Ancient Egyptian Music and Instruments Through the Ages

New Kingdom Music and Cultural Exchange

The New Kingdom saw Egypt expel foreign rulers, establish a new capital in Thebes, and enjoy a brilliant period of prosperity in the history of Egypt. After the Syrian conquest, the repercussions were great in Egyptian music. In the Egyptian court, the first Syrian-native musicians entertained the court with new instruments introduced from the Orient.

This period saw a change in dance and music, which came alive again with sensual rhythms. Music took on a new social function, as women began to play the sistrum.

Instruments multiplied, and new and old types appeared. Some were preserved, such as the gold and silver trumpets found in Tutankhamun's tomb, which were used to accompany royal ceremonies.

Percussion instruments also arrived, such as crotals, rattles, and rectangular and round drums.

String instruments included the harp, angular harps, lyres, and lutes. Asian and Persian influences led to a greater number of strings and larger sizes.

As a consequence of this evolution, Egyptian instruments gradually lost their role and were replaced by Asian ones.

The Third Intermediate Period and Late Times

During the fragmented Intermediate Period, the empire declined and foreigners dominated Egypt, including the Libyans, Saites, and Persians.

Foreign influences were strong. The Saite pharaohs favored music and instruments associated with Egyptian tradition over foreign ones. Music was closely tied to religious ceremonies, and musicians could not create new melodies unless they were known and approved. The nome emerged as the first melody with defined characteristics.

The Greco-Roman Era

In 332 BC, Egypt was conquered by Alexander the Great. During this period, Egyptians could no longer influence music, as Greeks and Romans introduced a new musical culture. Musicians were protected by the Ptolemaic court. After the Macedonians, Egypt lost its independence, but its ancient civilization was revived by the Egyptians in the 1st century.

Musical Instruments in Egypt

There are three main types of instruments:

Percussion Instruments

• Crotals: Large, elongated castanets similar to those of Madrid. Women in their dances were accompanied by men playing them. Their handles were decorated with animal heads and held by a cord. They were originally made of wood and later of ivory, shaped like hands. Later they were made of metal and were also used in the military.
• Menat: A pair of metal or wooden crotals with a U-shaped clip and two flat weights. The menat belonged to the Middle Kingdom and was associated with the goddess Hathor. It was a sacred instrument used in religious rites.
• Cymbals: Two thin, curved metal plates joined by a cord passed through a central perforation. They were about 15 cm in diameter and were used in the Late Period.
• Sistrum: The quintessential Egyptian instrument. It had an official religious character and was mounted on a female head representing a goddess. There were two types: the sistrum naos, with a box-shaped frame and loose rods, and the sistrum with arcs, which had metal bars bent at the ends. Shaking it produced a jingling sound.
• Drums: Egyptian drums came in several types:
  • a) The cylindrical drum, about one meter tall, with a long or short body.
  • b) The tambourine, circular and of various sizes. The largest were hung from the shoulder and struck by another person. In the New Kingdom some were rectangular, used to accompany dances and songs.
  • c) The baked clay drum, funnel-shaped with a skin head, often shown in bas-reliefs.

String Instruments

Egyptian bas-reliefs were not very precise, which makes it difficult to know the instruments accurately.

• Harp (bow harp): About 1.5 to 2 meters tall in the Old and Middle Kingdoms, it later grew in size and in number of strings. It was called the trine and was imported from Asia. Harps were also played on the shoulder.
• Lyre: Imported from Syria, it was played with one or two plectra. It was played horizontally and had a variable number of strings, usually up to eight. Some still survive.
• Lute: Greeks knew it during the later periods, though its origin is probably Asian. It had few strings and was played with a plectrum. Its long neck was used only in Egypt.
• Trigon: A large triangular harp with a vertical soundboard and vertical strings, covering two octaves. It is not depicted in Egypt, confirming its foreign origin.

Wind Instruments

Flutes were an important instrument, though in representations it is not always possible to appreciate the type used. Transverse flutes could be played from the mouth. The following wind instruments existed:

• Transverse flute: Without a reed, made of cane, depicted in Egyptian monuments. It accompanied harp, singing, and dancing.
• Oboe: A single-reed tube with a double reed, used to accompany songs and dances, appearing after the flute.
• Double clarinet: Made of two tubes, each with its own reed and bell.
• Bent clarinet: Made of two tubes at an angle, each with its own reed and bell. It is not clear whether the clarinet was played double. It originated in Asia and was introduced into Egypt during the New Kingdom.
• Conical trumpet: A conical shape with a short end, used in the Middle Kingdom and for military functions.
• Hydraulic organ: Appeared in Egypt around 300 BC and was invented by Ctesibius of Alexandria. It used a water tank to maintain air pressure.