Introduzione all’esposizione

This volume explores the essential role of music and dance in ancient Mediterranean societies through the lens of material culture. Drawing on the exhibition "Per gli dei e per gli uomini" at the National Archaeological Museum of Reggio Calabria (MArRC), the study examines a wide range of archaeological evidence—including musical instruments, sculptures, and iconographic remains—from Magna Graecia, Sicily, and the Vesuvian sites (Pompeii, Herculaneum, and Stabia). Spanning from the 7th century BCE to the 2nd century CE, the research investigates how sonic and choreographic practices anchored rituals, education, and social identity in sensory experience. By analyzing the organology of wind, string, and percussion instruments (such as the aulos, lyra, and tympanon) alongside their ritual and domestic contexts—from the Dionysian trance and Apollonian paideia to symposia and funerary rites—the volume reconstructs lost soundscapes and highlights the transition of performance from sacred necessity to theatrical entertainment. This multidisciplinary approach, developed in collaboration with the CNR-ISPC, offers a comprehensive understanding of the ancient acoustic heritage as a fundamental expression of both divine worship and human daily life.