Sounding the Sistrum

Rhythms & Rituals

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Sounding the Sistrum
Copyright -2009 by deTraci Regula
All rights reserved.

Some of the songs originally appeared in "A Little Book of Isis Songs" by
deTraci Regula, published by Ast-Sothis Publications, 2000.

Unless otherwise credited, all photos and pencil illustrations are copyright by
deTraci Regula. Designs of pictured sistrums belong to their creators.

Library of Congress Catalog Card Number:

Printed in the United States of America

My very special thanks to Padiusiri, in memory of a much regretted past

sistrum, and to all those who have recreated the sistrum in modern times.
Special thanks to Linda Iles, who has created so many beautiful modern
sistra, to Karen and Roy Tate, whose sistrum classes have put these magical
instruments into so many hands, G.R., and all those who have crafted sistra,

First Isis-House Edition

54321
DEDICATION

For Loreon Vigné and Olivia Robertson, two sistra-shakers

extraordinaire, and to all those who love the sound of the
sistrum.
 SOUNDING THE
SISTRUM
 deTraci Regula
Isis-House Publishing
2009
Sounding the Sistrum

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1: The Origin of the Sistrum 1
The Earliest Sistrum 1
The Naos Sistrum 2
The Looped Sistrum 4
A Sixth Dynasty Sistrum of Stone 5
Deities of the Sistrum 7
The Hidden Goddess in the Sistrum 8
Priestesses of the Sistrum 11
2: The Materials of the Sistrum 13
Number of Disks 16
The Rods or Bars 16
The Frame 20
The Sistrum in Plutarch 22
The Hieroglyphic Sistrum 23
3: Sistrums Around the World 25
The Sistrums of Ethiopia 27
The Barcoo Dog of Australia 30
4: The Sensual Sistrum 33
The Scented Sistrum 37
Some Suggested Scents for the Sistrum 38
5: Playing the Sistrum 40
A Chant for Sistra 44
Why We Play the Sistrum 48
Sistra Plays 52
The Magic Sistrum 53
Orchestrating Sistra 53
Sistrum First Aid 54
Changing the Sound of a Sistrum 55
6: The Magical Sistrum 56
Consecrating Your Sistrum 56
Sistrum Purifications 59
How to Use The Sistrum to Bless and Purify 60
Self-Purification with the Sistrum 62
Creating A Sistrum for A Purpose 65
A Prosperity Sistrum Rite 66
A Sistrum Rite for Love 66
Scrying with the Sistrum 67
Blessing with the Sistrum 69
Offering the Sistrum to the Divine 70
Isis, the Festive Goddess 74
House Blessing with the Sistrum 75
The Sistrum In Coins 77
7: Collecting Sistra 80
Displaying Your Sistrum 81
Wood-framed Sistra 85
8: Sistrum Tales 94
Incarcerated Sistrums 98
Metropolitan Museum, New York City, New York 98
Oriental Institute, Chicago, Illinois 99
The British Museum, London, England 99
 Naples Archaeological Museum, Naples, Italy 99
Heraklion Archaeological Museum, Heraklion, Crete, Greece 99
Agios Nikolaos Archaeological Museum, Agios Nikolaos, Crete 99
My Quest for Philo's Sistrum 100
About the Author 104
Appendix: Making Your Own Sistrum 105
Selected Bibliography 108
Welcome to Isis-House Publishing 114
FORTHCOMING TITLES 114
Distribution Titles 116
A Note on the Type 118
 Introduction
A sistrum breathes magic, music, mystery. From the earliest days of my
interest in Isis, her sacred rattle drew me. Finally, when the time came for me
to be ordained with the Fellowship of Isis, in addition to my priestess’s
headdress I applied my very newly-minted skills in working with metal and
made my first sistrum, using a piece of driftwood for the handle, using a
bandsaw to form the frame and grinding down the disks one by one from
sheet copper. At its first shake, I was enchanted.

From that moment on I would always seek out sistrums, making others,
acquiring them from craftspeople, begging a shake or two of someone else's.
All of them delighted me, from a wood-framed one set with brass charms that
I was able to see in a seaside ceremony, to a giant one with a ribbon-adorned
frame which held enough brass washers to provide plumbing to a small
housing development, to a treasured one crafted of sterling silver by a
priestess inspired by a mention of such sistra in a lecture I gave, to a potent
recreation of one from Tut's tomb. The smallest one I possess is an inch-high
one crafted by that same priestess, the largest, a two foot tall African sistrum
from Kenya, crafted of a three-pronged branch, heavy wire, and flattened
bottle caps. I've gone many miles to see them in museums, spent hours
sketching them, and many more hours playing them. They have appeared in
my dreams, big sistra of stone, emanating not sound but pale waves of light.

Sistrums are said to bring all things into motion, to banish decay, to
awaken the senses and the soul. I hope this book lets me share with you some
of the joy they have brought to me and to the countless thousands of those
who played the sistrum in sacred places throughout the world of the past.

. deTraci Regula
1 : The
Origin of the Sistrum

Th e Sistrum is a sacred sound maker used in rites to honor

Isis, Bast, and Hathor. It was also used in rites to honor other deities,
including Amon, Osiris, Anubis, and the gods and goddesses of the great
Ennead. The sound itself is a cleansing, purifying offering to these deities,
and can be used in cleansing the aura, clearing environments, and blessing or
decontaminating objects of spiritual debris. Pharaohs, queens, priests,
priestesses, and even gods and goddesses all played the sistrum at various
times.

The Earliest Sistrum

The original form of the sistrum was probably a woven rattle of reeds
or papyrus shoots. The gathering of papyrus was very important in the
ancient worship of Hathor, and a major and very early festival of hers was
devoted to the activity. The name of the sistrum, pronounced approximately
sesheshewut or sheshesht, supposedly imitated the sound of the breeze
blowing in the papyrus thickets. However, when I took a handful of dried
papyrus stems and shook them vigorously, this produced a very similar and
surprisingly strong sound.

The cobra goddess, Wadjet, was said to be attracted by these same

sounds, like the rustling of a snake, and to be delighted in rhythmic music.
Early bronze sistra often have the bars in the form of snakes, and snakes
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sometimes adorn the noas as well. . The sound of the sistrum was also said
to soothe Tefnut, a panther goddess. Others thought that the rhythm beat out
the pace of lovemaking, one reason it was later a popular gift for weddings.
In modern musicological terminology, the sistrum is considered to be a
type of idiophone instrument. Another ancient name for it is the
crepitaculum.
Sistrums, or, more correctly, sistra, were made of several different materials,
but generally are one of two types, the naos sistrum and the looped sistrum.

The Naos Sistrum

A shrine or naos sistrum is a boxlike shape made of faience, stone, or

wood, with rods placed inside of it to make a noise when shaken, mounted on
a handle. The naos is the shrine box holding the most sacred image of a god
or goddess in the deepest recess of the Egyptian temple.
In this form, the sistrum was a mobile extension of that deeply sacred
space. These were often quite elaborate and must have been relatively fragile.
The sound from these was more rattle-like and less musical in tone. Usually,
a double head of Hathor adorns the top of the handle just beneath the naos
portion. Often, the naos holds a rearing cobra or another sacred figure. To
each side are enigmatic curved emblems. Some see in these examples another
type of flattened wire noisemaker, which would sound against the sides of the
naos, while others believe that they are a silent survival of the symbol of the
horns of Bat, an early cow goddess. As far as I know, no examples with
actual flattened wires have survived, but the faience sistra do seem to be
preserving an earlier metal attachment, now lost.

The Looped Sistrum

These sistra seem more durable than the faience naos

types, though ceramics are in their own way imperishable, Looped sistra were
generally made of a metal framework pierced to hold three or four rods, and
these seem to be the ones most favored in the rites of Isis. They were first
seen about the time of the 18th Dynasty.

T he looped sistrum was sometimes referred to as the

“arched sistrum” to distinguish them from the earlier “naos-sistrum”. The
Egyptian term for them was sSS.t, in the transliteration of Egyptian sounds
roughly like “sesheshet”. While the Greek writer Plutarch has made the four-
bar sistrum memorable because of his association of the four rods with the
four elements, three-rod sistrums were common in Egypt and were said to
represent the three seasons. They could as easily represent the many trinities
found in Egyptian religion, such as Isis-Osiris-Horus, Isis-Osiris-Nephthys,
the three seasons of the year, and many others.
Bells, rings, or disks were strung on the rods in most cases, though a
few sistrums appear to have just the rods, with the noise being produced as
the rods jolt against the frame when it is shaken. Sistrums of this kind may
have been used like tuning forks, emitting a pure chord of sound as the bars
struck the frame.
Bronze sistrums were often adorned with an image of Hathor placed at
the base of the frame, or topped with small animal figures, most frequently
cats. Some of these cast bronze sistrums were extremely elaborate, and were
probably intended primarily as offerings rather than as musical instruments
for daily use. Many were 16-18" tall, very large when one considers that the
average height of an Egyptian man or woman was much less in ancient times
than it is today.

In giant form, sistra images were used

architecturally. The pronaos of the Hathor temple at Dendera presents a
colonnade with eighteen pillars, usually described as “Hathor-headed” but
omitting the fact that they are actually huge Hathor-headed sistra. Similar
columns adorn many other temples throughout Egypt.
A Sixth Dynasty Sistrum of Stone

Although many naos-style sistra were made of faience, a few were

made of stone, including a beautiful one of pale alabaster. Hathor is not
present in form on this papyrus-stemmed scepter, but she is revered in the
inscription as the Lady of Dendera. This finely carved sistrum was inscribed
with the Name of King Teti, who reigned circa 2323–2291 B.C.E. The
superstructure is missing, but a Horus falcon and cobra still remain on what
would be the floor of the naos. It can be seen at the Metropolitan Museum in
New York City, which has a number of beautiful sistra on display as well as
being the home of a Graeco-Roman Egyptian-style temple of Isis rescued
from the rising waters of the Aswan dam.

The Stele of Piye (Piankhi)

An 8th-century B.C.E. document, known as the Stele of Piye, includes

an unusual combination of horses and sistra. The offerant seeking to placate
Piye, King of Egypt, is said to have “brought a horse in the right hand and a
sistrum in the left hand, of gold and lapis lazuli,” apparently meaning that he
led a horse in his right hand while bringing, or playing, the sistrum in his left.
One wonders how the gold and lapis lazuli were combined . Possibly the
handle was of lapis lazuli, or of that color, and the superstructure was of gold.
A Sistrum for Remembrance

By far, the most popular symbol to indicate the religion of a deceased

priestess of Isis was the sistrum, and many Graeco-Roman era grave steles
show the image of the sistrum. In the absence of any other inscription, it is
always assumed that the deceased was a worshipper or a priestess of Isis.
Sometimes the deceased is shown holding up a sistrum, but in other examples
the sistrum is simply carved into the stone.

