HISTORY OF MUSIC
Ancient Persia, Elam & Ancient Middle-East
From the fourth millennium to the end of the first millennium BCE
Richard Dumbrill↓

We are honoured to host Richard Dumbrill, archaeomusicologist to have a unique experience understanding music history in the Near East, particularly in Iran. The event covers history from the mid-fourth millennium BCE until the end of BCE. With the participation of musicologist Dr Sevan Habib, soprano. It is a highly educational event, including live music. For the first time, we will unveil a modern interpretation inspired from the oldest harp in the world, exclusively reproduced for Persian Wonders. We are also honoured to display a reproduction of the Elamite harp of the battle of Ulai (653 BCE) and the Elamite lute from the 2nd millennium BC by Richard Dumbrill. Refreshments are also available to be served. The Event Leaflet

Richard J. Dumbrill is a British archaeomusicologist, specialised in the music of the Ancient Near East from the interpretation of cuneiform texts of Music Theory written in Sumerian, Babylonian and Hurrian.

Dumbrill has translated the oldest song ever written, found in northwest Syria at the site of Ugarit. From Woolley's notes, he reconstructed the Silver lyre of Ur (at the British Museum) with Myriam Marcetteau. Dumbrill also rebuilt one of the Elamite harps of the battle of Ulai, with Margaux Bousquet. Dumbrill donated one of his harps to the Ministry of Culture in Iraq. He is the founder, with Irving Finkel, of the International Council of Near Eastern Archaeomusicology (ICONEA) at the Institute of Musical Research, School of AdvancedStudies, University of London. Dumbrill has lectured at Harvard and Yale, Baghdad, Babylon, Beirut, Damascus, Leiden, Rotterdam, Paris, etc.
Source

Live instruments play by Babak Mirzaei (Vocalist and play Tar) and Keyhan Khamoshi (play Tombak) to give a profound experience of the root of ancient music.

Elamite Harp of the battle of Ulai - 653 BCE

Modern Interpretation inspired from the Choga Mish harp mid-fourth millennium BCE

The Reconstruction of a Choga Mish Harp. mid-fourth millennium BCE

The Elamite Lute. second millennium BCE

This event displays few objects, and we are proud to show the reconstructed Elamite harp of the battle of Ulai and lute from Susa by Richard Dumbrill and unveil a instrument inspired by the oldest harp in the world from Chogha Mish*, exclusively made for Persian Wonders for the first time. *The reproduction object is from the Persian Wonders collections. The display plinths provided by Amëoz Group Ltd