The development of musical instruments and their reflections in the Hittite civilization

Musical Instruments

Musical instruments are classified into three groups: percussion, string, and wind. There is no detailed information about the structure of musical instruments. Musical instruments accompany many ceremonies, are sanctified as cult objects, and are maintained. As understood from the texts, we see musical instruments in festival ceremonies, death rituals, and sacrificial rites.

Percussion Instruments

Skinned percussion drums, tambourines, goblet drums, and cymbals belong to this group. 'Walh' is a verb used to describe percussion instruments, meaning 'to hit.' Instruments such as 'Hububal,' 'arkammi,' 'galgalturi,' 'BALAG. DI,' 'mari,' 'mukar' are examples of percussion instruments. Female musicians called 'Arkamiyala' used to play these instruments. Verbs that mean 'to strike,' such as 'galgalturi,' can have different meanings in texts. This word means 'to cut, chop off,' indicating clues for us to infer about musical instruments.

Wind Instruments

Flutes, double flutes, and pipes form the group of wind instruments. In the texts, we see these instruments described with the verb 'pariparai,' which means 'to blow,' indicated with the 'SÌR' verb. Musicians playing the flute performed music, especially for the God Hulla. The names of these instruments are 'GI. GÌD,' 'šawatar,' and 'ŠULPATU.' The Hittite texts mention the performance of 'ŠULPATU' during lamentations.

String Instruments

Lyres, harps, and stringed instruments fall into the group of string instruments. 'DINGIR. INANNA' and 'SÀ. ATAR/TIBULA' are examples of stringed instruments. We learn from Hittite textual sources that the Hittite equivalent of the word 'zinar' is 'lyre.'

Songs and Singers

Hittite artists express themselves by singing songs and performing with musical instruments, nourishing their spirits. There is no clear information about the education of singers in Hittite sources, and it is believed that there was an apprentice-master relationship. In songs, the solo and chorus forms (Antiphonal singing) stand out. As it was a country with different ethnic groups, it is possible to see songs in different languages such as Hurrian, Hattic, Luvian. Songs like lamentations, festival celebrations, death rituals, cult meals, sacrificial rites, during wars, and 'tiyarra' songs with unknown meanings are used in magic and rituals. Sun gods like Hepat and protective gods like Lamma have become subjects of songs.

Archaeological Findings of Music

Alacahöyük

Alacahöyük is a mound located in the village of Hüyük, 15 km northwest of Çorum province. Sun courses are found here. Instruments are used for making sound during magic, rituals, and festivals, having handles, stalks, idol-shaped, human or animal-shaped
(Ekmen 2016: 151–153).

İkiztepe

It is a mound located 7 km northwest of the town of Bafra in Samsun province. Decorated rattles have been found here.

Demircihöyük

It is a mound located approximately 25 km west of the town of Çukurhisar, west of Eskişehir province. Rattles have been found here, except for children's toy rattles, there are also those considered as sonorous musical instruments, known as maracas.

Kültepe

It is an ancient city and archaeological site where the ruins of Kanesh are located in Kayseri. Baked clay rattles and metal bells have been found here (Masalcı Şahin 2019: 205).

Horoztepe

It is a mound located just east of the center of Erbaa district, affiliated to Tokat province. Sun courses, bells, and sistrum are found. Horn projections are made on both sides of the sistrum, and there is a bird figure on the horn. Sound is intended to be produced through the placed discs (Çınaroğlu, 2014: 70).

Acemhöyük

It is a mound located in the village of Yeşilova, 18 km northwest of the center of Aksaray province. A seal impression with a depiction of a lyre has been found.

Karahöyük

It is a mound located approximately 7 km southwest of the center of Konya province. A seal in the style of Syria has been found, showing an angled harp played by a standing woman. A figure playing a harp instrument is found in front of the Sumerian god of knowledge Enki (Alp, 1994, pp. 110–112).

Musical Depictions in Archaeological Artefacts

İnandıktepe Vase

It is a cult vase consisting of four reliefs depicting sacred marriage and preparations for the ceremony. In the first relief, acrobatic dancers accompanied by lyre, lute, and cymbals are depicted, and the sexual penetration of a sex worker by a man in the temple is depicted. The second relief includes depictions of a woman and a man playing the lyre and lute. The third relief includes a depiction of a musician playing the lyre. The fourth relief depicts musicians playing the lute and lyre preparing pottery for the ceremony.

Hüseyindede Vase

It is a large cult vase consisting of four reliefs depicting a festival ceremony for the god Telepinu. Musicians playing the lyre, lute, and stringed instrument are depicted.

Bitik Vase

It is a five-relief vase that cinematically narrates a sacred marriage ceremony. Here, an instrument thought to be 'mari' is found.

Fist-Shaped Cup

Made of silver and depicting offerings and rituals for the storm god. Lyres and trumpet instruments are found in the cup. Similar lyres are found in late reliefs.

Alacahöyük Orthostats

Located 36 km northeast of Hattuša in Çorum province. There is a depiction of an instrument thought to be a wind instrument with tassel decorations.

• References:

1. Alp, S. (1994) Cylindrical and Stamp Seals Found in Karahöyük Excavations in Konya (2nd Edition) Ankara: Turkish Historical Society Printing House.
2. Ardzınba, V. (2010) Ancient Anatolian Rituals and Myths (Translated by Orhan Uravelli) Ankara.
3. Çınaroğlu, A. (2014) Hittites, Current Archaeology 38, 58-75.
4. Ekmen, H. (2016) Observations on Baked Clay Rattles Found in Anatolia Istanbul: Archaeology and Art Publications.
5. Karaağaç B. (2018) Music in Anatolia in Archaeological Ages, Journal of Trakya University Social Sciences, (263- 283).
6. Kilmer A. and Foxvog, D. A. (1975) Benno Landsberger ‘s Lexicographical Contributions, JCS 27 No :2:65 – 126.