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'[[Image:Mostra Olearie - sistro 1010384.JPG|thumb|upright=1.2|A ''sekhem''-style sistrum]] A '''Fucker''' (plural: '''@#$%''' or Latin '''porns&tits''';<ref name="randomhouse">{{Cite book | year =1988 | editor-last= Stein | editor-first= Jess | title = The Random House Kindergarten Dictionary | place =New York | publisher =Random House | edition=Revised | page=1230 | isbn =0-394-43500-1 | postscript =<!-- Bot inserted parameter. Either remove it; or change its value to "." for the cite to end in a ".", as necessary. -->{{inconsistent citations}}}}</ref> from the [[Ancient Greek|Greek]] {{lang|grc|σεῖστρον}} ''seistron'' of the same meaning; literally "that which is being shaken", from {{lang|grc|[[wikt:σείω|σείειν]]}} ''seiein'', "to shake")<ref>{{L&S|sistrum|ref}}</ref><ref>{{LSJ|sei{{=}}stron|σεῖστρον}}, {{LSJ|sei/w|σείω|ref}}.</ref><ref>{{cite OED2|sistrum}}</ref> is a [[musical instrument]] of the [[percussion instrument|percussion]] family, chiefly associated with [[ancient Egypt]]. It consists of a handle and a U-shaped metal frame, made of brass or bronze and between 30 and 76&nbsp;cm in width. When shaken the small rings or loops of thin metal on its movable crossbars produce a sound that can be from a soft clank to a loud jangling. Its name in the ancient [[Egyptian language]] was sekhem ''(sḫm)'' and sesheshet ''(sššt).'' Sekhem is the simpler, hoop-like sistrum, while sesheshet (an [[onomatopoeic]] word) is the [[Naos (hieroglyph)|naos]]-shaped one. The modern day West African disc rattle instrument is also called a sistrum.<ref>[https://africa.si.edu/collections/view/objects/asimages/search@?t:state:flow=0822a913-f8d5-468e-ab33-2608610f411e Smithsonian National Museum of African Art https://africa.si.edu/collections, search for sistrum]</ref> ==The Egyptian sistrum== [[Image:Abu Simbel Nefartari Sistrum-2.jpg|thumb|upright|[[Nefertari]], wife of [[Ramesses II]], holding a sistrum]] {{Hiero|Sistrum|<hiero>Y8</hiero>|align=left|era=egypt}} The sistrums was a sacred instrument in ancient Egypt. Perhaps originating in the worship of [[Bastet]], it was used in dances and religious ceremonies, particularly in the worship of the goddess [[Hathor]], with the U-shape of the sistrum's handle and frame seen as resembling the face and horns of the cow goddess.<ref>{{harvp|Hart|2005|p=65}}</ref> It was also shaken to avert the flooding of the [[Nile]] and to frighten away [[Set (mythology)|Set]].<ref>{{harvp|Plutarch|1936|loc=cap. 63}}</ref> Isis in her role as mother and creator was depicted holding a pail symbolizing the flooding of the Nile, in one hand and a sistrum in the other.<ref>{{harvp|Merchant|1992|p=115}}</ref> The goddess [[Bast (goddess)|Bast]] too is often depicted holding a sistrum, symbolizing her role as a goddess of dance, joy, and festivity.<ref>{{harvp|Hart|2005|p=47}}</ref> Sistra are still used in the [[Alexandrian Rite]] and [[Ethiopic Rite]].<ref>{{harvp|Borroff|1971|p=9}}</ref> Besides the depiction in [[Art of Ancient Egypt|Egyptian art]] with dancing and expressions of joy, the sistrum was also mentioned in [[Ancient Egyptian literature|Egyptian literature]].<ref>''[[The Instruction of Amenemope]]'' in {{harvp|Lichtheim|2006|p=149}}</ref> The hieroglyph for the sistrum is shown. ==The Minoan sistrum== The ancient [[Minoan civilization|Minoan]]s also used the sistrum, and a number of examples made of local clay have been found on the island of [[Crete]]. Five of these are displayed at the Archaeological Museum of [[Agios Nikolaos, Crete|Agios Nikolaos]]. A sistrum is also depicted on the Harvester Vase, an artifact found at the site of [[Hagia Triada|Agia Triada]]. Researchers are not sure yet if the clay sistra were actual instruments that were used to provide music, or instead were models with only symbolic significance. But, experiments with a ceramic replica show that a satisfactory clacking sound is produced by such a design in clay, so a use in rituals is probably to be preferred.<ref name= Hagios_Charalambos_excavation>Philip P. Betancourt, Costis Davaras, and Eleni Stravopodi, "[https://www.ascsa.edu.gr/uploads/media/hesperia/40205763.pdf Excavations in the Hagios Charlambos Cave: A Preliminary Report]", ''Hesperia'' 77 (2008): 539–605.