The Mansion of the Sistrum

The temples of Hathor were called the Hwt Sekhem, or House of the
Sistrum, and several of them prominently featured the sistrum-style columns.
The Seventh "Nome" or administrative region of Upper (Southern) Egypt was
called, simply, the Sistrum or House of the Sistrum. Prior to Hathor, this area
appears to have been sacred to Bat, a still-earlier cow goddess. Was the
sistrum also one of her symbols? The curls beside the naos structure on the
naos-style sistrum a survival of Bat's curved horn emblem.
At the Temple of Hathor at Dendera, there still exists a chamber for the
sacred sistrum, which can still be reached by the more intrepid traveler.
Sistrums were offered by individuals to temples, as well offered by
pharaohs, queens, and officials. One faience sistrum of the naos-type shows
the Horus falcon in the naos. An inscription on the handle reads that the
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sistrum was given by Mery to Isis of Buto, and Isis of Edfu.
Outside of Egypt, the temples of Isis were said to be found by
following the sound of sistrums as they were played during the daily rites.
In the Greco-Roman period, small sistrums made of silver were placed
in the graves of a number of clergy of Isis who served in England. Similar
votive sistrums have also been found in other locations; some of them may
have been made for children..

Deities of the Sistrum

 Several deities are strongly associated with the design of ancient sistra.
The first of these is Hathor, whose doubled face often adorns the handle. The
sistrum could represent the sacred power of Hathor, and in some cases, the
most sacred object in her temple would not be her image, but her sistrum
made of gold. Her son, Ihy, said to be her”sistrum player”, whose very hands
are said to be her sistrum, is usually depicted holding a sistrum. His feast day,
when he was said to receive the sistrum from Hathor and assume his power,
was the second day of the month of Thoth, the day after “New Year’s Day”
for the ancient Egyptians.
On metal looped sistra, cats representing Bast often perch at the top of
the loop. But many other deities are also found on different sistra.
Bes sometimes takes the place of the image of Hathor, or his figure
forms the handle beneath her twinned heads.
The naos-style sistra may show Horus in or perching on the sacred
enclosure, and a cat cow, or other animal, often reclines comfortably on the
top of the loop. The iconoclastic Amarna-period sistra abandoned Hathor and
replaced her with a lotus or papyrus umbrel, though the snake-headed bars,
recalling Renenutet, remained on some examples. The Amarna period also
showed sistrums in the shape of ankhs, a design that is sometimes
encountered in modern sistra.

N ehemet-awai, a New Kingdom-period

goddess associated with Hathor and Tahuti, wore a headdress consisting of
the Hathor-head and naos shrine of the sistrum. She was believed to protect
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the plundered and restore stolen objects to their rightful owners.

The Hidden Goddess in the Sistrum

 Some see in the high pylon gates leading to the temples of Egypt a
symbolic image of three goddesses - Isis and Nephthys in the two sides of the
gateway, and their mother, Nut, filling the empty space between them.
Similarly, Isis and Nephthys are sometimes associated with the two thighs of
the body, surrounding the sacred entrance of life into this plane, perhaps also
representing Nut, who swallows and gives birth to the sun. Both the naos
sistrum and the looped sistrum can be seen to represent this triad. Some
bronze looped sistra retain a bit of the two sides of the naos sistrum, with
small images of different deities standing on each side.
The shape of some Egyptian sarcophagi depicting the embracing body
of Nut on the lid is exactly the same as the later style of looped metal sistrum.
The naos was a small shrine which contained the most sacred image of
the deity in the temple. It was a concentrated place of energy, and the
appearance of the god or goddess from behind the closed doors of the naos
was a crucial part of the daily awakening rite. The naos of the sistrum often
shows a deity in the doorway, showing that his or her power is in full
presence and active. Deities shown in this sacred spot include Horus,
Harpokrates (a young form of Horus as Son-of-Isis), the Eye of Ra in snake
form, and others.

Some sistra have the image of the dwarf god Bes in place of Hathor,
and some examples show Bes on the lower handle with the Hathor heads
above. Bes' associations with childbirth and joy won him a place on the
sistrum, and he was also one of the few deities in Egypt to be represented
full-face. Other decorations include cats, often languidly lying posed on the
top of the loop, and baskets of kittens may appear at the sides of the sistrum.
Sistra were sometimes given as wedding gifts, probably in pairs, and on
these, the kittens would be a concrete wish for fertility.

T he handle of the sistrum suggested an easy identification with

the symbol of Osiris, the djed pillar, and may also have had phallic
connotations, with the loop of the sistrum representing the female, and the
handle representing the male. Through a misunderstanding of these symbols,
one Victorian author thought that the sistrum was as symbol of chastity, with
the “bars” across the vulvar loop serving as a symbolic chastity device.
The sistrum was also seen as a dwelling place of divine forces, both in
the naos-shrine type and in the arched loop of the bronze sistrum. Within this
enclosure, Isis or Bast or Hathor or Nephthys could manifest. This manifested
form of the sistrum had its own name, Baat, itself a name of the ancient
Egyptian cow or caprid goddess who preceded Hathor. This embodied
sistrum functioned as a pillar holding up the sky, or separating Set and
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Horus.
The sistrum was not only used to invoke joy; it could also chase away
evil, and was thought to be effective against the great embodiment of discord,
Set. They were shaken during eclipses, a time sacred to Nephthys, to ward off
Apep, the enemy of Ra.
There was a great deal of variation in the quality and the thickness of
the sistra. Heavier bronze sistra may have “rung” like the singing bowls of
Tibet, emanating an undulating band of sound beneath the clacking of the
bars through the frame.

A plain ankh-form sistrum was created during

Akenaten's time, stripped of its religious adornments. A relief of Meritaten
shows her playing one of these types, and a pair of them was found in Tut's
tomb.

A Sistrum in the Stars

A Dr. Wall, Professor of Chemistry at Oxford in 1782, stated that the

astrological symbol of Venus was “The Sistrum of Isis”, showing a handle
and the adorned loop, possibly drawn from a sistrum with a horned cow on
the top of it. This Oxford don may have had Isis on his mind – the section of
the Thames flowing through Oxford is called “The Isis”.

Isis and the Wolf

Many goddess worshippers are admirers of the wolf but connections

between Isis and wolves are rare. But one sistrum now in the British Museum
and said to have been found in the Tiber River in Rome has a she-wolf at the
top of the loop where a cat often sits. She is licking the baby Romulus, the
founder of Rome. Some other sistra that have what appear to be poorly
formed dogs or cats on the top of the loop may also depict the she-wolf with
one of the twins.

Priestesses of the Sistrum

The priestesses in charge of shaking the sistrum before the deity were
sometimes called “Khenut” or “Kheneet”, musical priestesses who also
played the sistrum. The “God’s Wives” priestesses, often royal, also offered
the sound of the sistrum. Priests and the Pharaoh shook sistrums in honor of
the deities, and the gods and goddesses, particularly Isis and Hathor, would
play their sistrums for their divine colleagues. Other terms for sistrum-
playing priestesses were the shemut, the seseshseshut, and the ihyut.
At the Sed Festival, when the power of the Pharaoh was tested and
renewed, a special priestess called the Sadat offered worship to the Pharaoh
through her sistrum. Children could also provide the sound-offering -
Hathor’s son Ihy was known as her “Sistrum Player”, and Harpokrates, the
son of Isis, is called "Producer of the sistrum". A young boy, Ukhotp, son of
a sistrum-playing priestess named Senbi, is shown holding an unusual sistrum
5
imitating a trio of papyrus stems crowned with a naos and hawk. Sistrum
players also greeted visitors to the King; this may have been a method of
purifying them as well before they entered the holy presence of the Pharaoh.
2: The Materials of the Sistrum

The metals of the original sistra remain a mystery. As far as I have been
able to determine, there is presently no metallurgical study of the metals used
in the manufacture of sistra. Increasingly in-depth research into what we
know of ancient Egyptian metalworking may soon change this, but for the
time being we can only guess. Sistrums are attested in silver, gold, and
bronze, though one name and hieroglyph for the sistrum, theb, may indicate
they were made of plain copper as well as that is the main meaning for the
word.
One study of Egyptian bells found that they were generally made of an
alloy consisting of 82.4% copper, 16.4 % tin, and 1.2% lead, but it's not clear
6
if these were true bells or just jangles. Another source suggests that Egyptian
bronze was twelve to twenty parts tin to eighty or eighty five of copper.
Evidence of bronze casting in Egypt dates back to the 6th Dynasty.
Copper was particularly sacred to Hathor, who was in general a goddess of
mining as well, so that may account in part for its use in the sistrum. A
modern recreation of a faience sistrum handle made in Egypt includes
particles of iron, either to give weight or perhaps to enhance the magnetic or
resonating properties of the material. As faience already possesses a high
quartz content, it is well prepared to receive a charge of divine energy. It's
also possible that the vigorous shaking of the metal bars against the quartz
particles may have actually built up a mild piezoelectric charge, a type of
electricity created by pressure exerted against quartz molecules. Would this
have been strong enough to occasionally emit a flash of light? Unfortunately,
few museums are likely to allow one of their precious sistra to be subjected to
prolonged vigorous shaking to find out. Perhaps a priestess or priest blessed
with lapidary skills could experiment with the "flash stones" sometimes sold
at museum stores? These rocks emit light when hit together in a dark room,
and a big bead or two made from such a stone might be a very interesting
addition to a sistrum.

When using modern materials, here are some guidelines.

Brass produces a bright, clangy sound.

Thin metal disks, of whatever color, usually produce a bright, sweet sound.

Copper produces a softer, bright sound.

Silver produces a soft, somewhat flat sound, probably related to the

brittleness of the metal.

Bronze tones vary, but at their best can produce a sweet, deep, bell-like
sound.

Steel disks produce a light, flat shush-shush-shush sound. Oddly enough, this
is closer in sound- to the original sistra made of reeds.

Nickel disks - a flat, somewhat harsh sound.

I have not yet been able to listen to a large solid gold sistrum, though I
suspect the sound would be similar to but somewhat sweeter than that of
silver, since gold is a softer metal.

Rings Some ancient sistra did not have disks, and used rings of metal instead.

Bells add sweetness and sound. They are particularly good if you wish to use
the sistrum in dancing, as they will sound when disks will not.

Zills
If money is no object, zills or small Tibetan-style bells are a wonderful
addition to a sistrum. Four or five pairs of zills are easily enough to make a
good sounding sistrum. Experiment with using them alone, with other disks,
or with beads, bells, or a few belly-dance coins. Whether the zills hit the sides
of the sistrum with their convex or concave sides will affect the sound. How
they hit each other on the bar will also change the sound. The best
arrangement may be to have two pairs per bar, with each zill facing its mate
as it would if played -( )-( )-. Their relatively large size requires ample
spacing for the bars in the frame. They could also be arranged this way, -)-( )-
(- so that the center pair rings against each other, while the zills on each side
ring against the side of the frame. Experiment to find out what works best for
you.

Number of Disks
I like to use a lunar group of thirteen disks on three bars, but this is a purely
instinctive, personal choice. Ancient artists drew anywhere from three to five
or six disks per rod, but it is not clear if this is an accurate count or simply
how they conveyed the impression of a group of disks. Disks may have been
round, or may have been square or diamond-shaped pieces of metal pierced
in the center, as are the jangles on the large pair of sistra found in Tut’s tomb.
Extra disks tend to sweeten the sound as there isn't room for them to
travel a long distance along the rod. However, these can start to get heavy in
long rites. It is also possible to make them sound with only a slight trembling
of the sistrum, resulting in a sound similar to the "Shimmer" described above.
Clay and wooden frames affect the sound, adding their own dimension.

