Summary of music in Ancient Egypt

Ancient Egypt has left a great contribution in all the arts and especially in music. 

It would be necessary to reveal the whole history of this civilization so as to understand its legacy. However it is necessary to emphasize that there were 4 historical periods of Ancient Egypt: 

1.  Pharaonic or ancient empire: where not only the aforementioned instruments emerge, but it is at this time that the pyramids of Giza, Kefren and Mycerino are built.This stage lasted approximately 500 years from 2686 to 2181 BC.
2.  Middle Empire: that will be developed until 1700 before Christ and the Empire extends beyond the Nile to reach the Mediterranean Sea. This period culminates with the invasion of the Hyksos (it was not an invasion through war but through trade) that would form a dynasty in the later period.
3.  New Empire: Dominated by the dynasty of the Hyksos took place until 332 a. During this stage there was a decline of the Egyptian culture due to migrations, trade and the continuous incursions of the Assyrians, Ethiopians and later the Persians who conquered a large part of the territory.
4.  The Ptolemies or Hellenistic period: in the year 332 BC, it was neither the Assyrians nor the Ethiopians nor the Persians who invaded and conquered Egypt completely, although they had weakened it too much; but it was the Greek Alexander the Great who finally conquered Egypt as a new property of Greece. For this reason I will not take into account the musical instruments of this stage since they come from Greece and not mainly from the Egyptian culture. At this stage Ptolemy proclaimed himself king after Alexander the Great died and founded a Greco-Egyptian dynasty until the invasion of the Romans in 31 BC.

Ancient Egypt was a very rich culture in terms of the arts due to the exchange with other civilizations. Western culture is born with Greece, it is home to many cultural features of ancient Egypt including music and various instruments that I mentioned in previous entries.

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