Ancient Cultures: Mesopotamian Music

Mesopotamian Music

When we study ancient cultures, it is necessary to examine as many aspects of that culture as is possible, though sometimes, there are aspects which are considerably more difficult to study than others. One such aspect is music. Music is difficult because it leaves no physical remains once it s no longer being played, so we must infer what it may have sounded like based entirely on the rare remains of instruments which we find, or the even rarer inscriptions about the playing of music. Music is one of those aspects of a culture which can tell us a great deal. In studying the music of the ancient Mesopotamians, in all its facets, we can come to understand a great deal about their society and culture. In particular, how they thought about music, and the manner in which it was used and performed. By examining the way the Mesopotamians thought about music, and their ideas of what it was for and where it came from, we can better understand their views of different forms of communication, the gods, and of the world.

Assyrian Reliefs of instruments

In order to understand the way the Mesopotamian people and society understood and used music, we must first examine the instruments that they used, as these were the basic structure which allowed their music to come into being, and to become an ingrained part of the culture. Much of the evidence for musical instruments comes to us from Assyrian Reliefs of Musicians and instruments, as well as the environments in which their music would have been present, in particular, one well-known Assyrian relief, the garden party relief, from the North Palace of Ashurbanipal, shows musicians playing for Ashurbanipal and his wife, soon after he has returned from battle, and is hosting a g...

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