The Original Rave: Music, Dance and Drugs in Ancient Egypt
While the lives of the ancient Egyptians may seem removed from our own by centuries, their leisurely pursuits were not so different from our own. Music was an integral part of the daily lives of ancient Egyptians. Banquets and festivities were a common way to pass idle time. Sensual activity and eroticism were a central aspect of these parties. Drinking beer and wine and consuming narcotics were a fairly common practice.
Music was a critical aspect of both Egyptian religion and its culture. Music was believed to pacify the gods as well as men and any banquet of note would include musical performances. The Three Female Musicians wall relief discovered at the Tomb of Nakht.C. is a single example among dozens of artifacts depicting how integral music was to ancient Egyptian society. Many depictions and artifacts exist including a number of instruments that have been preserved. However, we don’t really know how they may have sounded as there is no written record of annotated music.
Egyptian sculptures and paintings from the New Kingdom suggest that music was the domain of women. Along with the music provided by the female musicians, dancers both male and female performed. The ancient Egyptian band consisted of flutes, harps, lyres, drums and lutes. Egyptian statues usually show the goddess of music Hathor holding the sistrum, a maraca-like ritual instrument. Worship at the temple of Hathor was frequently accompanied by the performance of female musicians.
Those who enjoyed music in ancient Egypt usually did so at a festival or banquet. Along with the music wine was plentiful. The Egyptians also enjoyed beer which was often flavored with regional fruits. These banquets emphasized the exotic and erotic with special emphasis on pleasing the senses of taste and smell. Egyptian banquets were often the place were narcotic flowers were combined with wine to increase the euphoric experience.
To enhance the party experience, those who attended a banquet were often given flower blossoms to sniff during the entertainment. Sweet smelling fragrant ointments were placed in the wigs of banquet attendees to please the sense of smell.
The center of attraction at an Egyptian banquet was sure to be the performance of the dancers. In ancient Egyptian culture men generally danced with men and women with women. The dances could range from slow, fluid movements to more vigorous performances that border on the acrobatic.
Tags: ancient culture, ancient egypt, egyptian art, egyptian culture, egyptian dance, egyptian music