The Rods or Bars

The rods are often overlooked as sources of sound, but

a completely diskless sistrum will still sound if the rods have enough room in
their holes to slide and hit against the frame. The sound is amazingly potent
by itself, and I wouldn't have believed it until a sistrum maker I know brought
a diskless version and demonstrated it for me. Many ancient bronze sistra
apparently did not have disks, though since they were often made of thin
metal, they may have long since corroded away, leaving little trace.
It is also possible, at least theoretically, to use rods that will emit a
particular tone, and combine to sound a chord. This is a fascinating area of
potential sistrum research. Plutarch sets the number of rods at four, speaking
with such authority that some never doubt that all sistra had precisely four
rods. Ancient Egyptian art gives us examples of two, three, four, and even
five-rodded sistra. While many tomb paintings show four or five, in the
funerary papyrus of Ani, Tutu, Ani’s beautiful wife, is repeatedly shown
holding a three-barred sistrum.
It’s also interesting to note that the rods were not always evenly spaced,
though many illustrations show them that way. This ancient sistrum seems to
indicate some of the fretwork patterns now found on Ethiopian sistra.
The rods are generally made of metal, but Minoan clay sistrum have
wooden rods.
Sumerian examples tend to show mainly a two-rodded form, and most
Indian khartel or tal bells have two rods, as do the Ethiopian sistra that I have
seen. A well-known image of Bast shows her with a four-barred sistrum and
four kittens, and so some have seen in the four barred versions a relation
between the kittens and the sound makers. Occasionally, the separate rods
were replaced by a single coiling wire woven back and forth through the
holes in the frame.

The bars terminate in a number of ways. Most commonly,

they are bent at angles to resemble snake heads, sometimes with additional
details or flattening to enhance this resemblance. Both asps or vipers and
cobras were represented.
The rods may also take the form of birds' heads. Graeco-Roman sistra
often appear to end in swan, duck or goose heads.
The rods may end close to the frame, or extend out a considerable
distance. One ancient example has four rods, each of which is literally as
wide as the sistrum is high. This must have been a challenge to play safely in
close quarters, without accidentally entangling in a neighboring priestess's
elaborate coiffure. A modern esoteric interpretation suggests that the three
rod version symbolizes the mystical energy channels of the ida, pingala, and
sushumna. Philip Gardner writes “During the ascent of these serpent energies
up the spine to the centre of the head, the individual while going through this
supposed enlightenment process, will hear sounds similar to the sounds the
Sistrum makes – i.e., rattle sounds like tambourine bells and sounds like a
bell-tree being stroked. One will also hear sounds like a ‘rattle snake’ and
also whistles and flute-like instruments. Underlying these sounds is a very
low and strong rumbling sound which fades-in at first and gets louder and
louder as the process proceeds culminating in the bright, white light
explosion in the centre of the head. The Sistrum then may have been a symbol
7
of this experience.”

One author believes that

the “Hey diddle diddle, the cat with the fiddle…” reflects a memory of the
8
association of cats and sistra. Bast could also have a lion-headed form, and
some faience amulets show seated lion-headed goddesses holding sistra of
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various types. Frederick Cameron Sillar, in his "Cats Ancient and Modern,
notes "A possible survival of Isis worship has been suggested for the carving
in the left hand 'supporter' to a 'cat' misericord dating from 1530 in Beverley
Minster, where the cat plays the fiddle to four kittens; the instrument
connected with the worship of both Isis and her daughter, the cat-headed bst,
was the sistrum, which also had four strings, and the repetition of the number
"4' has been thought to signify the number of weeks in the month and
therefore refers to the moon goddess. As Tindall Widlrige points out, the
moon means 'measurer' and the cat is playing a dance measure." - though I
have to admit those don’t look like four “kittens” to me.
The Frame

The looped sistrum is sometimes described as "stirrup shaped" but in

fact different sistra show a wide variety of shapes for the loop. It can be
rectangular, with a broad base curved at the top, and roughly kite-shaped to
name a few. Modern examples have only served to increase this variety. The
arch of the loop can also be seen as a symbol of the moon’s path through the
sky. The metal itself is usually narrower where it joins the base of the
sistrum, and widest at the top of the loop, which may also reflect the growth
and decline of the moon through the month.

Tut's Sistra

The grave goods of Tutankhamen include a pair of plain gilded sistra.

The proportions on these are not especially pleasing, with handles that seem
too long, an unadorned squared-off wood chunk serving as a base, and an
oversized loop with three bars in the middle of the loop, which is often found
in Egyptian looped sistra. The handle itself is octagonal. One of these sistra
was included in the touring Tut exhibit traveling the world beginning in 2005.
To me, these are “sanitized” sistra which have been stripped of their divine
associations, and the workmanship is less than perfect. The disks are unusual
diamond-shaped pieces of metal, rather than round disks, and look painfully
sharp to me. But I would still love to hear them sounded.

An Unusual Addition to a Sistrum

One Bes-handled bronze example has a pair of metal bars placed at either
side of the frame, so the bars penetrate the frame and then pass through this
second band of metal. This presumably served to enhance the sound. If the
sistrum was inlaid with enamel or other decorations, the bars may have been
added to protect the finish from being pocked by the rods hitting the outside
of the frame.

And About the Sistrum's Aurific Unctuosity….

Manly P. Hall, in his classic, "The Secret Teachings of All Ages",
discusses the sistrum in this way: "The crown of gold signifies also the aurific
unctuosity or sulphurous fatness of the solar and vital fires which she
dispenses to every individual by a continual circulation of the elements, this
circulation being symbolized by the musical rattle which she carries in her
hand. This sistrum is also the yonic symbol of purity." XLVII. Manly
suggests that the cymbal she carries in the accompanying illustration is tuned
to the keynote of Nature, Fa.
Should it Be Called The "Isistrum"?
Modern scholars ascribe the Egyptian name of the sistrum to the
papyrus plant, sssh, which was its botanical predecessor. One ancient
authority, however, Isidorus Hispalensis, believed that it was discovered by
Isis and then named after her. Given his own name, "Gift of Isis" he may
have been a bit prejudiced in favor of Isis in this particular case.

The Sistrum in Plutarch

Plutarch, in his book "On Isis and Osiris", writes on the symbolism of
the sistrum:
"The sistrum (seistron) also indicates that the things which exist should be
shaken (seiesthai dei) and should never stop moving, but should be awaked
and disturbed, as it were, when they are sleepy and sluggish. For they say that
with the sistrum they repel and ward off Typhon, meaning that when decay
confines and restricts nature, the power of creation sets her free and restores
her by means of movement. The top of the sistrum is rounded and the curve
embraces the four objects that are shaken. For the part of the world that is
created and decays is embraced by the globe of the moon, and everything in it
is moved and changed through the four elements, fire, earth, water and air.
On the top of the sistrum's curve they engrave the figure of a cat with a
human face, and below, under the rods that are shaken, the face of Isis on one
side and that of Nephthys on the other. With the faces they symbolize
creation and earth (for these are the changes and movements of the elements);
and with the cat they symbolize the moon because of the changeableness,
10
nocturnal activity and sexual fertility of the animal…"
The Hieroglyphic Sistrum

The earliest name of the sistrum in

Egypt was related to the sound of papyrus stems being plucked and shaken in
honor of Hathor, ssst. or ssh. Another word apparently meaning a sistrum was
abt, sometimes rendered as iba.
While technically, the plural of sistrum should be sistra, the word "sistrums"
is in wide use and is accepted by most dictionaries.
The word "sesh" has many interesting associations; it can, with a
different determinative and slightly different "spellings", mean to shine, to
water, to draw the bolts of a door, to open, to pass through, to make a
passage, an opening, or to inaugurate an altar. “Sesh” is also the same sound
for the scribe’s palette, part of the name of Sesheta, the divine scribe goddess,
and also relates to drawing, designing, and writing of any kind. Doubled, it
can mean the lotus. In Greek, as Plutarch notes, the word was transformed
into seistron. It is occasionally spelled "sistron" instead of sistrum in some
older sources.
Though some writers make a solid distinction between the words used
for the naos-type sistrum and the metal looped sistrum, the Egyptians
apparently used the terms more freely, so the inscriptions may not always
match the type of sistrum depicted. Marlene Reynders makes a case for the
terms to refer not to different types of sistra, but for their intended purposes.
She believes that the sesheshet term was used when the actual shaking of the
sistrum was intended, whereas sekhem was only used when the sistrum was
11
mentioned in its role as a manifestation of power for or of Hathor. In this
reasoning, the faience sistrum amulets would automatically be considered
sekhem, or a symbol of the power of Hathor.
3: Sistrums Around the World

The use of the sistrum was not limited to Egypt. While some of these may
have a tie with ancient practices, others may just be an independent creation
of a sistrum-like object.
The sistrum is unexpectedly found among the mystical Yaqui Indians
of northern Mexico. Called the sena’asom, it is said to represent the plant
world, an odd echo of the original sistra made from papyrus fragments. They
believe that their ancestors “came from the East”, but that’s slim evidence for
any forgotten Egyptian connection. It is used during their deer dance.
A similar instrument, the khartel, is used widely in India, especially to
accompany dancing. In China, a metal framed rattle in a circular form with
12
rings on it is used as a "spirit rattle" in shamanic practices. Central Asia
turned up a sistrum near Tiflis, Georgia. The Kaduveo Indians of South
America also use a simple sistrum. Bell trees are also found in various places,
including Japan, and while they are often larger than what we normally think
of as a sistrum, their function and sound is virtually the same. Malayan shark
rattles are sometimes called sistrums, but the form and uses (it’s churned
underwater to attract sharks to hunt) are very different and unlikely to be
derived from the sistrum itself.
The sistrum also shows up in the sanctuaries of Mithra, a divinity
popular among the Roman legions, where it designated one of the grades of
initiation, that of the Lion..

The Sistrum in Sumeria

 S istra were known in Sumeria at Ur
and Kish, and one example exists on the front of the great bull-headed lyre
found at Ur, where a small animal, identified in some sources as a jackal,
holds a sistrum in a scene reminiscent of an Egyptian sketch of animals
playing musical instruments. A second scene shows a gazelle playing what
13
may also be another type of sistrum, closer to the triangular African type.
Some claim that the sistrum came from Sumeria via Palestine and then into
Egypt, but it is also possible that the path of the instrument was from Egypt
into Mesopotamia. Sumerian sistra have a wishbone-shaped frame and
handle, with two bars strung with disks and a top bar closing off the opening
of the “wishbone”.

