Ancient Egyptians Were Adept Flute and Harp Players

Various ancient Egyptian musical instruments.
Various ancient Egyptian musical instruments.
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Ancient Egyptians Were Adept Flute and Harp Players

Various ancient Egyptian musical instruments.
Various ancient Egyptian musical instruments.

The harp, tambourine and flute were staples in Ancient Egypt’s music culture and are a testament to their pioneering music ingenuity, said Egyptologist Dr. Bassam Al-Shamaa.

He told Asharq Al-Awsat: “The inscriptions inside the royal and private tombs clearly showed that the harp is an Egyptian instrument par excellence, and that the ancient Egyptian were credited for inventing it.”

The National Museum of Egyptian Civilization displays a group of musical instruments that were famous in Ancient Egypt.

On the occasion of World Music Day on June 21, the Egyptian Museum in Tahrir is currently displaying 22 artifacts that showcase the importance of music in Ancient Egypt.

They include a wooden model depicting a musical band performing, which dates back to the times of the Middle Kingdom, and a small vaulted funerary plaque that has a harp player’s inscription on it. On display also are single and double flutes made of reeds, and two pieces of colored leather, which were used as drum covers.

The idea of the musical band originated back in Pharaonic Egypt, which can be confirmed by the drawings and inscriptions on the artifacts on display at the Egyptian museum.



Woman's House in California Was Burglarized so Many Times that Even Bears Went in

This undated image provided by the Lake Superior Zoo, shows Tundra, an Alaskan brown bear, before undergoing a procedure for a new canine tooth, Monday June 23, 2025, at the zoo in Duluth, Minn.  (Lake Superior Zoo via AP)
This undated image provided by the Lake Superior Zoo, shows Tundra, an Alaskan brown bear, before undergoing a procedure for a new canine tooth, Monday June 23, 2025, at the zoo in Duluth, Minn. (Lake Superior Zoo via AP)
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Woman's House in California Was Burglarized so Many Times that Even Bears Went in

This undated image provided by the Lake Superior Zoo, shows Tundra, an Alaskan brown bear, before undergoing a procedure for a new canine tooth, Monday June 23, 2025, at the zoo in Duluth, Minn.  (Lake Superior Zoo via AP)
This undated image provided by the Lake Superior Zoo, shows Tundra, an Alaskan brown bear, before undergoing a procedure for a new canine tooth, Monday June 23, 2025, at the zoo in Duluth, Minn. (Lake Superior Zoo via AP)

Prosecutors say a woman's home in a remote area of northern California was so badly damaged by a series of burglaries that bears were able to get inside, causing additional destruction that compounded her financial losses.

The Butte County District Attorney's Office said it filed burglary charges over the past week against 11 people for the break-ins at the home of a 64-year-old woman outside Magalia.

The homeowner first reported a burglary in April 2024, authorities said. That was followed by a series of additional intrusions that drove her from her home. With the house being empty, bears went inside, The Associated Press reported.

Along with the 11 suspects, Butte County prosecutors said, another five suspects have been tentatively identified and charges against them are pending.

Five of the 11 were still in the county jail as of early Saturday, all facing a burglary charge. Others have posted bail or were released on their own recognizance, according to the district attorney's statement. Ten are residents of Magalia, while the other is from nearby Paradise.

Magalia is about 92 miles (148 kilometers) north of Sacramento in a region of vast national forests. The woman's home is in the Lovelock area, just north of Magalia.