Metallic Idiophones between 800 BC and 800 AD

Bells, bells, rattling plates, anklet and bracelets worn en mass made of metal with their different forms, sounds and occurrences have fascinated the music archaeologist Beate Maria Pomberger for several years. The literature often refers to their "apotropaic-protective" function, but an explanation is definitely missing. In this project metallic idiophones in the heart of Europe from 800 B.C. to 800 A.D. are explored. These are bells, jingles, rattling plates and a number of hoops carried on arms and legs, the sounds of which create acoustic fields and thus influence people`s sound environment as well as their listening habits. The objects come from cemeteries, settlements and places of worship in Switzerland, Austria, the Czech Republic, Slovakia and Hungary. What did they serve for in people`s daily lives and in the community? What metal alloys were they made of? Which textile residues can be found on their surface? In which frequency ranges do they sound, how high is their maximum sound level and how far can they be perceived acoustically? Do the idiophones worn on the body cause a wellness effect? Can a stress-reducing effect be proven? Archaeology, metallurgy, textile research, acoustics, experimental archaeology, music ethnology and applied psychology are united for the first time in this project, which involves eleven scientific collaborations and twenty-three museums and collections. For the first time, archaeologically found sound objects will not only be interpreted, dated, examined for their distribution and tones, but also the psychoacoustic parameters of their sounds and their effects on the psyche and health of humans will be examined! In the spirit of climate protection, the travels are made environmentally conscious by train!

The study laid an important base for further studies on archaeological metal idiophones through involving new methods (psychoacoustics, psychology, metal analyses, function, visuality, symbolic, textiles) and set a ground-breaking new approach in music archaeology. Sounding jewellery from Hallstatt culture (fibulae, pellet bells/bobbles, ring pendants, 42 objects in total analysed) belonged all to women, showed their status and contributed to their visual and acoustic appearance. Cast in bronze, their frequencies range from 0,6-20 kHz with sound pressure levels from 49 dB-88 dB. They are perceived as sharp, more/less tonal, range from dark to bright and are parts of dramatic staging. Ring pendants are symbols of power, infinity and life's cycle; pellet bells and bobbles, imitating vascular fruits, symbolize fertility, wealth, apotropaic magic and eternal life. 220 Roman Bells from five settlements and military camps were investigated. Found in houses, roads, caserns, depots/hoards, temples and graves they played an important role in daily life. 70 ancient literary and iconographic sources testify the bells' functions. They appear in 14 different types and were forged from iron or cast in six different copper alloys. Their frequencies range from 1-20 kHz, the sound pressure level is about 58-84 dB. Bells are tonal, sharp and bright. They were the most heard "music instruments" in Roman sound scape and served as profane and ritual signal instruments, as apotropaikons and markers of status. Poorer people had bells of less valuable materials to improve their prestige. Although many functions of bells are known, many bells cannot be assigned to a specific function. 241 Avar pellet bells from 50 cemeteries were investigated. They appear in 1% of all burials. Mainly children, in lesser quantities followed by horses, women and men had pellet bells. They were attached to belts, necklaces, bracelets and horse gears. Eight different types and 11 patterns of decoration have been identified. Pellet bells were forged from iron sheet and four different Cu-alloys. Pebbles, bronze balls and cinder pieces served as pellets. The sounds of 38 pellet bells were recorded. Frequencies range from 1.3-20 kHz with sound pressure levels from 55-85 dB. They are bright, not rough with more noise components. 29 objects show fragments of mineralised woven textiles, human skin and horse hair. Pellet bells served as apotropaic amulets. On horse gear they are decoration and status symbol. Originals are rated as more pleasant and duller, while replicas are rated as sharper, more activating and more cheerful. Corrosion dampens and changes the sound. Iron pellet bells are rated as more activating than those of copper and bronze. Shape is the more prominent factor on the sound than alloy. Bells and pellet bells were worldwide important components of clothing and staging.