The Sistrum in the Old Testament

In 2 Samuel 6:15, the sistrum is mentioned under the name of

mena'aneim, or shaker, though authorities differ on precisely what instrument
is meant. King David was said to play the sistrum, so it apparently went with
the Israelites out of Egypt. Another name given for the Egyptian sistrum is
kemkem, from which the Hebrew term may have been derived. The
prophetess Miriam is also believed to have used the sistrum.
The Disney animated film "The Prince of Egypt", which tells a version
of the Exodus story, shows a sistrum being played as the Israelites leave
Egypt. This is hardly the most scholarly source, but it was amusing to see this
symbol of Isis and other goddesses at that moment. Sistrums have been found
at a number of pre-Israelite Egyptian sites in what is now the Holy Land.
Apocryphal Biblical texts, such as “The Book of the Cave of Treasures”

however, berate musical instruments, i ncluding

the sistrum, as an instrument used to incite lust and cause fornication. They
were believed to be made by Tôbalkîn, one of the sons of Lamech.. But in the
Coptic Church of Ethiopia, the saint Yared sees and hears sistra being played
in a vision he has of Heaven, which inspires many of his liturgical songs. His
sacred music still accompanies the rites of the Coptic Church.
The Sistrums of Ethiopia
The Coptic Christian Church preserves many old traditions of Egyptian
language and religion. Even Isis slips in as “St. Isis”. Used in the rites of the
Coptic Christian church, these sistrums are made of silvery metal with two
bars and about six disks, held in an elaborate metal frame which also has a
thicker top cross bar without disks. The symbolism is not obviously
Christian, but seems to be more Moslem in design - curlicues and other non-
representational motifs. The same designs are also used in Coptic
processional crosses. Generally, the two sides of the frame end in a
triangular, pyramidical shape, so, seen, from the side, the frames resemble
fret-worked obelisks. Sometimes pierced coins are used as disks. Finer
examples of the Coptic sistrum may have handles of bone or ivory, or even
amber. Since amber has the power to generate a static electricity charge – the
Greek word for amber is ήλεκτρον, elektron – it’s possible that these sistra
may have occasionally generated a tangible spark.

Sistra of the Coptic type are

called tsenatsil, and a similar instrument is also used by Jewish practitioners
in the Fellasha Synagogues in Ethiopia. St. Yared , a sixth-century cleric who
composed the core hymns of the Ethiopian church, is often depicted playing a
sistrum in front of an Ethiopian emperor, Gebra Meskel.
St. Yared believed that he had ascended to heaven where he heard
angels singing the songs he later wrote down, accompanied by horns, drums,
sistra, and other instruments which he then incorporated into his
compositions, the first of their kind for the church. He developed a system of
musical notation and eventually left the court of the emperor to work and
teach among the poor. At holidays, including St Yared;s feast day on April
5th, Coptic priests gather and chant and sing while swaying and shaking their
sistrums to the accompaniment of large drums. They believe the slow
shoulder-to-shoulder shaking of the sistrum in dance commemorates the
whipping of Christ on the way to the crucifixion. The sistrum used by St.
Yared is still preserved as a holy relic in the Church of St. Qirqos on the
island of Lake Tana in Ethiopia.

The Harvest Vase from Hagia Triada, Crete

 Sistra appear on pre-dynastic pottery in Egypt, and also appear on the
Cretan Harvester vase. In the Iraklio Museum on Crete, a two-bar loop
sistrum made of clay with just three lonely disks on two bars attests to its use
on the green island.

A raucous celebration is underway, accompanied by a singing man

playing a sistrum. This vase was found at the site of Hagia Triada, an ancient
mansion of the Minoans. How much influence Egypt had on Crete is debated,
but there certainly was contact, if not colonization, though it is believed that
the eruption of Thera disrupted this connection.

A Minoan Sistrum

This clay sistrum is at the Heraklion Archaeological Museum in

Heraklion on the island of Crete. It's similar to the one depicted on the vase,
though that one, if one looks closely, may have a horizontal handle rather
than a vertical one, or he could be just gripping it that way. In later periods,
bronze sistra from Egypt have also been found on Crete, including one
discovered in 2004 by the Greek-American excavations at Mochlos.

The Barcoo Dog of Australia

An unusual modern “sistrum” is an instrument called the “Barcoo Dog”, used
to scare sheep into their pens. It has also crept into “bush music” played on
various simply made instruments. It consists of a forked stick, a wire, and
whatever metal lids, can tops, bottle caps, or other stringable metal “disks”
come to hand. Sometimes a round loop of wire is used instead of the stick.

“Collector Ron Edwards notes that this is not

really a musical instrument but a tool used in yarding sheep. Simply a crude
type of rattle with pieces of tin or the push-in lids from tins of Golden Syrup
etc. threaded onto a piece of fencing wire either tied in a loop or strung
between the ends of a forked stick. This was used when yarding sheep by
rattling it at the sheep … who might be foolish enough to run in the opposite
direction, into the yards. It wasn’t as good as a sheep dog but it wasn’t likely
to be cooling off in the creek when you needed it!

“For musical applications it could be shaken along with the tune to, provide a
sort of Bush Tambourine. You should go softly at first; when I made one it
was immediately banished by the rest of the band! I remember seeing a
couple of musicians who, when they played for children, would scatter a few
Barcoo Dogs (the type made with bottle tops, small lids and forked sticks -
about the size of a child’s shanghai) for the children to rattle along with
them”
 I asked Bob if he thought the presence of
many “Isis” names in Australia might have influenced the creation of this
instrument, since it’s unlikely all of these places were named without
someone having or seeing a picture of Isis, perhaps holding a sistrum. He’s
not sure, but thinks the hard-framed ones might somehow draw from actual
images of Isis. Of course, these names are all from modern times, but still,
wouldn’t it be nice to live in Isisshire, get sugar from the Isis Mill, drive
along the Isis Highway, and attend the big sheep shearing festival at Isis
Station – with a sistrum – oops, Barcoo dog ready at hand?
4: The Sensual Sistrum

Sistrums and Sex

H athor and Isis both were erotic goddesses and some of their
rites were designed, at least in part, to stimulate and sanctify sexual activity.
It's not surprising that their symbolic instrument, the sistrum, would also
reflect this sacred sexuality. Like the ankh, the loop and staff of the sistrum
can be seen as the connection of the male with the female, phallus with
vagina. In one instance presented by Alison Roberts, this sexual dimension is
even more pronounced. At the Temple of Hibis, an engraved image of the
sistrum of the Hand of Atum, Nebet Hotepet, has an arm for a handle and a
base made of a phallus, crowned then in the usual way by a head of Hathor,
14
which supports a naos above . Many early scholars saw in the loop shape of
the sistrum an emblem of the yoni or female sexual organs. Obsessed with
virginity, these writers also assumed that the “bars” were meant to indicate
that the goddess or priestess depicted with the sistrum was a virgin.
It is more likely that the rhythmic shaking of sistra may have
accompanied sacred sexual unions, or were played while marriages were
being consummated. This would have both provided a pleasant rhythm and
have been seen as a method of driving away evil influences from the couple.
Certainly, sistrums were popular gifts for marriages, and the kittens often
adorning them would be a wish for children.
Royal sex may have been a group affair – at least in the sense that there
may well have been musicians present (blind musicians are depicted in some
illustrations) or nearby. It’s possible that the shaking sistrum may have
provided a rhythmic background for divine lovemaking. Ancient sexual
manuals suggest various rhythms for a couple to employ.
Slower rhythms would have accompanied the stages of foreplay and
seduction, while more rapid, steady beats may have provided a useful model
for timing the motions of intercourse. One of the early objections to rock ‘n
roll was that the rhythm aroused the listeners – sistra may have provided the
same stimulating effect.
Two ancient Egyptian lyrics suggest that the Pharaoh would dance and
play the sistrum to please his Goddess – or the priestess representing her:

The Pharaoh comes to dance,

He comes to sing to you
Oh, Mistress, see how he dances
Oh, Mistress, see how he skips
…his heart is true, upright his body,
No darkness is in his breast ….

He comes to dance,
He comes to sing…
His basket is of rushes
His sistrum of gold,
 His feet hurry to the mistress of the jubilation,
He dances for her, and she likes what he does..

B es, like Hercules, is sometimes depicted brandishing a club.

Is that the basis for this unusual sistrum, which is a bronze recreation of a
natural branch? I must admit I was delighted to find this particular example.
When I made my first sistrum, I decided to use a piece of driftwood that
terminated in a perfect cat's head shape, complete with ears.

Over the years it has been suggested that I replace it with a "real" handle, a
nice perfectly-turned piece of wood. But I'm very attached to the original
handle, (as is the sistrum frame itself!), found on a beach I love which was
the site of much early devotional work, and I like the associations it brings
with both the sea and with faraway places. Finding this ancient predecessor
with its branch of metal made me wonder if some ancient priestess or priest
felt the same way, and who perhaps replaced a beloved sistrum handle with a
permanent casting in bronze.
The Djed and the Sistrum - Shaking Up the Male

The enigmatical djed symbol, which consists of a column with a four-

layered structure on top of it, resembles the shape of the barred sistrum. One
ancient example shows the back of the djed as a looped frame, making the
resemblance even more striking. But the djed was a male symbol of stability,
associated with the King and with Osiris. To shake a symbol of stability
would be to invoke change, to bring life to the all-too-stable dead. To shake a
male symbol could also imply masturbation. Egyptian creation myths often
have creator gods bringing the world into manifestation by masturbating, and
several goddesses, including both Isis and Hathor, sometimes carry the title
"Hand of God" - literally, the hand with which the god masturbates, seen as
inherently feminine.

S ound, Light, Power, and Air

While it’s obvious that the sistrum generates sound, it also was believed to
convey power, or sekhem, light, and air, or the breath of life. This last was
perceivable physically - the shaking of the sistrum would naturally disturb
and charge the air.
On a molecular level, it exerts a mildly ionizing effect, similar to ion-
generating devices. It is also possible, though this is pure speculation on my
part, that certain metal or stone sistra may have generated sparks, certainly a
form of light. In this case, a scent or ionization like the "smell of lightning"
may have been released, depending on the materials used in constructing the
sistrum. In the play “Iphis”, the sistrums of Isis are said to bring “sound and
light”.

The Scented Sistrum

Scent was more important to sistra than we realize. The first sistra were
woven of reeds or papyrus, which has a naturally sweet smell even when
dried. At its simplest, the "sistrum" was probably a stalk of papyrus cut off
just below the umbrel, the cluster of spreading thin fronds which give the
papyrus its distinctive shape. It may have been seen as representing the hair
of Hathor, in which case placing an image of her head on the stalk may have
been the predecessor to later sistrums including her face on the handle. Many
reeds are naturally fragrant, and papyrus, in particular, has a very pleasing
scent. While the faience and metal sistrums would have no natural scent,
Egyptians loved scented unguents and may have employed them on the wood
handles of the sistra, or as a lubricant on the bars so that the disks would slide
more easily, or to conquer squeaks. Sistra were wrapped with flowers and
15
plants, often with bindweed and papyrus, creating a larger, fan-shaped form
with the sistrum serving as both handle and focal point for the mixed
arrangement.
 Scent may play a role in one ancient tale involving a sistrum. In
Apuleius' Metamorphoses or The Golden Ass, a sistrum is carried by the
priest who has been instructed by Isis to also carry a wreath of fragrant red
roses. He holds them both in his right hand, and Lucius, in his asinine form,
eats the roses while they dangle by the sistrum. He then is restored to his
human form and the miracle of Isis's intervention is proclaimed by all.

O ne relief depicts a priest turning back to press

his face near a pair of sistra held by two priestesses. He might have been
turning back to share a word, but Alison Roberts believes he was receiving
sacred air from the sistrum, and a vigorously-shaken sistrum might stir the
desert air a bit. But he might well have been literally smelling it.
Even plain sistrums could be made more festive by weaving flowers around
the handle and frame. In some instances, the sistrum was essentially used as a
handle for an elaborate bouquet. Egyptian florists generally gave their
arrangements a sturdy inner core of papyrus or other reeds, and more delicate
blossoms were then attached to this core. For the ancient Egyptians, a sistrum
would be a natural base to decorate with flowers, either natural or made of
fabric.

