Ancient Mesopotamian Music

1. Ancient Mesopotamian Music

3. Idiophones • KRATAL = rattle • URUDU NIG-KAL-GA = large copper or bronze bell

4. KRATEL (?)

5. URUDU NIG-KAL-GA

8. Membranophones • UB [Akk. “uppu”] = drum • SU UB = drum made from skin, leather • UB-ZABAR = drum made of bronze • BALAG [Akk., Ass. “balaggu”, “balangu”, “palagga”, “pelaggu”] = drum made from two skulls, hourglass drum • BALAG-DI [Akk. “tumbuttu”, “timbputu”] = smaller version of BALAG • DUB = drumhead made of copper

9. A-LA / SU A-LA = giant suspended drum • LILIS = [Akk. “lilissu”] large (stationary) and small (processional) goblet drums • AD-A-PA [Akk. “adapu”]= timbrel with rectangular frame and two skin-heads • su ME-ZE [Akk. “mezu”, “manzu”] = tambourine with one head

10. BALAG-DI

11. A-LA / SU A-LA

12. LILIS

13. AD-A-PA

14. su ME-ZE

16. Aerophones • TI-GI [Akad. “tigu”, “tegu”] = vertically held reed • KA-GI = mouth reed • IMIN-E TI-GI = “seven note” reed • GI-GID / GI-BU/ GIS-SIR = long reed • GI-DIM = large reed • NA [Akad. “nabu”] = single beating reed (cf. clarinet) • GI-ER-RA / GI-IR-RA = “lament”

17. S[H]EM [Akk. “halhallatu”] = double pipe • GIS HAR-HAR = double pipe made of wood • KITMU [Akk. “katamu”] = reed covered by cap of rush, gourd, wood or horn • PITU = curved single beating reed • DUN-GI GU = “bent pipe” • PULLU / MEKKU / KIZALLU = military trumpets

18. SIM / SI-IM / SI-IM-DA / SI-IM-DU = blowing horn • KARAN = war trumpets

19. TI-GI

20. S[H]EM

21. SIM / SI-IM / SI-IM-DA / SI-IM-DU

22. Chordophones • AL = harp • GIS ZAG-SAL = cross-string harp • GIS MIRITU = little harp • GIS SABITU = seven-stringed harp • GIS PAN-TAG-GA = bow-shaped harp • LU GIS PAN-TAG-GA = to “hit” or “strike the GIS PAN-TAG-GA

23. HUL [SI-SA] = upright harp • GIS AL-GAR = lyre • SINNITU = lute • SA-LI-NE-LU = psaltery

24. GIS PAN-TAG-GA

27. HUL [SI-SA]

28. GIS AL-GAR

34. SINNITU