Understanding early auloi: Instruments from Paestum, Pydna and elsewhere

Research on early auloi, ancient double-reed instruments from Paestum and Pydna, reveals a rudimentary tetrachordal structure with equally divided tetrachords, offering new insights into the development of ancient musical theory. The study used iconographic and literary evidence alongside well-tested software to assess probable pitches and intervals, confirming the existence of longer double reeds than those known from later periods. Harmonic analysis suggests these instruments may have adhered to an early pitch standard, possibly coinciding with the typical cithara octave, while critical evaluation of literary sources cautiously interprets them as 'Lydian' instruments.

Hagel, S. (2021). Understanding early auloi: Instruments from Paestum, Pydna and elsewhere (, Ed.). Verlag der Österreichischen Akademie der Wissenschaften. https://doi.org/10.1553/oeai_ambh_3