Some Suggested Scents for the Sistrum

You can mix a drop or two of essential or perfume oils into a little olive oil,
beeswax, or petroleum jelly. It will both scent your sistrum and keep it from
rusting. Depending on the metal finish, you may want to test your scent on a
small area of the metal.

Myrrh – good for morning rites, cleansing

Kyphi – good for evening rites
Frankincense – can be used anytime
Lotus – Used for both sensual and spiritual rites
Cinnamon – assists in male sexual arousal
Clary Sage – assists in female sexual arousal
Jasmine – excellent for romantic rites

T he sistrum shakes, the sistrum sounds

the Goddess makes, the Goddess sounds
She tests our mettle on holy grounds
The Sistrum shakes, the sistrum sounds.

Now a sound of water, the Nile on the land,

Now a sound of power, a snake in the hand
Now a sound of beckoning, a lover draws near
Now a sound of forboding, a stranger feels fear

The sistrim shakes, the sistrum sounds,

and Isis makes and Isis sounds
She tests our mettle on holy grounds
The sistrum shakes, the sistrum sounds
5: Playing the Sistrum

Wo nderful to behold, sistrums are even better to

play. But even this is not as simple as it seems. I am not sure why, but a good
percentage of people pick up a sistrum for the first time and immediately try
to play it by rubbing it vigorously between their palms. While results vary
depending on the sistrum, this is usually a difficult method at best. As
sistrums were often played in pairs, it is unlikely that this was a preferred
method in ancient times. The best way is to grasp the sistrum firmly in one
hand. Then you have several choices.

The first is the down-and-up. Hold the sistrum as if it were a hammer,

narrow edge pointing toward the ground. Holding your arm up so the sistrum
is at about shoulder height, shake it with a brief, abrupt motion toward the
ground. You will only be moving it about three or four inches.
There are two variants on this. One, the motion is not too vigorous and so the
sistrum sounds only against one side of the loop. _ _ _ This is a nice steady
sound. It is ideal for the series of three shakes mentioned by Plutarch. _ _ _
pause _ _ _ pause _ _ _ pause
The second is more vigorous and causes the disks to hit the other side
of the metal loop as well. _-_-_-_ . As the disks will automatically drop back
to the side which was first hit, this type of motion tends to create a sequence
of odd-numbered sounds. It is a more vigorous sound, good for picking up
the pace or stirring up the energy.
The sistrum can also be played held upright, so you are looking at the
rods and disks. This generally suits a simple back and forth motion. _-_-_-_-
A sistrum will usually be almost silent if it is held like this and then
sharply lowered. Sistra which have bells on them will still sound in this
position, but disks or just bars will not.
It can also be played against the other hand, hitting it lightly on the
palm. This can assist in dulling or muting the sound for more complicated
rhythms.

. Types of Sistra Sounds

In general, solid metal sistra, particularly brass ones, will be loud and
tend to be "clangy". Thickness of metal will definitely influence the sounds,
with thicker metal giving a more resonant, harmonious sound. Mixed wood
and metal sistra will usually emit a sound somewhere between clanging and
ringing.

"Clacking"
This is a sound which can be achieved with the African sistra, a
metallic sound without particular tone to it. It can be good for setting rhythms
and doing purifications. A solid silver sistrum I have gives a pleasantly soft
clacking sound.

"Clanging"
This sound is generally created by either a disked sistrum or by the
sound of the empty bars clanging against the metal frame. Depending on the
thickness of the metal, this can be a deep and resonant sound, or a bright,
brassy one. Flat disks that are relatively large in relation to the bars will tend
to give a clanging sound. This type of sound is best for punctuating ritual,
timing the steps in a procession, calling together groups, and expressing
acclamation. It is also useful in purifications.
"
Ringing"

This sistrum sound depends on the type and thickness of the metal used
in its construction. Slightly curved disks will give a more resonant, ringing
sound. The bars, without disks, hitting against the frame can also give a
sustained, ringing note but this depends on the metal used. Cast bronze would
be excellent for this purpose.
One possibility for creating a "ringing" sistrum would be to use a large
tuning fork for the frame.

"Rustling"
Since the sistrum was originally created by shaking a bunch of papyrus
stalks together, perhaps to urge away or attract snakes, this soft, soothing
sound is said to please Renutet and other snake goddesses, who rustle when
they slither through the grass. The naos style sistrum, with its ceramic
framework, may give a rustling sound. So will some African sistra which are
made of forked twigs, fairly thick wire, and disks made of flattened metal
bottle caps. More disks will assist in creating this sound.

"Shimmering"
The shimmer is one of the most delightful sounds a sistrum can make,
sibilant and liquid, recalling flowing water. All sistra can "shimmer", but
depending on materials, some create a much more entrancing sound than
others.

Hold the sistrum flat. Gently shake it from side to side, using the
absolute bare minimum of motion. You are trying to achieve a rapid but
gentle motion, closer to a trembling than a shake. Be patient; sometimes it
will take a moment for the disks to really respond. Listen. As the trembling
continues, many separate notes can often be perceived. The sound, though
softer than most sistrum playing, is more complex. With each soft motion,
only some of the disks are newly sounding; others are silent, some are still
vibrating from a previous shake, and the rods and frame are also responding
in unique ways. When you pause, wait a moment and then touch the loop or
top crossbar. Even if you can no longer perceive any sound emitting from the
sistrum, you can still feel the vibration in the metal. This is a nice effect for
certain points in rituals.

S ummoning Sound

When used as a summoning instrument, the sistrum is usually held high

in the air, with the rods parallel to the ground. In this position, move the
sistrum rapidly through a small arc, while keeping the arm itself as still as
possible. This gesture is visible from a long distance as well as being easily
heard, and is best done with a large or loud sistrum.

Stately Sistrum Rhythms for Processions

Sound the sistrum using slow downward beats, played in unison if

more than one sistrum is available. _ pause_pause_pause. This can be timed
by the steps of a procession, in which case the rhythm is shake-step-shake-
step-shake-step or shake-shake-step shake-shake-step

Scorpion Sting
 This is a brief, rapid shake. Think of it as a warning sound.
Ululation
A rapid shaking of the sistrum, usually while held over the head, in
response to something good. Longer in duration than the Scorpion Sting, this
can also be used as a summoning sound.

Zinging
Hold the sistrum out flat in front of you. With your other hand, set the
disks to spinning, either from the top or the bottom of the sistrum. Some
sistra won't sound this way, but others will give a nice spinning sound.

A Chant for Sistra

Here is a suggested sistrum rhythm for this powerful chant. Use it as a guide
or create your own rhythms.

A System of Sistrum Notation

\ Down
/ Up
)))) Shimmer
)( )( Rapid back and forth
# Scorpion Sting
Z - Zing
This pattern works best with a "fast" sistrum with a good action. I've
indicated the motions for the first verse.

I AM ISIS
down up down up down down down down then ring disks with hand
\ / \ / \ \ \ \ )))))
I am I sis, Queen of the Sun

down up down up down down down down

\/\/\\\\
I am I sis the Ho ly One

down down down down up down up down shake back and forth rapidly
\ \ \ \ / \ / \ )()(
By my word, the Sun will stop,

down down down down up down up down shake back and forth rapidly
\ \ \ \ / \ / \ )()(
By my word, the pain will halt.

\/\/\\\\
I am Isis, the One who Heals,

\/\/\\\\
I am Isis, the One who Feels
\ \ \ \ / \ / \ )()(
From my wings, the light does go,

\ \ \ \ / \ / \ )()(
from my hands, the healing flows

\/\/\\\\
I am Isis, the Goddess Great

\/\/\\\\
I am Isis who changes Fate

\ \ \ \ \ / \ / \ )()(
From my breath, health will glow

\ \ \ \ / \ / \ )()(
from my will, the illness goes.

\/\/\\\\
I am Isis, my song I’ve sung
\/\/\\\\
I am Isis, this healing’s done

\\\\/\/\
Take this song, the words and tune )()(

\ \ \ \ / \ )()( # # #
Now it’s yours, use it soon.

Many people have created new verses to go along with this compelling chant.
Here is one from Lady Olivia Robertson, co-founder of the Fellowship of Isis:

I am Isis, Queen of the Night

From my darkness, cometh Light

From my brow, wisdom doth glow,

From my wings, healing doth flow

The same tune can be used in different ways. Here it’s rearranged to form a
request:
I am asking, Queen of the moon,

I am asking, grant my boon,

From my heart, I now request,

By your hands, that I be blessed.

Ease Us Isis

\/\/\
Ease us Isis

\\\Z
ease us all

\/\/\
Ease us Isis

\\\Z
hear our call
(You can use the “ee-zus” pronunciation of Isis in this chant if you wish)
Why We Play the Sistrum

Sistra have many varied uses. Here's a quick look at the different ways they
were employed at different times and places in their nearly-5000 year history.

As Offerings

Both the sound itself and the physical sistrum were presented as
offerings to a temple or to a specific deity.

As a Magical Instrument - To Repel Evil

Sistra were employed to create a sound that would chase off evil.

As a Magical Instrument - To Attract

The sistrum was also used to draw in divine energies, and to attract the
attention of deities who enjoyed its sound. In later Graeco-Roman times, the
sound of the sistrum was considered to be the very sound of the Temple of
Isis, drawing forth congregants in a way similar to church bells. Renenutet,
Hathor, Amon, Isis, and Sekhmet are all deities believed to be attentive to the
sound of the sistrum.

As a Protective Noisemaker
The sound of the sistrum was believed to also chase away non-divine
serpents and scorpions. The hieroglyph for the scorpion, put on its tail, bears
a strong resemblance to the framework of the sistrum.

As a Military Device

W e know that Cleopatra was said to have played the

"sistrum of war" at the Battle of Actium. In this case, its purpose was at least
three-fold - to repel the forces of the enemy, to unite or draw together the
defenders, and to attract the attention of the divinities. Because of this, the
sistrum has sometimes been called, somewhat sarcastically, "Queen
Cleopatra’s war trumpet". As the outcome of that particular battle was
unfortunate for the Queen, this may not be a divinely approved use of the
instrument.

As a Musical Instrument

Sistra are shown played in conjunction with other musical instruments,

primarily in conjunction with sacred rites but in seemingly secular situations
as well.
To Punctuate Ritual

The sound of the sistrum is often used, at least in modern times, to

emphasize a particular moment in a rite.

As a Sound of Acclamation

Any crowd of modern priestesses and priests who are listening to an

oratory or positive announcement will invariably and perhaps involuntarily
sound their sistra at appropriate moments; this may well have been the case in
ancient times as well.

To Express Joy

As with the above, sounding the sistrum is a natural response to joy and
pleasure.

To Arouse Passion

Certain rhythms of the sistrum mimicking the timing of the motions of

intercourse are said to stimulate sexual passion; in Egyptian art, its presence
16
can sometimes indicate sexual arousal.

To Stimulate or Maintain Trance States

Again, certain patterns of sistrum rhythms are very useful for inducing
or maintaining trance. Softly playing the sistrum with simple slow back-and-
forth motion works well. Gradually increase the speed to end the session.
To Soothe a God or Goddess
In a depiction of the presentation of sistrums to Isis at her temple at
Philae, the pharaoh holds up two sistra of different types and offers them,
saying "I play the sistrums before thy fair countenance, O Isis, Eye of Ra,
who has no peer." Elsewhere in the temple, Queen Cleopatra (not the famous
VIIth of that name) does similarly and states "I play the sistrums before thy
fair countenance, leader of the goddesses in Bigeh, that thy countenance may
lighten and thine heart be glad, thy ka be in peace and thy rage be mollified.”
At Dendera, an inscription reads: “The naos sistrum of your ka-spirit
obliterates your fury’.” The sound was likened to that of Hathor passing
through the papyrus reeds, a sound said to soothe the other deities.

