Music and Dance Echoes from Ancient Greece Μusic and dance had a significant role in ancient Greek society as well as for people in prehistoric times. It was an integral part of Apollo is often an emblem on coins. Silver stater of the Amphictyon Union religious and funerary rites, (346 BC, Museum of Coins) sacrifices and processions, it Mythological scene depicting Zeus in the centre and the Curetes sounding their accompanied soldiers on the Three Ancient Greek myths echo drums on the sides (Bronze drum from the battlefield (paeans), students in music and dance to the present Ideon Cave in Crete, late 8th century BC, education and people in their Heraklion Archaeological Museum) day. They associate the birth of various aspects of private life: Dancing with marriage, royal feasts, farming Evidence about music and dance o the Curetes, people who nursed activities and daily chores. In comes from figurines, paintings young Zeus on the island of fact, music was considered to be a and reliefs on vases depicting Crete, gift from the Muses and Apollo, musical and dance performances, as o the Nymphs, caretakers of Zeus and both the gods and ordinary well as the musical instruments in a cave at Mount Ida in people took great pleasure in it. that have been preserved. Crete, Three of the Muses were associated o the Nereids, the sea nymphs, with Dance: Urania (muse of who sang, danced and played astronomy), Polyhymnia and music while gliding on the Terpsichore (fun in dance) were waves on dolphins or while considered the protectors of resting on beaches. Dance. Curetes dancing while young Zeus is nursing on the milk of the goat Clay figurine depicting a female Amalthea. The woman seated to the left figure dancing (mid 4th century is probably Nemesis or Crete (Marble BC, National Archaeological relief, base part, around 160 AD, Rome Museum of Athens) Museo Capitolino) Sacrifice scene: Two young musicians, Music class at school : The one playing a double flute and the bearded teacher and the student other the lyre. (540-530 BC, Athens are clearly visible each holding a Funerary scene: A woman with her hair Archaeological Museum) lyre. Detail from a red figure loose is in mourning. Detail from red vase (485-480 BC, Berlin) figure vase dating back to the 5th century BC. (National Archaeological Museum of Athens) A group of women preparing the dough for bread to the sounds of flute playing. Figurines (late 6th Young women dancing the “virginal” century BC, Paris, Louvre Museum) (calyx-shaped red figure crater from Attica, 5th century BC, National Museum of Rome) Ομάδα γυναικών ζυμώνει υπό τους ήχους αυλών Σύμπλεγμα ου ειδωλίων (ηέλη 6 αι πΧ), Παρίζι, Μουζείο Λούβρου A group of women knead the sounds yard Bronze regiment of seven dancers from figurines Complex Scene depicting a Symposium from a Phalanx of soldiers marching into Olympia (9th century BC, National red figure vase (515-510 BC, battle to the sound of flutes playing. (late 6th century Archaeological Museum of Athens) Brussels, Museum of Art and History) Scene from a Corinthian vase. (650-640 BC), Paris, Louvre BC, Rome) Museum Musical Instruments in Ancient Greece Songs in ancient Greece were usually accompanied by a musical instrument. The Greeks were not particularly fond of using too many musical instruments in a song because they thought it obscured the human voice. So musical instruments, when not used to perform instrumental music, were used in order to accompany the singer. Ancient musical instruments were divided into three main categories: string, wind and percussion. STRING Harp or Triangle Guitar Barbitos Lyre cymbals PERCUSSION Pandura Phorminx Crotalum Kroupezion WIND Aulos or Flute Diaulos or Double Flute Cymbals Bells Salpinx or Trumpet Pan Flute Seistron Tympanum or Hand Drum .