One of the civilizations, whose existence is widely documented by other civilizations of the ancient world, are the Phoenicians.
Phenicia is an ancient region between the eastern coast of the Mediterranean Sea and the Jordan River, which covers large areas of the current countries of Syria, Israel, Lebanon and Palestine, just off the island of Cyprus.
The Phoenicians inhabited this area long before the year 3,000 BC, its inhabitants were of Semitic origin and were more known in antiquity as "Canaanites" and their territory as "Canaan" (widely named in the Old Testament of the Bible and the Jewish Torah ).
Phenicia was a territory that suffered many invasions, destructions and wars by other Semitic and non-Semitic tribes such as the invasions of Amorites, Hyksos, Hurrians, Hittites, Egyptian and Hebrew "peoples of the Sea" but without there being a sudden change in their habits although a cultural appropriation of the knowledge and arts of the invaders.
The Phoenicians have been documented by other civilizations of the Ancient World for their main activity: Commerce, especially in the time of the Hurrians around 1750 BC. C. They were the great merchants of the ancient world and this trade spread their culture throughout the Mediterranean coast: their language, their alphabet, their knowledge of ceramics and of course: their music.
As a result of their main activity, they created Phoenician colonies near cities with a greater civilization, where they had their own supply ports on long trips through the Mediterranean. It is known that the Phoenicians were the first colonists of the south of the Iberian Peninsula, establishing themselves in Malaka and Gadir (today being the cities of Malaga and Cádiz).
From the Phoenicians are born many musical instruments that were transcendental in other cultures during the Ancient World and that are predecessors of some current instruments, such as:
- The double Aulos: a wind instrument that would be in Ancient Greece very precious.
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| Double Aulos of the Ancient Greece |
- The Psalter: string instrument that had its heyday until Medieval Europe.
- The Frame Drum: which has evolved to this day, but has been widely used in Egypt.
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| Egyptian drum in the Cairo Museum |
- The Lira: Pulsed string instrument that, along with the Double Aulus, had its apogee in the culture of Ancient Greece.
Although there are no physical vestiges of Phenicia, if there is an enormous cultural value inherited from this civilization in all ancient Eastern and Western cultures that has survived to this day.
About the Author:
My name is Gabriel Beguerie, I'm a Music Teacher and Piano Teacher in the city of Mar del Plata, Argentina.
Currently I work at the Luis Gianneo Provincial Conservatory and the Art No. 1 High School.
Passionate about History in general and the History of Music in particular.
Contact: gabriel.arturo.beguerie@gmail.com
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