To Annoy, Scatter or Alert the Temple Cats

Although the sistrum is strongly associated with Bast, my personal
experience has been that most cats find the sound of many sistra highly
annoying and respond to it with the same joy that pennies in a can create
when used as a training aid. However, at a distance, it may be very effective
as a dinner bell.

As an Anti-Eclipse Strategy
During solar eclipses, the Egyptians, like the Chinese, believed or
chose to act as if they believed that a monster of some sort was consuming
the sun. By making noise, such as the rattling of sistrums, they could then
drive off the unseen beast and restore the sun to wholeness. The association
of the sistrum with the cat-headed goddess Bast, and her association with the
Cat of Ra who slays the serpent Apep when he tries to prevent the sun from
rising, may be behind the belief that sounding a sistrum would be useful in a
time of eclipse.

A Sistrum Game for Children

While this is technically for the younger pre-priest or priestess set, it
can be enjoyed by all. One player is selected to be the Seeker or "It". An
object is concealed - preferably a scarab or other object that can be hidden
easily, and the rest of the group are given sistrums. When the Seeker is near
the object, the rest of the group sounds their sistrums depending on how close
the person is to the hidden object, lightly if they are far away, loudly if they
are getting nearer to it. If the Seeker doesn't find the missing object in a set
period of time, another seeker is chosen, the object is hidden again, and it all
starts over. It's noisy fun.
For older groups, the seekers could take the role of Isis looking for the
missing parts of Osiris, but this theme, with its associations of death and
dismemberment, may be considered too intense for younger children in these
fairy-tale free times - or for their parents who may not want to go into that
much anatomical detail.

Sistra Plays
Short plays or presentations using sistrums can be amusing for everyone.
Here are a few ideas:

The Priestess and the Snake

A priestess gathering plants for the temple easily chases off scorpions
with her sistrum. But then she encounters a cobra. Dangerous serpent or
hidden goddess? She attempts to frighten it away with her sistrum, but it
doesn't frighten, instead mimicking her moves with the sistrum, hissing in
cadence to its shaking.

A Pharaonic Flirtation
Like the fans used to good effect in another time, the sistrum can also
beckon, coax, and sting, sometimes in unpredictable order. Here a royal
couple communicates solely through an artfully-played sistrum
The Magic Sistrum
A magical sistrum which can sound itself evades an evil owner and guides a
young prince or princess to find it and use it for good.
Orchestrating Sistra
If you are fortunate enough to have an abundance of sistra and sistra
players, it can be fun to create a piece that allows each of them to shine. First,
determine the tones of the available sistra. While no two are likely to sound
perfectly alike, it is possible to group them into groups corresponding to
higher, lower, brighter, softer, and so on.
Start with a nice thundering shaking from everyone. Then, let the
brightest, highest sounds shake, alternating with the deepest, lowest ones,
slowly increasing the pace. Let anyone who wants to show off a particularly
rapid or interesting rhythm while the other sistra stay silent or shake very
softly. Then end with another crescendo of shaking.
You can also employ belly dancing zill rhythms, though the mechanics
of the sistrum will require some variations and it won't be possible to achieve
the same speed of rhythm.
Cited by Lise Manniche, the tomb of a priest or temple official named
Khesuwar literally had his hands full - he is depicted in his tomb at Kom el-
Hisn instructing a group of ten women while clutching two sistra in his own
hands. The women each hold a single sistrum in the right hand. His own titles
include "instructor of singers" and "overseer of prophets". This latter title is
particularly interesting in light of endless interpretations which seem to
indicate that temple musicians, mostly female, were "not really" priestesses
and priests. The term "prophet" refers to one of the most revered members of
the temple staff. At the very least, it is unusual that the same individual
would be overseeing both supposedly lowly "musicians" and revered
"prophets".

H ave a troubling question about your sistrum? Pour out a

libation or light an oil lamp, write a note of what you need to learn, leave it
under your sistrum, and perhaps Khesuwar will provide you with the insight
needed.

Sistrum First Aid

So you have the perfect sistrum - or not quite. Here's some help on
adjusting your sistrum.

Fast Rhythms
Zill players sometimes become frustrated with the sistrum because it is
difficult to create quick notes with many of them. The best sistrum for
complicated, rapid rhythms will be a narrow sistrum. Quite simply, the disks
don't have to travel as far to sound, and can scoot back and forth on the rod
much more rapidly.
Speeding up a Slow Sistrum
Limited sistrum budget? You can speed up the action of a sistrum by
adding spacer beads. Wood ones will deaden the sound slightly, while metal
ones will sharpen it. More disks will have the same effect on speed and
responsiveness.
If the rods on your sistrum are permanently affixed, try adding a short
coil or two of fairly heavy gauge wire wrapped loosely around the rod. You
are basically making a wire "bead", but since it can be wrapped around the
rod rather than threaded onto it, this can work when you can't pull out the
rods to add beads or more disks.

Slowing Down a Fast Sistrum

"Fast" sistra rarely need to be slowed down physically - simply play
them more gently. But if for some reason you did want to "slow" it down,
reverse the directions above. Remove a few disks or spacer beads, or, if the
frame is metal, try flattening out the shape of the frame so that it encloses a
wider space.

Changing the Sound of a Sistrum

 Usually, a "sweet" sistrum is what most people prefer. To sweeten the
sound of a sistrum, you can do the following -

-- Add a few bells. Some ancient sistra did have bells attached, though true
bells, sometimes bronze with iron clappers, only emerged in Egypt and the
Middle East about the 7th century bce.
-- Change the type of disks - tambourine jangles have a sweeter sound.
-- Add more disks.
-- Insert spacer beads or wire coils (see "Speeding up a Slow Sistrum”) to
soften the impact of metal disks against a metal frame.
-- Line the interior of a metal frame with glued fabric or leather.
“The sound of the sistrum thus evokes the power of the goddess, creates a
sacred, protective space, and opens a pathway to the Otherworld, which can
be crossed both ways.“- Jo Hirons
6 : The Magical Sistrum

Ancient Egypt and Greece were steeped in many magical traditions, and of
course the sistrum had a part to play in these practices.

Consecrating Your Sistrum

Take the sistrum which you have purchased or made. The sistrum should be
physically clean and polished beforehand.
Have a small vial of pleasantly scented oil opened nearby. It should be
appropriate for the deity you intend to primarily worship with the sistrum. A
simple Egyptian musk perfume oil is a good general oil to use. You should
also have a soft cloth ready if you use too much oil - this is easy to do on the
disks, which may stick together once oiled.
Light incense. Myrrh or a frankincense and myrrh blend, a pleasant
Egyptian themed incense, or a purification incense of any kind, is particularly
appropriate. Stand before your altar or sacred space and prepare yourself for
the rite. If this sacred space is not a permanent one, offer incense to the
directions and visualize a protective circle of energy around you and the altar
area, or use whatever opening rites you normally employ. Pass the sistrum
through the incense smoke. Imagine that the smoke is purifying it, but also
that it is announcing the presence of the sistrum to the deities as it curls a

round the instrument.

Say these or similar words. If you are dedicating it to a different deity,

substitute the names and titles accordingly.

Hail Isis!
Goddess of light and life
By your most holy Name, I consecrate this sistrum to your sacred service.

Hold the sistrum in front of you, and inscribe an ankh in the air with it.
I do so by picturing an ankh in front of me, as big as I am. I start at the lower
left of where the loop would join the handle. I then make the loop, and then
move the sistrum over to the left to create the left arm of the bar, then over to
the right to create the right side of the bar. I return to the center, where the
loop would attach to the cross bar, then drop down to the ground and then
come back up, doing the loop once more and finally stopping at the "heart" of
the ankh where the loop joins the frame. I let the sistrum remain there for a
moment.
Now take the oil. Cap it with your finger and turn it upside down, so
the tip of your finger is moistened with the oil. Stroke the handle with the oil
and say:

May this handle abide in firmness and strength.

 Take another drop of oil as necessary. Anoint the frame and say:

May this frame endure in beautiful form.

Anoint each bar and say:

May its bars ring brightly through all of the worlds, above and below.

Lightly anoint each disk individually, touching both sides of each.

May its disks sound much more in joy than they do in sorrow.

If your sistrum has additional features, such as a face of Hathor, or a

Bast cat on the frame, anoint those also with appropriate words: "May the
face of Hathor be pleased" or "May Bast be pleased with the sounds of the
sistrum" etc.
If you did not make the sistrum yourself, ask for a blessing on its maker. This
is especially desirable in the case of objects from countries where the life is
very hard.

May the one who fashioned this sistrum be blessed.

If you made the sistrum, say instead "May this work of my hands
please you."

May this sistrum arouse when arousal is needed, may it soothe when
soothing is needed, may it heal when healing is needed, may it placate
wildness of heart, may it banish apathy. May it sound no more than is
needed and no less than is needed. May it -and its priest/ess be ma'a kheru,
true of voice, now and forever.

Shake the sistrum three times in each of the four directions, to the
ground and to the sky. Return to the starting point. Let the sistrum sound in
whatever way feels best to you at that moment. When you have completed
this offering of sound, make another ankh with the newly consecrated
sistrum.

Close with "I thank the divine for witnessing this rite."

Sistrum Purifications

"Take for yourself the menat-necklace and the sistrum, so that they would
17
make health run into your body". - The goddess Isis speaking to Pharaoh.

When I do workshops, I often begin with a “sistrum purification” Even the

skeptical are surprised at the tangible change in state the sistrum induces.
And I’m still surprised at how sensitive an instrument it is, how the vibrations
peeling off from the end of the loop can detect energy blockages, fears,
illnesses, and much else. Like cleansing a crystal of added influences, the
sistrum purificaiton helps to restore wholeness, calming what is overactive
and stimulating what is too quiet. For me, it seems especially useful in
clearing off the crown and head chakras - I always feel it most strongly
around the spot where the uraeus emerges on divine images. Different sistra
give different results. In my classes, I am usually using one made of silver,
though I also use copper and even a wood, wire, and bottle cap one from
Africa. All are effective and each has special strengths.

How to Use The Sistrum to Bless and Purify

Stand in front of the person to be purified.

Gather your own energy, and connect with your deity.
Form the intent of purifying and casting off negative, confused, or simply
stale energy.
Starting at the lower left, create an archway of sound around the person.
Reverse direction and repeat twice. Unless physical problems prevent it, ask
the person to lift their feet - one at a time unless they are able levitators - and
shake the sistrum under the foot.

Stand beside the person, facing their right shoulder. Repeat the archway,
starting behind their heels and working forward.

If at any time during the shaking you feel a problem area, feel free to focus
more sound and energy into that area. This is usually perceived as a
"thickness" in the energy field.

Return to the front of the person by walking around them, continuing to

shake the sistrum.

