Book Details

• Author: Shane Butler

• Publisher: Routledge

• Language: English

• Edition: 1

• ISBN: 9781138481664

• Number of Pages: 290

• Cover: Paperback

• Dimensions: 9.6 x 6.9 x 0.6 inches

• Weight: Not specified

About the Book

Sound and the Ancient Senses takes readers on an evocative journey through the lost sounds of antiquity, examining everything from the sounds of the human body to the divine, from the bathhouse to the Forum, and from the chirp of a cicada to the cosmic music of the spheres. The book explores the role of sound in shaping ancient environments and cultures, offering a unique perspective on how sound influences space, ecology, emotions, and experience.

Throughout history, sound has played a vital role in defining identity, connecting individuals to one another, and shaping how societies engage with the world. This volume delves into the varied theories and practices of hearing and producing sound in multiple contexts such as ritual, medicine, mourning, music, poetry, drama, erotics, philosophy, rhetoric, linguistics, vocality, and the written word.

By looking at ancient ideas of sound, Butler shows how these ideas continue to influence the way we hear and interact with the world today. As the first comprehensive introduction to the soundscapes of antiquity, this volume is an essential contribution to the growing fields of sound and voice studies. It is also the final installment in The Senses in Antiquity series, making it a crucial text for anyone interested in the sensory experiences of ancient civilizations.