs an percussion, an street ancers entertaine passers by. Ancient Egyptian society celebrate life to the fullest "ith festi#als an other occasions to honor their go s an go esses. They styles #arie , some of "hich are emulate to ay. Dance troupes "ere accessible to perform at inner parties, ban)uets, lo ging houses, an e#en religious temples. *ome "omen from "ealthy harems "ere traine in music an ance. They ance for royalty accompanie by female musicians playing on guitars, lyres an

harps. !o"e#er, no "ell7bre Egyptian "oul ance in public, because that "as the pri#ilege of the lo"er classes. Wealthy Egyptians kept sla#es to entertain at their ban)uets, an present pleasant i#ersion to their o"ners. *i6 types of ances8 religious ances non7religious %ombie ances ban)uet ances harem ances combat ances street ances At the en of the fourth century .( there "ere acrobatic ances an pair ances. Men an "omen "ere seen ancing "ith clappers 0"oo en castanets1. *he also a e that ancers of that era use a short cur#e stick or cane "hile ancing "hich is a prop still use by mo ern Egyptian ancers. Ancient Egyptian Dancers ance either as soloists, in pairs or in groups epen ing on the occasion an type of the ance performe . +n solo ances, the king performe the sun ance. &riests esignate as the kings representati#es performe solo ances or le religious ances. At the har#est festi#al, the king or his representati#e ance in honor of Min, a go of fertility. +n pair ancing, it "as either t"o males or females performing their ance as a kin of entertainment. +t "as note in the 9th ynasty that girls hel han s "hile performing unison symmetrical an ramatic mo#ements to e6press emotions as longing or epression "hereas in the :th ynasty girls ance "ith canes. There "ere t"o types of Egyptian group ances. $ne "as performe in in i#i ual mo#ements that confirme a theme or i ea or "as carrie out spontaneously as in prehistoric times. Dancers compete "ith one another, often in groups, substituting mo#ement that "ere later establishe in funeral ances rites. +n the secon group style, pairs or ranks of ancers e6ecute repetiti#e mo#ements in a circle. Traine pair ancers often performe at ban)uets an festi#als.

Costumes and Headdress of Ancient Egyptian Dancers +n the $l 'ing om female ancers "ore short men;s skirts or ance nake "earing <ust a belt aroun their "aist. *ome ancers "ore long or short transparent garments sometimes completely re#ealing the right si e of their chests. Whereas in the Mi le an Ne" king oms ancers "ore transparent broa long cloaks "ith tight or loose slee#es. Dancers a orne themsel#es in brightly ecorate collars, bracelets, earrings, an ribbons or garlan s on their hea s. The ancers also "ore cones ma e of fragrance semi soli fat, use to gi#e out a pleasant perfume as the ancers performe . The $l an Mi le 'ing om "omen;s hair ress "as characteri%e by e#enly cut an smoothly combe o"n, i#i e into t"o thinner plaits hanging from the shoul ers o"n to the chest an one broa plait co#ering the upper part of the back. 2emale ancers "ho i not ha#e long hair resorte to "earing "igs style in the same fashion. The Egyptian male ancers in both the ol an mi le king oms "ore the regular men;s ress #i%. skirt or an apron "ith roun e ges in the front. The ancers of the "arf ances "ore a cro"n ma e of ree s or palm fibers "o#en into the shape of "hite upper Egyptian cro"n. 2or ornaments male ancers "ore collars a orne "ith ties, they also "ore chains aroun their necks, "hereas the younger boys "ore bracelets on their feet.

Musical Instruments The ancient Egyptians use a #ast array of musical instruments such as harps, lutes, rums, flutes, cymbals, clappers an tambourines that playe a prominent role in melo ic compositions of ancient Egyptians composers an musicians. $nly musicians irectly associate "ith the ancers are those clapping their han s, using clappers or playing tambourines, rums, sistrums or other percussion instrument to beat out tempo an rhythm. +t "as rare to fin "in or stringe instrument players close to ancers in the same scene. !o"e#er, it "as note that "hene#er musicians are epicte , ancers "ere not generally far a"ay.

Types of Dancing

Funeral Dances They inclu e three types of ances8 ritual, postures an gestures an secular ances. During the ol king om, <ust after the mummification process "as complete , ances "ere performe by a speciali%e group of la ies kno"n as the acacia house. At .eni !asan, Mi le king om tomb, there are scenes epicting ancers follo"ing the funerary procession an performing acrobats. Another group of funerary ances "ere the m"" 0muu1 7 ancers, kno"n from the ol king om through the Ne" 'ing om. These ancers "ore kilts an ree cro"ns an ances performe "hen the funeral procession reache the tomb, to symbolically ferry the ea across the "aters lea ing to the nether"orl . Dancing "arfs "ere kno"n from the ol king om an "ere pri%e for their rarity. They use to ance at the entrance of the shaft. The ances they performe "ere fare"ell performances associate "ith the eparture of the sun. The "arfs "ere use as they "ere thought to represent the sun ue to their stunte gro"th. Another kin of funeral ance "as seen uring the Mi le an Ne" king oms in celebration of the coming of the go ess !athor 0the la y of runkenness1 "hose responsibility "as to help the ecease enter the un er"orl , an "as the main force behin their rebirth= so an appeal "as recite or sung using percussion instruments an the clapping of han s an sticks. .an)uet scenes represente in Ne" 'ing om tombs combine the ritual an omestic si es of a family feast, "here music an ancing took place to help people forget ho" short their li#es "ere. After the ne" 'ing om changes of tomb ecoration took place funerary ances "ere no longer epicte on tomb "alls but "ere foun in temples instea . The ancing scenes portraye in temples reflecte both royal an i#ine ceremonies. All ancing scenes ha one common feature that being the solemn procession of the sacre barks carrying a go .

Festive Dances *e >festi#al8 ances took place uring <ubilee ceremonies "hich celebrate the rene"al ple ge to the king. *uch ances #arie in accor ance to the religious significance an the reflection of the local mythology of the /o to "hom they "ere irecte . ?alley festi#al8 at Thebes celebrates the /o Amun;s trip from 'arnak temple to #isit the tombs on the West .ank passing by the sanctuary of !athor. As the procession mo#e from one place to another, families re<oice an ance . $pet 2east8 another e#ent associate "ith /o Amun;s #isit to his "ife /o ess Mut from 'arnak Temple to @u6or temple. This procession "as marke by groups of "omen oing acrobatic ances together "ith ark ancers, probably Nubians "ho <umpe an merge "ith the rums. 2east of Min8 go of fertility an regeneration8 The ancers in this feast "ere members of his cult. Dra"ings representing this feast sho"e priests an monkeys ancing. These ra"ings coul ha#e ha a symbolic meaning rather than an actual representation of reality. Nile 2loo 2east8 0The Ne" Aear celebration18 Dancing playe a #ital role in this festi#ity as it helpe transform the angerous *ekhmet into the mil !athor, thereby protecting the ancient lan from *ekhmet;s e#il an ea ly emons. These ances inclu e all possible forms of mo#ement inclu ing acrobats an e6otic foreign ances.

Dramatic Dances Dance ramas pro#i e religious e ucation for young Egyptians the most significant one the $siris fertility rite "hich "as performe both insi e an outsi e of the temple. +t portraye the /o ;s a #entures through mimetic ances.