When in front of the person, shake toward the third eye and crown
chakras with a sweeping motion. This is a sort of "rattling and rising" motion.
Then, standing lined up in front of the person, close the purification by
drawing a large ankh in front of the person. I generally do this from the
bottom, in front of their feet, work up to heart level, make a loop from left to
right, continuing shaking across to the left, then I continue shaking as I go to
the right. I then return to the center point, give it a couple of extra shakes, and
the purification is done.
This same process can also be used for protection, and it's a nice
sendoff for a person taking a journey. In this case, form the intent of creating
a magical barrier around the person. This can be combined with a
purification, with the first half of the rite done for purification, and then,
when the energy seems clear, the rest of the time is spent focusing on
protection. In this case, I repeat the final ankh pattern in back as well, but the
front ankh is sufficient for general purification purposes. Most people report
a substantial lightening of energy around them during this process, and an
awakening of chakra activity.
Unless you are in very good shape, you may be surprised how
exhausting all of this up-and-down, constantly moving action can be,
particularly if you are purifying a large group. It serves as an excellent
Ancient Egyptian aerobics workout. Purifying four or five people is a
reasonable limit. If you are doing a large group, purify the first few, and then,
sistrum supply willing, let them assist by purifying others.
Obviously, shake more softly near the ears. Depending on the tone of
your sistrum, loud shaking can be irritating or even potentially damaging to
the recipient. Try to "aim" the sound in front of or behind the ear, not directly
into it, and hold the sistrum fairly far away. For most of the body, you will be
keeping about 4-6" away from the skin or clothing surface.
Aesthetically, the best sistrum for this is a relatively soft-toned, sweet
one, rather than a "clanger". Energetically, however, you may get better
results with the harsher sound, which gives the aura a good vibrational
cleansing. Ideally, the sistrum should have a good action with the disks
sliding easily back and forth. Most of the time, it will be held relatively flat.
For awakening chakras, a sweeter, more resonant sistrum may be more
effective. You may find that different sistrums resonate especially well with
one or another of the chakras.

Self-Purification with the Sistrum

You can also purify yourself with your own sistrum. Use a light-weight
relatively small sistrum with a good action for best results – otherwise, you
may hit yourself with the sistrum as you tire. If possible do this purification
while looking in a mirror in a dimly-lit room, where it is easier to see any
energy blockages. Prepare the sistrum – cleanse or oil it, adorn it with flowers
or scents, give it a few shakes to wake it up and release any energy remaining
from previous uses. Stand for a moment and think about or announce your
intent.
Clutch the sistrum in your power hand. Cross over to the opposite
shoulder and begin to shake the sistrum in a steady, moderately quick rhythm
as you raise it up, following the outline of your body.
Cleanse the crown chakra area and bend down to cleanse the other side
of your body. You could switch hands at this point, but it is not usually
necessary.
Lean down to do your feet, lifting them if possible. If this is awkward
or difficult, consider having a short flat box or a cloth-covered telephone
book to use as a “step”, letting you shake the sistrum under your heels. You
can also do this cleansing while seated. Continue up to the spot at your
opposite shoulder where you started shaking the sistrum.
Then bring the sistrum to the center of your body, over your heart. This
is the “center” position, with both hands clasping the handle of the sistrum,
Pause for a moment. See if you can detect any energy blockages that
need special attention. These may feel warm or cold, thickened spots of
energy, or some other sensation. If so, give those areas a few extra shakes,
equalizing them as much as possible.. When they feel clear, or you sense that
is as much as you can do right now, return to the center position.

Then lift the sistrum and begin to shake it in front of you,

starting at the top of your forehead and moving down over your chakras until
you reach the ground. Imagine the divine energies of light, space, and time
working to cleanse you.
Return it to the center position again, and now bend down to the ground
and begin to shake the sistrum. Slowly rise up, imagining the fertile energies
of the dark, the earth, and memory cleansing and balancing you. Return to the
center position.
Reach up with your sistrum and the stretch back behind your head,
shaking down towards your spine as far as possible. Return to center, and
then reach behind you with the sistrum, reaching up your spine as high as you
can. Don’t strain. Where you cannot reach, imagine the energy peeling off of
the top of the sistrum and curling out in beautiful spirals to reach that spot
and cleanse it.
Return to center Relax. Check for energy blockages and treat them if
needed. To close, return to the center position, and trace a body-sized ankh in
the air with your sistrum, shaking it as you do so. Step into the energy form
you have created and turn clockwise within it, as if you are the rotating
handle of a huge sistrum encased with the energy and protective power of the
ankh. If you prefer, you may also use the similar shape of the thet knot,
sacred to Isis, instead of the ankh.
To end the cleansing, hold the sistrum high, and give a shake of thanks
to your deity.
If you perform this purification in front of a large mirror, lit so that you
are illuminated but the room behind you is dark, it can be very interesting to
see if you can perceive your own aura and the changes in it before and after
doing the self-purification

Creating A Sistrum for A Purpose

One year at the Isis Oasis in Geyserville, California, I did a

presentation on the sistrum. In addition to sharing rhythms and rituals, I had
made a very large-framed sistrum, literally using a pre-made furniture leg as
the handle and drilling a hole in the bottom of it so it could be placed upon an
equally sturdy stand for display. I handed out large brass washers and a
selection of Sharpie markers to everyone, instructing them to write upon the
two sides of the washers a benevolent wish – one for themselves, and one for
the world. We strung the disks on the wires, I bent them into place, and then
we shook it all the way to the small chapel, where it was installed upon the
altar. Whenever it is shaken, those wishes go out, similar to a prayer flag
waving in the breeze or a Buddhist prayer wheel.
A similar sistrum could be made for almost any purpose, with each disk
representing a person’s need or wish. Since the purpose of this sistrum is to
emanate joy and positive energies, it probably would not be the sistrum to use
for cleaning, healing, banishing or protective rites. A more “general” sistrum
would be best for that – so here is a reason why having more than one sistrum
is completely justified.

A Prosperity Sistrum Rite

Sistrums using drilled coins for the disks are said to be good for
financial prosperity – the money “can’t get away from you” but it still gives
you a benefit, like interest on a savings account, by providing pleasure in the
form of the sound the coins make when shaken. It can be good for “shaking
up your finances” – very literally. But even ordinary disks can represent coins
as you symbolically shake them out into where they are needed.
You can also designate a sistrum to use for drawing money to you by
tying green, gold, or yellow ribbons to it and anointing it with an oil to draw
money to you. If you like, use wax crayons or chalk of the appropriate color
to temporarily draw symbols of abundance on the frame of the sistrum. You
can also apply a thin layer of beeswax to the metal frame of the sistrum and
then lightly trace into the wax the symbols you need; the beeswax adds a
lovely fragrance to the sistrum as well.
Depending on your need, create a short chant to say as you shake your
money sistrum

A Sistrum Rite for Love

Before employing the sistrum to make a space for love to open up in
your life, do a sistrum purification on yourself. Concentrate on the concept of
love and being fully prepared for love and romance to enter your life.
Sometimes a particular area of the body will have a strong, detectable
connection with a past love or romance. If you sense any blockages, work on
them with the sistrum until you feel clear-of-heart.
If you are already in a relationship and it is not going well or it feels
stagnant or blocked, work on yourself wherever these blockages manifest.
See how the energy changes between you and your beloved. It may be
suddenly easier to communicate and conversations may not be as charged as
they once were, letting you deal better with the here and now and
communicate more directly.

Sistrum Amulets

While the functional sistrum was considered to represent the power of the
goddesses, devotees might choose to wear an amulet of faience or other

materials in the shape of a sistrum. Even though these could not

sound, they still manifested the protective presence of the deity and
represented her power. These are not known before the Twenty-sixth
dynasty, and in most cases, they represent part of the sistrum rather than the
entire instrument. A small gold amulet includes just the handle and Hathor
head, while another includes just the Hathor head and the naos above. At
least one modern priestess-jeweler, Linda Iles, has recreated tiny functional
sistrums in gold or silver, carrying on this ancient tradition.
Scrying with the Sistrum

While sistrums can be used to maintain a pathway of trance for those

listening to the sound, they can also be used to induce a trance state for the
person playing the sistrum.
A dark room and a single tall candle are ideal for this purpose. Prepare
the area ritually with whatever methods you normally use, or simply visualize
a sacred, safe area and ask Isis or Anubis to be present with you. In the
modern Ethiopian church, the sistrum is first sounded in each of the four
directions, and this can certainly combine with many types of ritual.
Sit comfortably.
Hold the sistrum out flat where it is easy for you to gaze at it and where
the light from the candle can reflect off of the disks.
Begin shaking the sistrum, moving your wrist in a small oval or circle.
(This action is similar to what you would do to carefully polish a beloved
piece of wood furniture.)
Ignore your hand and the frame of the sistrum, and concentrate on what
is happening to the disks. The sound is secondary - modify your motion to
increase the movement of the disks, not necessarily to increase the noise.
The combination of motion and slightly flickering candlelight creates a
visual area where your mind has difficulty following the motion of the disks.
They may appear to be briefly still, or double in image. This discordance is
similar to the hypnagogic state that precedes sleep, and random images can
arise, suggested by the varied forms the disks briefly assemble into.
Each circular shake produces many different patterns. Ask a question
and see what images you see. When you feel you have received an answer, or
your wrist is weary, stop, thank the deity you invited to be with you, and end
the rite. You can repeat the shaking in the four directions - the noise now will
act as a signal to return to normal consciousness.
Limit the time spent in this activity at first; depending on the brightness
of the disks and the darkness of the room, it can induce a headache just as
staring at a candle flame in a dark room will do.
Blessing with the Sistrum

The sistrum can be used like a khereb scepter, the flat wedge-shaped
wand used to bless and consecrate offerings and other objects. First prepare
the sistrum by shaking it and then dabbing it with a bit of scented oil. Prior to
blessing the item, a small sacred space can be created around the object by
shaking the sistrum in each of the four directions close to the item to be
sanctified. Simply hold it flat over the object to be consecrated and circle
around it. Imagine a clock face and move from 6 through the hours back to 6.
lightly shaking from side to side as you go.
The sistrum can also be moved to follow the shape of an ankh, a shen
symbol (circle over a horizontal line) , or any other symbol whose power you
wish to place into the object. You can say these or similar words
 By the sekhem (power) of this sistrum, in front of the face of
the goddess, I, this priestess/priest (name) bless this (object, person, event).

May its right purpose be fulfilled and all of its workings be true and
successful. May (this) be as welcome as the sound of the joyous sistrum is
in the sacred temples , and be as pleasing to the gods and goddesses.

Take from the surface of the sistrum a bit of fragrance of the oil, and touch it
to the surface of the object, person, or thing being blessed, if possible. You
can add another drop of oil to the frame of the sistrum if necessary, shake a
few times to charge the oil, and then use it to provide a tangible link between
the power of the sistrum and the item blessed..

Offering the Sistrum to the Divine

Playing the sistrum before a god or goddess was believed to protect that deity
as well as their followers. Ideally, you should have a statue or image of the
divinity placed at approximate eye level so that you may extend the sistrum
easily toward the face of the divine. Many representations of sistrums being
offered show that it is frequently presented directly to the face of the divinity,
almost as if they are expected to smell it or inhale from it energy. In my own
work with the sistrum, it seems that the third eye area of the forehead and the
nose itself seems to be sensitive to the energy of the sistrum, and this may be
reflected in these depictions.

