Religious Musical Traditions and Cultural Interactions in The Mediterranean Region: A Cross-Cultural Archaeometric Study

Abstract

Our study employed a multifaceted approach to investigate religious music traditions across the Mediterranean. Historical analysis examined primary sources like travelogues and missionary accounts, revealing encounters with various musical practices. Archaeomusicology delved into the physical remains of religious sites, uncovering potential performance spaces and instrument use through architectural features and artifacts. Oral history interviews with religious practitioners, musicians, and elders provided firsthand accounts of musical traditions, their transmission, and potential historical interactions. Analysis of musical elements revealed intriguing connections across religious traditions. The characteristic "Phrygian mode" found in both Christian Byzantine chants and Islamic muezzin calls hinted at potential historical influence or parallel development. Similarly, the complex, syncopated rhythms of Jewish Sephardic music mirrored those of flamenco traditions in Spain, suggesting a possible transmission of musical elements through past interactions between these communities. The analysis of theatres with orchestra pits, dedicated music rooms in monasteries, and synagogues with optimized acoustics all offered clues about the potential design considerations for performance and sound transmission within different religious contexts. Oral history interviews highlighted the enduring importance of oral tradition and memory in transmitting religious music across generations. This study underscores the importance of music in religious practice and its role in fostering devotion, community, and spiritual connection.