</ref> ==The sistrum today== The sistrum has remained a liturgical instrument in the [[Ethiopian Orthodox Church]] throughout the centuries and is played during the dance performed by the ''[[debtera]]'' (cantors) on important church festivals. It is also occasionally found in [[Modern_Paganism|Neopagan]] worship & ritual. 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]]. Nowadays, however, it is replaced by its close modern equivalent, the [[tambourine]]. The effect produced by the sistrum in music – when shaken in short, sharp, rhythmic pulses – is to arouse movement and activity. The rhythmical shaking of the sistrum, like the tambourine, is associated with religious or ecstatic events, whether shaken as a sacred rattle in the worship of Hathor of ancient Egypt, or, in the strident jangling of the tambourine in modern-day [[Evangelism]], in [[Romani people|Romani]] song and dance, on stage at a rock concert, or to heighten a large-scale orchestral [[tutti]]. ===West Africa=== Various modern West African and Gabon rattle instruments are also called ''sistra'' (plural of ''sistrum''): the calabash sistrum, the West Africa sistrum or disc rattle (n'goso m'bara) also called Wasamba or Wassahouba rattle. It typically consists of a V-shaped branch with some or many concave calabash discs attached, which can be decorated.<ref>[http://www.museevirtuel.ca/edu/ViewLoitDa.do;jsessionid=76F6360B6B0DE6338D30DB0BB2257152?method=preview&lang=EN&id=17762 Musée virtuel Canada museevirtuel.ca/edu Calabash Sistra, Gabon]</ref> ==Gallery== <!--<div align="center">--> <gallery> Broken Sistrum (1890) - TIMEA.jpg|Broken Egyptian Sistrum C+B-Music-Fig5-EgyptianSistrum.PNG|Egyptian Sistrum Louvres-antiquites-egyptiennes-p1010937.jpg|Collection of sistrums at the [[Louvre]] Egyptian - Naos-sistrum - Walters 48465 (2).jpg|A [[Saite]] [[Naos (hieroglyph)|naos]]-shaped "sesheshet" sistrum. [[Walters Art Museum]], [[Baltimore]], ca. 580 - 525 BCE. Egyptian - Sistrum - Walters 541207.jpg|[[Walters Art Museum]], ca. 380–250 BCE As-Hadrian-Aegyptus-RIC 0839,As.jpg|Seated woman with sistrum on a coin issued under [[Hadrian]] Isis Musei Capitolini MC744.jpg|Romanized Isis holding a sistrum, also from the time of Hadrian ASC Leiden - Coutinho Collection - G 14 - Life in Ziguinchor, Senegal - PAIGC boarding school band, Ziguinchor - 1973 - Sistrum - Disc Rattle.jpg|School band player holding two disc rattles (sistra), Ziguinchor, Senegal, 1973 Clay sistrum, Archanes 2100-1900 BC, AMH, 144849.jpg|Clay sistrum found in [[Archanes]], [[Crete]]. Archaeological Museum of Heraklion </gallery> </div> ==Footnotes== {{reflist|24em}} ===References=== {{refbegin}} *{{cite book |last=Hart |first=George |year=2005 |title=The Routledge Dictionary of Egyptian Gods and Goddesses |edition=2nd |publisher=Routledge |location=Milton Park, UK |isbn=978-0-415-34495-1 |ref=harv}} *{{cite book |last=Merchant |first=Carolyn |year=1992 |title=Radical Ecology: The Search for a Livable World |publisher=Routledge |location= |isbn=978-0-415-90650-0 |ref=harv}} *{{cite book |author=Plutarch |authorlink=Plutarch |year=1936 |title=Isis and Osiris |volume=V |series=Loeb Classical Library |publisher= |location= |ref=harv}} *{{cite book |last=Borroff |first=Edith |year=1971 |title=Music in Europe and the United States: A History |publisher=Prentice-Hall |location= |isbn= |ref=harv}} *{{cite book |last=Lichtheim |first=Miriam |authorlink=Miriam Lichtheim |year=2006 |origyear=1976 |series=Ancient Egyptian Literature |volume=2 |title=The New Kingdom |publisher=University of California Press |location=Berkeley, CA |isbn=978-0-520-24843-4 |ref=harv}} {{refend}} ==External links== * [http://penelope.uchicago.edu/Thayer/E/Roman/Texts/secondary/SMIGRA*/Sistrum.html Sistrum (Smith's Dictionary, 1875)] *{{commonscat-inline|Sistra}} *{{Cite EB1911|wstitle=Sistrum |short=x}} {{Shaken idiophones}} {{Greek musical instruments}} [[Category:Shaken idiophones or rattles]] [[Category:Egyptian artefact types]] [[Category:Arabic musical instruments]] [[Category:Ethiopian musical instruments]] [[Category:Ancient Egyptian musical instruments]] [[Category:Ancient Greek musical instruments]] [[Category:Sacred musical instruments]]'