Ugaritic chant of worship is introduced at Expo Dubai (2020)

The oldest recorded musical note “Ugaritic chant of worship” overlooks the world from the gate of Expo 2020 Dubai in the UAE at the pavilion of the Syrian Arab Republic.

The Ugaritic chant of worship are musical notes dating back to more than 3500 years, engraved in cuneiform writing on archaeological clay tablets found in Ugarit (Ras Shamra), the Amorite Canaanite city in Latakia.

Regarding the historical value of this piece, the archaeological researcher specializing in Ugaritic antiquities, Dr. Ghassan Al-Qayyim, confirms in a statement to SANA that it is the oldest integrated musical work composed in the world, indicating that it was discovered on a clay tablet that contained all the words of a hymn to Nigal, the goddess of agriculture.

 “Although the hymn was found complete without the name of its author, history documents several accounts for the reason for its composition, including that “Nigal was sad because of her barrenness,” Al-Qayyim noted.

While another narration reported by the British music expert Richard Dombrell, who translated this hymn, stated that it “tells the story of a young girl who does not give birth and who thinks that not having children was a result of the sin of what she had committed.”

Al-Qayyim confirmed that Ugarit not only presented the oldest song to the world, but in 1957 about 36 clay tablets were found that refuted one of the great erroneous historical statements that the Greek mathematician Pythagoras was the one who discovered music when he adopted Ugaritic symbols that refer to the oldest musical note.

Al-Qayyim pointed out that singing and playing in Ugarit was accompanied by musical instruments, as the inhabitants of this kingdom played cymbals, guitars, flutes, drums, reeds, and other instruments similar to the current lute, and it seems that they had some bands as well.

Today’s musicians were fascinated by the legacy of their ancestors, which made them find in this hymn a source of inspiration to present and create rich musical experiences.

However,  Syrians are still attempting to re-compose and distribute Ugarit music in a new and advanced style. The Syrian musician Safwan Bahlawan and the researcher Al-Qayyim are working on composing a new symphony derived from the song “The Epic of the God Baal” where people were praying to the god El, that he would restore life to Baal and the springs of life would explode.

Syrian musicians are set to introduce new musical experiences on the oldest music note at Expo 2020 Dubai soon.

Inas Abdulkareem