A Hurrian Cult Song from Ancient Ugarit


The most ancient example of written song. A hymn to Nikkal, wife of the moon god. The text is written upon a fragmented tablet and, therefore, is incomplete. The hymn has four stanzas, each with a refrain. Stanzas 1 and 4 are imitation, and stanzas 2 and 3 are identical musically. The singer is accompanied by a lyra. The lyra harmony is predominantly in thirds and sixths, a few fourths, and one fifth. There are startling similarities between the Babylonian principles of music theory and those used by ancient Greeks. Moreover, the Babylonian principles antedate the Greek ones by more than a millenium. The Babylonians seem to have used music exclusively in connection with religious observances and festivals. The names of lyra/kithara strings and musical pitches were related to their cult deities and to the planets in a cosmology similar to Greek philosophers’ “harmony of the spheres.”

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4,125 Responses to “A Hurrian Cult Song from Ancient Ugarit”

  1. ThreeRavens2112 Says:

    According to the docs I have been reading about the Hymn to Nikkal is that it also had tuning instructions for the lyre.

  2. lessermystery Says:

    Well, at least by spouting off I got to learn something new, and facinatingly consistent with how many of these ancient civilizations seemed to spring up, already mature. If memory serves, Sumer is one such. Anyway, I”m grateful to all of the scholars and musicians for this amazing effort.

  3. rakkav Says:

    In archaeology, the oldest surviving instruments are actually flutes (some go to the Neanderthal period)! But I think Curt Sachs” assessment is still sound: music began with singing.

    All the instruments you mention appear at about the same time in Mesopotamia, cradle of civilization. It may be a moot point as to which appeared first, given the nature of the evidence, but there are certainly books that list what instruments are known in what locales in what periods (catch all those caveats)?

  4. lessermystery Says:

    I”ll have to familiarize myself with the Bedouin-like nomads. It”s fun to try to guess in which order the instruments made their appearance, and not all that easy, unless one is super familair with the ages and devices of the ages, which Im not. That said, here”s my guess:
    1 rattle
    2 drum
    3 lute
    4 reed pipes
    5 lyre
    6 harp

    I can”t help but recall the saying “it”s better to keep silent and be thought a fool, then to open ones mouth and remove all doubt.” o_o

  5. lessermystery Says:

    good info. maybe it will grace you tube soon. in the meantime, i”ll head over to these sites. this rendering is marvelous. i can hear echos of liturgical hymns that i grew up with in the church. the photos shown, along with the hymn really takes you there.

  6. rakkav Says:

    @lessermystery : Yes, the lyre is one of the oldest instruments. The lyre you”re hearing is a modern replica of the Silver Lyre of Ur, which I”ve seen in the British Museum and is much older even than the song. Other instruments of the time included the harp, the rattle, the lute and various flutes, reed pipes and drums. No bowed instruments are portrayed, even though Bedouin-like nomads may have had them.

  7. ChironCane Says:

    The page with the music and lyrics which has been used as a still within your video was created by Professor Anne Kilmer. She and Professor Theo Krispijn have worked together with Declann Flynn (Al-pha-X) and Tiger Shade recording studi/avatl is thdlNethermagnifi_cene recinstructios of the Hymn to Nikkar. You can/viee itoan the Tiger ShadeRrecordinse pageoanMySprace(tTigesShad recordins)y and teyre is alsoar videooanVtimto whichtl vidas a ynchiroriznd rislany of the wodss in Hurriam.

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    wod! Did, the lyreexlist the? Wthat were the taid instrument)?

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    Iheave this recording( and knoo one ofints outors)s. This sont”s bvenbumpred fromintssla thdsf the oldest known song.T here”s one known from Mesopotami knoo thae”sdeatedhrouglyn a milleeniu earlimer.(!). It”soanEnstempleadeOrgdlN.grphiat”s “Mmusic of theAancient Greek, Egyptriaesaand Sumeriaet”n, along withM.L. Wdest”s renictios of tiesaandNether Hurrian cult hymnr.(Wdest”sdeciophesment is muchdiffearen,d as ereaat leastheighdNetheratptepts.).

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