Egyptian Single Pipes: 1. From tomb at Thebes; 2. From tonib near the Pyramids (Wilkinson).
simple contrivance of cutting a larger or smaller num- ber of holes in one of its lengths; but it was afterwards, in the progress of the arts, more artificially made of wood, bone, horn, and ivory. It was sometimes single, and at other times double, the two pipes uniting at top in a single mouthpiece. It would seem to have come rather late into use among the Hebrews, and probably had a foreign origin. The passages to which we have referred will indicate the use of this instrument or class of instruments; but of the form we can only guess by reference to those of the an- cient Egyptians and Assyr- ians, which are very similar to those still in use in West- ern Asia. The pipe is, how- ever, rarely introduced in the Egyptian sculptures, and does not seem to have been held in much estimation; The single pipe of the Greeks is allowed to have been introduced from Egypt (J. Pollux, Onom. iv, 10 ; AthenPBus, Deipnos. iv), from which the Jews proba- a straight tube, without any in- crease at the mouth, and when played was held with both hands. It was usually of moderate length, about eighteen inches, but occasionally less, and sometimes so exceedingly long and the holes so low that the player was obliged to extend his arms to the utmost. Some had thr*e holes, others four, and actual specimens made of common reed have been found (Wilkinson, Anc. Egypt, ii, 309). The double pipe was formed with two such tubes, of equal or unequal lengths, having a com- mon mouthpiece, and each played with the correspond- ing hand. They were distinguished as the right and left pipes, and the latter, having but few holes and emitting a deep sound, served as a base; the other had more holes, and gave a sharp sound (Plinj', Hist. Nat. xvi, 36). This pipe is still used in Palestine. The Scot- tish missionary deputation overtook, among the hills of Judah, "an Arab playing with all his might upon a shepherd's pipe made of two reeds. This was the first time we had seen any marks of joy in the land" {Nar- rative, ^i. UK). See Pipe.
From the references which have been given it will be seen that the pipe was, among the Jews, chiefly conse- crated to joy and pleasure. So much was this the case
Museum) ; 3. Egyptian bly had theirs. It wa
JVITJSICAL INSTRUMENTS TVO MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS
that in the time of Judas Maccaboeus the Jews complain- ed "that joy was taken from Jacob, and the pipe with the harp {Ki^i'ipa) ceased" (1 JIacc. iii, 45). It was par- ticularly used to enliven the periodical journeys to Jeru- salem to attend tlie great festivals (Isa. xxx, 29); and this custom of accompanying travelling in companies with music is common in the East at this day (Harmer, Observatt. ii, 197; to which add Tournefort, Voyage du Levant, iii, 189). Athcnajus (iv, 174) tells us of a plain- tive pipe which was in use among the Phoenicians. This serves to illustrate Matt, ix, 23, where our Saviour, find- ing the flute-players with the dead daughter of the ruler, ordered them away, because the damsel was not dead ; and in this we also recognise the regulation of the Jews that every one, however poor he might be, should have at least two pipes (D^S^bn) at the death of his wife (Lightfoot, Ilor. Ilebr. ad Matt, ix, 23). See Mourn- ing.
6. ri'^JQ'alD, sumponyah, is evidently the Chald. form of the Gr. <rvfi^t»%'ia, ren- dered "dulcimer" (Dan. iii, 5 ; X, 15). It is described by the rabbins as a baf/pipe con- sisting of two shrill -toned fifes pressed through a leath- ern bag. Servius, in his Com- mentary on the yEneid, de- scribes the symphonia as a Oriental Bagpipe. g^r^ of bagpipe, which agrees •with the representations of Jewish writers. The bag- pipe bore the same name among the Moors of Spain, and it is still called in Italy zampofftia. The known an- tiquity of this instrument, together with its present ex- istence in the East, appear to confirm the reference of the sumponyah to the bagpipe. The modern Oriental bagpijie is composed of a goat-skin, usually with the hair on, and in the natural form, but deprived of the head, the tail, and the feet. The pipes are usually made of reeds, terminated with tips of cows' horns, slightly curved. The entire instrument is primitively simple in its materials and construction. Sec Di'i.cimkr.
7. There remains to be noticed a wind - instrument mentioned along with the others in Dan. iii, 5 — the Xr^jriTJw, maskroki- ///(;, A. Y.'-rtute." The etymology of the name indicates that it was an instrument of the pipe class ; Init whether a bagpipe, a Pandean pipe, or a flute-pipe, single or double, it is impossible to determine. All these identifications have found supporters, and some have even inclined to the opinion that it was of the nature of a ru- dimentarv wind-organ.
Assyrian Tambourine and Drums. (Bass-reliefs, British Museum.)
tries. The Arabs still call it do/, and the Spaniards udufe. It is mentioned as early as the days of Laban (Gen. xxxi, 27), where our version has " tabret ;" and it was the instrument with which Miriam and the women of Israel accompanied and beat time to their song and dance when they sang responsively the song of Moses (Exod. xv, 20). Here the name in the orig- inal is the same as in Gen. xxxi, 27, though the render- ing varies to " timbrel." It is also mentioned by Job (xxi, 12). Isaiah adduces it as the instrument of vo- luptuaries, but left in silence amid wars and desolations (Isa. xxiv, 8). The occasions on which it was used were mostly joyful, and those who played u[)on it were generally females (Psa. lxviii,25), as was the case among most ancient nations, and is so at the present day in the East. It is nowhere mentioned in direct connection with battles or warlike transactions; but it is mentioned on occasions when it was more probably performed on by