The harp, tambourine and flute were staples in Ancient Egypt’s music culture and are a testament to their pioneering music ingenuity, said Egyptologist Dr. Bassam Al-Shamaa.
He told Asharq Al-Awsat: “The inscriptions inside the royal and private tombs clearly showed that the harp is an Egyptian instrument par excellence, and that the ancient Egyptian were credited for inventing it.”
The National Museum of Egyptian Civilization displays a group of musical instruments that were famous in Ancient Egypt.
On the occasion of World Music Day on June 21, the Egyptian Museum in Tahrir is currently displaying 22 artifacts that showcase the importance of music in Ancient Egypt.
They include a wooden model depicting a musical band performing, which dates back to the times of the Middle Kingdom, and a small vaulted funerary plaque that has a harp player’s inscription on it. On display also are single and double flutes made of reeds, and two pieces of colored leather, which were used as drum covers.
The idea of the musical band originated back in Pharaonic Egypt, which can be confirmed by the drawings and inscriptions on the artifacts on display at the Egyptian museum.
