Seikilos epitaph
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The Seikilos epitaph is an Ancient Greek inscription that preserves the oldest surviving complete musical composition, including musical notation. Commonly dated between the 1st and 2nd century AD, th
Seikilos stele with poetry and musical notation
The stele along with other exhibits at the National Museum of Denmark
The inscription as it currently exists (without the original final line 'ZEI')
Delphic Hymns
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The Delphic Hymns are two musical compositions from Ancient Greece, which survive in substantial fragments. They were long regarded as being dated c. 138 BC and 128 BC, respectively, but recent schola
Seikilos epitaph
…the song is recorded, alongside its lyrics, in ancient Greek musical notation. While older music with notation exists (e.g. the Hurrian songs or the Delphic Hymns), all of it is in fragments; the Seikilos epitaph is unique in that it is a complete, though short, composition. Based on its structure and language…
Fragments of both hymns in the Delphi Archaeological Museum
First Delphic Hymn, 1st and 2nd verse
Photograph of the original stone at Delphi containing the first of the two hymns to Apollo. The music notation is the line of occasional symbols above the main, uninterrupted line of Greek lettering.
First Delphic Hymn, 3rd verse