The Music and Dance of the Ancients

The Music and Dance of the Ancients aislynn RObertson

MUSIC WAS A SIGNIFICANT PART OF EVERYDAY LIFE IN ANCIENT EGYPT. IT IS OFTEN SHOWED IN MURALS BY PEOPLE PLAYING INSTRUMENTS AND DANCERS DANCING AND A FEW OTHER PEOPLE JUST SITTING AROUND LISTENING AWND WATCHING.

In many different hieroglyphs there are depictions of musical instruments, and they have instruments from most of the musical families (Wind, String, Percussion). Many of the instruments are found buried with the dead and have the names Hathor and Bes on them.

Hathor and Bes are the Egyptian gods of music. Hathor is one of the most famous goddesses and is known as "The Great One of Many Names". She had many attributes and was a symbol and goddess of many things, including music. Bes is a dwarf god and is also a very complex god. He was a deity and a demonic fighter. Like Hathor, he has many attributes. The most known ones are War, Patron Childbirth and home, sexuality, humor, music and dancing.

Singing in Egypt was also highly regarded like its musical counterpart and was most common among females. There are said to be many outstanding singers during that age, Including one named Amen Inaros.

Music was very important during ceremonies as well. They often find song inscriptions found on tombs that also have a harps accompaniment music with it. Clapping hands while singing was also an integral part of this and is considered to be sacred.

There isn't much that is known about dancing in Ancient Egypt. Many depictions that we have found, show people dancing at ceremonies and the enthronement of a new king. There aren't any known depictions of men and women dancing together that we have found. We believe, that they got their form of dance from Nubian influences.

In some ways, dance in Egypt was similar to modern ballet. It was meant to be expressive and even a few of them seemed to include gymnastics. On a few special occasions, servants or haram members were chosen to dance slow, elegant steps that we believe also included some acrobatic movements.

Here is one of the songs they used to play at ceremonies and the crowning of a king.

Land of the Pharaohs

Links Used:

http://www.ancient-egypt-online.com/egyptian-music.html
http://www.ancientegyptonline.co.uk/bes.html

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Aislynn

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