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The Sacred Music of the Sistrum and Frame Drum: Percussion Instruments in the Worship of Goddesses from Ancient Mesopotamia, Egypt, Greece and Rome
Francesca Tronetti
Abstract: This work examines two instruments used in creating sacred music; the sistrum, or rattle, and the frame drum. Using feminist theory as a lens the article discusses the role of female musicians in the creation of sacred music. Archaeological and iconographic evidence are employed to demonstrate the common usage of the drum in sacred music dedicated to goddesses. Evidence of the drum as an instrument primarily used by women is discussed in connection to Goddess worship. First discussed in this paper is Inanna from Mesopotamia, and her role in introducing the drum as a sacred instrument and its use in mourning rituals. Next are Isis and Hathor from Egypt, and how the sistrum was a symbol of female creativity. Misconceptions regarding the role of women in sacred rites in Greece are explored as is their role in the preservation of Greek culture. Also discussed is how the Roman altered the worship of the imported Goddesses Isis and Cybele including how the Romans combined Egypt’s sistrum with the frame drum to create the tambourine.
Keywords: Sistrum, Frame Drum, Inanna, Cybele, Isis, Hathor, musical rituals
What is Sacred Music and Who Were the Players?
Fine art museums contain paintings and artifacts from all over the world. Greek and Roman wall art, Egyptian papyri, even early Christian art are frequently on display in most major art museums. One commonality that can be seen is that women are predominantly musicians in sacred festivals and processions. Even more intriguing is that women are depicted as playing the same few musical instruments throughout time and across cultures: frame drum, some form of rattle and a harp or lyre. Music has been and …
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S/HE: An International Journal of Goddess Studies Volume 1 Number 1 (2022)