Babylon
The Babylonians had a high appreciation of music, and large numbers of professional players were attached to royal palaces. This slab from Ashurbanipal`s palace shows twelve-stringed harp, lyre, drum and drumsticks.. Decrees and hours of prayer were heralded by `music`.

Dancers
Wall-painting from tomb of Antefoker, Thebes, showing dancers, 19th or 18th century BC..

Dulcimer
The Dulcimer, or Bagpipe. The inflated goat-skin is fitted with a reed mouthpiece, a melody pipe with finger-holes enabling a variety of notes to be produced. An early photograph..

Guitar
Instruments are played mainly to accompany the voice. This boy, with fingers protected by a plectrum, thrums monotonously on his primitive guitar, to enhance the simple melody of his song. An early photograph..

Harp
Musician, playing a harp, on clay plaque from Khafajah, Mesopotamia. c.2000 BC. (Louvre, Paris)..

Harp
This Sumerian harp, dating from about 3500 B.C., illustrates the harps known to Jubal, `father of all such as handle the harp and organ` (Genesis iv,21). It was restored from fragments found at Ur..

Pipes
This shepherd boy pipes to his flock, playing tunes from a tube with punched fingerholes. An early photograph..

Systrum
Other Egyptian instruments shown are (1) the sistrum or rattle (2) the bell (3) cymbals and (4) the flute..

Viol
The Viol has only one string and its bow is home-manufactured. An early photograph..

Music
Various types of Babylonian musician (as named in Daniel).
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Bells
Assyrian hand-bells.

Bells
Egyptian hand-bells.

Chief
Chief of musicians, from Assyrian sculpture.

Cymbals
Egyptian cymbals and castanets. Heb. TseLTseLIM.

Cymbals
Egyptian cymbals and castanets. Heb. TseLTseLIM.

Dance
Egyptian Dance.

Dance
Egyptian women dancing with the tabret or timbrel - cf Miriam`s dance, Ex.15.20..

Dance
Dancing with timbrels.

Drums
Egyptian drums.

Harp
Assyrian harp.

Harp
Assyrian musicians: harps, double flute, dulcimer, and hand clapping.

Harp
Egyptian harps. Heb.KiNOR. This word was used for a great variety of harps, as seen in following pictures. This is probably the Chaldean QaIThRoSs (Dan.3.5,7).

Harp
Egyptian harps. Heb.KiNOR. This word was used for a great variety of harps, as seen in following pictures. This is probably the Chaldean QaIThRoSs (Dan.3.5,7).

Harp
Egyptian harps. Heb.KiNOR. This word was used for a great variety of harps, as seen in following pictures. This is probably the Chaldean QaIThRoSs (Dan.3.5,7).

Harp
Greek harp.

Harp
Harps and lutes.

Horn
Assyrian straight horns. Heb.ChaTsOtseRaH is a straight horn or trumpet..

Horn
Roman curved horns. Heb.QeReN or ShOPhaR were curved horns..

Lute
Assyrian lutes or lyres. Heb. NeBeL, Chaldean PeSsaNTeRiN (Dan.3.5,7), sometimes translated `psaltery`. These word was used for a variety of lyres and lutes..

Lute
Assyrian lutes or lyres. Heb. NeBeL, Chaldean PeSsaNTeRiN (Dan.3.5,7), sometimes translated `psaltery`. These word was used for a variety of lyres and lutes..

Lute
Egyptian Lutes or lyres.

Lute
Egyptian Lutes or lyres.

Pipes
Egyptian single pipe or flute, Heb.HaLIL..

Pipes
Egyptian double pipe, perhaps Heb.MaShROQIThA.

Pipes
Pan pipes, the probable meaning of Heb.MaGRIPhaH, sometimes translated `organ`.

Sackbut
Assyrian sackbut, Chaldean SsBeKA (Dan.3.5,7).

Sackbut
Assyrian sackbut, Chaldean SsBeKA (Dan.3.5,7).

Sistra
Sistra, Egyptian - metal bars in wooden frame, held in the hand and shaken or struck - see 2 Sam.6.5. Heb. MeN`aN`IM, sometimes translated `cornet`..

Tambourine
Assyrian tambourine & drums. Heb.ToPh represents tamborines, timbrels and drums..

Tambourine
Tambourine or Timbrel.

Trumpet
Egyptian Trumpet.

Trumpet
Trumpets.

Trumpet
Various forms of trumpets.

Various
Various ancient Egyptian musical instruments.

Various
Various ancient Jewish musical instruments.