Egyptian influences in Ancient Mesopotamian music? Updates and New Insights

Previous research has normally stressed the presence of Mesopotamian (and Western Asiatic in general) musicians in Ancient Egypt and their influences on Egyptian organology and musical repertoire.

When interacting, two cultures usually influence each other, even if one could exercise a larger influence over the other one. In that way, one might expect, at least, some Egyptian influences on Ancient Western Asiatic, particularly Mesopotamian, music. However, while some modern observations for Asiatic regions such as Canaan and the city-state of Ugarit already exist, nothing exists yet for Mesopotamia beyond the already outdated Hickmann ZDMG 111/1 (1960), 36.

Therefore, the present paper will begin and examination of all the possible Egyptian influences in Ancient Mesopotamian music. Three specific musical aspects will focus the attention of this study: (1) the possible presence of Egyptian musicians in Mesopotamia, (2) influences on organology and (3) playing techniques. Furthermore, a comparison with the Egyptian influences on Canaanite and Ugaritic music will be established. Textual sources (never considered by Hickmann), alongside the currently available archaeological and iconographical material, will be considered for reaching these aims.