Legendary Ancient Musicians Charmed Beasts, Sirens and Even Hades Himself
Music has had the magical power to charm wild animals, seduce shrewd sirens and even sway Hades himself. Music provides the notes for mythology, where mortals melt the frozen hearts of ancient gods to move and intervene.
Apollo holds a kithara in his left hand and pours a libation with his right hand. From a tomb (probably that of a priest) in Delphi. Archaeological Museum of Delphi. (CC BY-SA 2.0)
Music has been an integral part of the world’s culture since prehistorical times and discoveries of ancient musical instruments are still being made to this day. Excavations at the early Neolithic site of Jiahu in Henan Province, China, (7000 - 5700 BC), have produced what may be the earliest complete and playable multinote musical instruments. A sarcophagus representing the oldest illustration of the seven-string lyre and double flute accompanying a ritual from the Minoan Period (3000 - 1400 BC) was also discovered in Crete. Another wide variety of stringed instruments, such as the Ravanahatha, have also been recovered from archaeological sites of the Indus Valley Civilization.
