Bronze Age Cymbals Highlight Shared Arabian Gulf Musical Traditions [Oman, Indus Valley]

Archaeology Magazine ^ | April 9, 2025 | editors / unattributed

[SunkenCiv]

Phys.org reports that a pair of rare copper-alloy Bronze Age cymbals were uncovered at a site in Oman. The instrument has highlighted a shared musical connection between ancient cultures on both sides of the Arabian Gulf. “These cymbals are the first of their kind to have been found in good archaeological contexts in Oman and are from a particularly early context that questions some of the assumptions on their origin and development," said archaeologist Khaled Douglas. When the objects were first recovered from a third-millennium b.c. Umm an-Nar culture site in Dahwa, experts recognized their similarity to examples that had been found at contemporary sites in the Indus Valley, in modern-day Pakistan. However, isotope analysis of the copper indicated that the cymbals had been produced locally in the Oman region. Trade around the Arabian Gulf between different cultural groups during the Bronze Age is well attested in the form of ceramics, beads, and other objects. The recent discovery of the cymbals, though, suggests that cross-cultural connections were not solely based on trade. Musical traditions and cultural practices likely flowed between the Arabian Peninsula and Indus Valley as much as materials.

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TOPICS: History; Science; Travel
KEYWORDS: ancientnavigation; arabia; bronzeage; copper; cymbals; dahwa; godsgravesglyphs; harappa; harappans; indusvalley; oman; pakistan; ummannar

[SunkenCiv]

[SunkenCiv]

Thanks for the link! One open tab down, 14 to go!

[jimtorr]

I hate to tell Archeology Magazine that the Persian Gulf is a long ways from the Indus Valley.

[algore]

Useless without pictures

[Tell It Right]

Good point. Do some people refer to the “Persian Gulf” as including the Gulf of Oman like they’re one thing?

[SunkenCiv]

By the time of Herodotus at the latest, the Greeks referred to the Indian Ocean and all these other gulfs, bays, and seas as the Erythraean Sea, and knew that Africa had been circumnavigated by the Phoenicians.

[Qwapisking]

when young played drums in rock and blues bands. my favorite cymbals, in which I had had spent LOTS of cash for, were the Turkish made Zildian cymbals from the 50’s and early 60’s. added more in the late 70’s until my kit was 9 drums, 9 cymbals. gave up playing in bands as a stage musician because of the bad habits that go along with being a stage musician (I wanted to live a long time) but 7 still have my kit and jealously guard my cymbals. my sons don’t play but they will decide what ultimately will happen to my prides and joys. is being buried with them too much?

[ProtectOurFreedom]

...a third-millennium BC. Umm an-Nar culture site in Dahwa

Whoa, what's this BC? Are archeologists reverting to the correct dating?

...cross-cultural connections were not solely based on trade. Musical traditions and cultural practices likely flowed between the Arabian Peninsula and Indus Valley

So the "British Invasion" of the early 60s had antecedents a LONG time ago! It's cool to think of musical instruments and music moving along trade routes as well as goods. It makes a lot of sense. You can picture the music and dancing at the caravan tents when they were camped for the night.

[jjotto]

No doubt they mean Arabian *Sea*, of which Gulf of Oman is a part. Modern ‘scholars’ probably just don’t know that Arabian Gulf is sometimes just an alternate name for Persian Gulf.

[kawhill]

That’s what I’m banging on my drum set. Although I’m not exactly Neil Peart.

The Avedis Zildjian Company is over 400 years old, having been founded in 1623. It’s considered the oldest cymbal maker in the world. The company’s history started in Turkey and it’s still family-owned and operated

[SunkenCiv]

Apparently the practice of getting buried with the instruments is at least 4000 years old. ;^)

[Openurmind]

Interesting you picked that one... Very seldom have I found a situation where a dark cymbal actually fit well. Even when playing heavy metal.