Sistrum

sechem
SHM
determinative and ideogram for "sistrum"

Sistrum (Egyptian sixth , Greek: seistron ) is a frame rattle that is historically known from the cult music of Mesopotamia and ancient Egypt . A sistrum is on a 2600 BC. Depicted dated cylinder seal of Sumer . In Roman Egypt , women used sistras in the cult of Isis .

The ancient Egyptian sistrum consists of a metal bow with a stem and bent into an oval shape. Metal rods go through the middle of the bracket and move back and forth in wide holes, making a rattling noise when dancing. The stem is usually adorned with a head of Hathor , more rarely of the god Bes .

The "Sistrum columns" which adorn the temple of Hathor in Dendera are named after this . These have capitals that show Hathor's head on four sides, while the upper part of the column shows the Mammisi . The sistrum was also shown on Roman coins as a symbol of Isis.

Sistrum, Egyptian, around 350 BC BC ( Egyptian Museum Berlin )
Two princesses with sistras, fragment of a grave relief from Thebes, around 1365 BC BC ( Egyptian Museum Berlin )
Isis with sistrum in her right hand on the coin of Claudius Gothicus

The Marawe-Sistrum of the Oriental Christians, consisting of a metal disc with rattles on the edge, represents an instrument-related link to the rattle drums also used in the Orient for religious ceremonies . The sistrum used in the liturgy of the Ethiopian Orthodox Church is called ts'anats'el or sanasel .

In the Asterix band Der Seher , the voice of the Bard Troubadix from Automatix is compared with the sound of a sistrum.

Web links

Commons : Sistrum - collection of images, videos and audio files

Sistrum. In: William Smith: A Dictionary of Greek and Roman Antiquities. Published by John Murray, London 1875

Individual evidence

^ Marcelle Duchesne-Guillemin: Music in Ancient Mesopotamia and Egypt. In: World Archeology. Vol. 12, No. 3, February 1981: Archeology and Musical Instruments. Pp. 287-297, here p. 289.
↑ Harry Eilenstein: Isis. The story of the goddess from the Stone Age to today. Books on Demand, Norderstedt 2011, ISBN 978-3-8423-8189-6 , pp. 33–41 → Chapter From the Sistrum Rattle to the Sechem Scepter. ( Book preview ).
^ German Asterix Archive: Lexicon - Sistrum. On: comedix.de German Asterix Archive 1998-2014, last accessed on August 20, 2014.

[1] Marcelle Duchesne-Guillemin: Music in Ancient Mesopotamia and Egypt. In: World Archeology. Vol. 12, No. 3, February 1981: Archeology and Musical Instruments. Pp. 287-297, here p. 289.

[2] Harry Eilenstein: Isis. The story of the goddess from the Stone Age to today. Books on Demand, Norderstedt 2011, ISBN 978-3-8423-8189-6 , pp. 33–41 → Chapter From the Sistrum Rattle to the Sechem Scepter. ( Book preview ).

[3] German Asterix Archive: Lexicon - Sistrum. On: comedix.de German Asterix Archive 1998-2014, last accessed on August 20, 2014.