Sistrum

A sistrum (plural: sistra or (in Latin) sīstra;[1] from the Greek σεῖστρον seistron of the same meaning; literally "that which is being shaken", from σείειν seiein, "to shake"[2][3][4]) is a musical instrument of the percussion family, a form of rattle, used most notably by the ancient Egyptians.When shaken, the small rings or loops of thin metal on its movable crossbars produce a sound that can vary from a soft clank to a loud jangling.[17] Evidence of two bronze Minoan sistra suggests that they were created by separately molding the arch and handle, joining the two together with rivets later in the process.[clarification needed] The sistrum was occasionally revived in 19th century Western orchestral music, appearing most prominently in Act 1 of the opera Les Troyens (1856–1858) by the French composer Hector Berlioz.Classical composer Hans Werner Henze (1926–2012) calls for the flautist to play two sistra in his 1988 work Sonate für sechs Spieler (Sonata for six players).
A sekhem -style sistrum
A sesheshet -type sistrum, shaped like a naos , Twenty-sixth Dynasty (ca. 580–525 BCE)
Ancient Relief of Woman Holding a Sistrum
Minoan clay sistrum found in Archanes , Crete
hieroglyphsmusical instrumentpercussionrattleancient EgyptiansEgyptian languageonomatopoeicTwenty-sixth DynastyHathorflooding of the NileAlexandrian RiteEthiopic RiteEgyptian artEgyptian literatureArchanesMinoansAgios NikolaosHarvester VaseHagia TriadacrotalusEthiopian Orthodox ChurchdebteraNeopaganLes TroyensHector BerlioztambourineEvangelicalismRomaniHans Werner HenzeNefertariRamesses IILouvreWalters Art MuseumHadrianKagura suzuA Latin DictionaryPerseus ProjectLiddell, Henry GeorgeScott, RobertA Greek–English LexiconOxford English DictionaryOxford University PressThe Instruction of AmenemopeAcademia.eduCurl, James StevensPlutarchLichtheim, MiriamEncyclopædia BritannicaShaken idiophonesChajchasEgg shakerFlexatoneGanzáMaracaMonkey stickRainstickShakerThunder sheetToy rattleGreek musical instrumentsStringPanduraBarbitonChelysKitharaPhorminxEpigonionMagadisSambucaTrigononPan fluteSalpinxCochiliaCrotalumWater organByzantine lyraOrganonCretan lyraPontic lyraPolitiki lyraMacedonian lyraCalabrian liraBouzoukiGuitarLaoutoMandolaMandolinOudolaPsalteryTambourasThabouraSantouriAskomandouraTsampounaFlogheraKaramuzaLalitsaManturaSouravliToubelekiTympanoKoudouniaStamnaTrigonoMusic of GreeceGreek folk musicByzantine musicNisiotikaGreek dances