You should be in a ritually pure state., clean and spiritually balanced. If this
is not so easily achieved, try slowly saying, with full willingness and
meaning, the words “I am Pure” three times - or more if necessary - until you
feel a tangible improvement in your own enegy.

Awake your altar area with incense, candles, asperging with blessed and
fragrant water, or by whatever other method you may normally use.
Stand in front of the image. Remember to smile. This is a joyful offering.

Say these or similar words.

H ail to you, O (goddess or god) This (priestess or priest or

person), (your name), brings to You the blessed sistrum, instrument of
divine power, grace, and beauty. I offer its sound and energy to your face,
your beautiful face, that all distress be banished and that joy and happiness
may cheer your heart., soothe your mind, and bring pleasure to all of your
senses. May the sounding of this sistrum make happiness throughout all
the worlds, and may peace and contentment prevail wherever its sound is
heard forever, O great (goddess or god).

This can be done by itself or as part of a more complex rite. It’s also very
nice to include in your morning or evening prayers or rites.
Naming the Parts of the Sistrum

This is a pleasant way to meditate using the sistrum and to contemplate

different aspects of the sacred. In essence, it is essentially the same as using
prayer beads.

Hold the sistrum in one hand in front of you. Touch each part of the sistrum.
In the Egyptian afterlife, knowing the names of things, places, and creatures
confers power. Knowing your sistrum equally well enhances your ability to
use it. This version is based on a three-bar sistrum with thirteen disks - see
below for the ways you can modify it to fit your sistrum.

This, this I know, the handle of the sistrum, it is Horus.

This, this I know, the face of the sistrum, it is Hathor.

This, this I know, the left archway of the sistrum, it is Isis.

This, this I know, the arch of the sistrum, this is Nut.

This, this I know, the right archway of the sistrum, it is Nephthys.

This, this I know, the first bar, it is Akhet, the time of flooding

This, this I know, the second bar, it is Proyet, the time of planting.
This, this I know, the third bar, it is Shomu, the time of harvesting.

This, this I know, the first disk, it is the left leg of Osiris

This, this I know, the next disk, it is the right leg of Osiris

This, this I know, the next disk, it is the left arm of Osiris

This, this I know, the next disk, it is the right arm of Osiris

This, this I know, the next disk, it is the eyes of Osiris

This, this I know, the next disk, it is the heart of Osiris

This, this I know, the next disk, it is the backbone of Osiris

This, this I know, the next disk, it is the head of Osiris

This, this I know, the next disk, it is the left hand of Osiris

This, this I know, the next disk, it is the right hand of Osiris

This, this I know, the next disk, it is the left foot of Osiris
This, this I know, the next disk, it is the right foot of Osiris

This, this I know, it is the sacred sistrum, sekhem of the gods,

the place of manifestation of all magics, the movement that shakes the
world,
the emanator of light, life, air, sound, and power.

If your sistrum has more disks, add additional parts - the fingers, the
toes, the nose, the lips, etc. If you'd rather not use the parts of Osiris, you can
substitute the months of the Egyptian year, beginning with August: Tahuti,
Paopi, Hethara, Koiak, Tybi, Mechir, Panemot, Parmuti, Pachons, Payni,
Epipi, and Mesore. Or choose an appropriate number of the titles of Isis or
another divinity, or even a list of people or needs to pray about.

Here are some less well-known titles of Isis:

Isis, the Festive Goddess

Isis, Lady of Flame
Isis, Great Heiress of the Master of Eternity
Isis, the Great Mourner
Isis, Daughter of Nut
Isis, Granddaughter of Tefnut
Isis the Beautiful Voice in the Wilderness
Isis, Great of Magics
Isis, Ruler in Thebes
Isis, Whose Face Enjoys the Trickling of Fresh Myrrh
Isis, Whose Beauty Fills Heaven and Earth
Isis, Great of Manifestation
Isis, Creator of the Universe
Isis, More Effective than Millions of Soldiers
Isis, Eye of Ra
Isis, Who Makes Gods and Humans Live
Isis, Beloved of Great Horus
Isis, Female Horus
18
Isis, Who gave Birth to All the Gods.

For a four-bar sistrum, try substituting the Four Sons of Horus, the
human headed Imsety who with Isis presides over the liver, the baboon of
Hapy who watches over the lungs with Nephthys, the jackal Duamutef who
with Neith protects the stomach, and the hawk headed Qebesenuf, paired with
Serket to be in charge of the intestines.

For a five-bar sistrum, use the birthdays of the Children of Nut - Osiris,
Horus, Set, Isis, and Nephthys.

House Blessing with the Sistrum

This can be a wonderful rite to perform for a new dwelling place. It’s also
very helpful for relieving stagnant energy or negative residues. If you’re
having trouble selling a house, this can also help make the energy more
neutral which may be helpful in letting others see it as a space which could
become “theirs”.

While this blessing is most fun and when done in a group, it also is potent
when done alone. If sharing it with others, let them bring rattles and sistrums
and drums if they like. While not everyone needs to fully share your same
confidence in the blessing, anyone in your “procession” should be at least
willing to participate and be of a reasonably compatible energy.
The house itself should be as clean and neat as possible. But don’t let a bit
of a mess – which can be, in part, the result of scattered and disruptive
energies allowed to interfere over a long period of time – keep you from
doing the blessing.

Prepare the sistrum. Shake it free of past energies, then anoint it with a
scented oil that you like and which is suitable for the house blessing. If it is a
simple blessing, almost any oil will do. If you are trying to clear the
atmosphere, stay with the simple and pure sacred oils such as myrrh,
sandalwood, frankincense, or other resin-based ioils.

Go outside if this is feasible. If you’d rather not have your neighbors

observe a large procession, you can begin at your back door as easily as at
your front.

Announce your intention aloud - to bless the house, purify the space,
release all negativity. If doing this with others, thank them for coming to
help.

Ask your divinities to assist in this purification.

Enter the house and begin shaking your sistrum. As far as possible, move
in a clockwise direction, planning to end up at the same place you started.
You may bring incense with you as you go if you like, but the sistrum is quite
capable of purifying on its own. It can be interesting to watch how the
sistrum shaking affects the flow of the incense smoke. As you move through
the rooms, remember to give a few shakes into every corner and to shake the
sistrum into closets and other enclosed areas. If you have an attic or
basement, be sure to either shake the sistrum in those spaces physically, or
shake towards them with the intent that the energy is spreading into those
areas as well. You may also do the same for your garden areas and any extra
spaces, such as garages, workshops, large sheds, and so on.

This often becomes a bit of a labyrinth dance as the line of people make tight
turns in small spaces. It’s fine to have fun with this – the energy of dancing
and laughter can be very cleansing and liberating – which is perfectly in
accord with the purpose of the cleansing.

Before you return to your starting place, ask yourself or those assisting you if
the energy has been cleared., and if there are any portions of the house that
may still need a touch-up – as with washing windows, it sometimes helps if
you have someone checking it over from a slightly different perspective. You
may want to give over the sistrum to the person who thinks the hall cabinets
need an extra shake or two, or go and do it yourself. When all the spots have
been cleared, return to where you started. At the end, thank the divine for
witnessing and assisting in this rite, and thank your helpers, if any.

Enjoy some snacks, more drumming and sistra playing, and any other
amusement which helps the energy to stay positive and upbeat.

The Sistrum In Coins

Isis and her group of related deities are depicted on many coins issued
by cities throughout the ancient world. While today we rarely think of the
magical and spiritual effect of the coins we carry, in ancient times they were
frequently used in votive deposits and carried as amulets as a way of bringing
in the energy of the deity in a very solid, tangible form. Coins with Isis Pharia
were sometimes placed beneath the masts of ships. as a magical protection
for the vessel. Temples also produced their own coin-like tokens to
19
commemorate festivals and ceremonies.

This is a denarius produced by Hadrian sometime between 134-138 ce

in Rome. Hadrian is depicted on the “front” of the coin, and Aegyptos, the
personification of Egypt and essentially a version of Isis, is shown reclining,
holding a sistrum while an ibis, stork, or heron looks on.

ALEXANDRIA: Personification of Alexandria of Egypt

This is a similar denarius, depicting Hadrian on the front and

“Alexandria” on the obverse. Here “Alexandria” stands holding out a two-
barred sistrum while holding a snake in a basket.
Here is a festival coin, produced to honor Isis during on of her special
celebrations. Isis herself is on the front of the coin, and a very happy looking
Anubis adorns the back, clutching an oversized two-bar sistrum and also
holding a caduceus. His head resembles a donkey, and I wonder if Apuleius’
“The Golden Ass” influenced the artist.
7: Collecting Sistra

A guide for the sistrum-addicted… and you know who you are.

Since the sistrum is relatively hard to find, it’s often a long time before
a would-be sistrum shaker actually makes or obtains one. For some, that’s the
end of it – one more evocative magical instrument is off the list, and they
happily go on a new quest for something else entirely.
For some of us, that’s not the case. The first sistrum is immensely
special, always regarded fondly, but somehow, not completely satisfying.
Word comes of another, different sistrum available, and soon, before you
know it, one sistrum has become two. Or the idea comes that it would be so
nice to have a pair of identical sistra, one for each hand. Or it is discovered
that this sistrum is not from quite the same period or area as that sistrum, and
wouldn’t it be nice to have that one too? And, oh, you have the same exact
sistrum, but somehow, its tone is slightly different from mine, and would
really be better for that morning-time rite – where exactly did you say you
got yours?
As a handy warning, this passion may spread into the collecting of
items that merely depict a sistrum – such as statues of Bast with a sistrum, or
pictures or paintings including them, or possibly a reproduction of the Cretan
harvester’s vase that shows a sistrum.
I’ve been fortunate in my sistrum pursuits, which have covered many
years and many areas of the globe. But even so, there are still a few elusive
ones that I mean to add to my personal collection, which now numbers about
forty. And it just doesn’t seem to be enough. I can’t say that these below are
my favorites, because I truly enjoy all of them, but these are some that I
thought would be the most photogenic and interesting to share.
And the truth? I am still searching for that perfect sistrum. I have a
sound of one in my mind that I have not yet heard on earth in this lifetime,
and it keeps calling me on as surely as the shaking of a sistrum once called
worshippers to services in ancient times, and still does today.
D isplaying Your Sistrum
There are many ways to display a sistrum, ranging from a nail on the
wall to an ornate hook. Wooden sistra can sometimes be drilled in the bottom
of the handle and stood on a sturdy block of wood or marble with a peg
inserted through it. A large ornamental glass filled with small smooth stones
or glass gems can also be used as an artistic way of holding a sistrum upright.
Obviously, sistra can simply lie upon your altar, ready for use. A loop of
ribbon or fabric can be passed over the top of the frame to facilitate hanging,
or wound around the handle. Some people store them in fabric bags similar to
those used for Tarot cards, and those with wood crafting skills may want to
make a padded box to hold the sistrum.
My collection requires a mixture of all of these, depending on the size
of the sistrum, its weight, how often it is used, and how pretty it is. In Egypt,
especially lovely sistra were indeed offered as votive objects, and were
considered to be a sign of Hathor, who received some of these offered sistra.
Given that the Egyptians were very fond of beautifully crafted storage boxes,
the matrimonial sistra sometimes given as wedding gifts were probably
delivered in fine boxes, perhaps inlaid or painted with the image of the
sistrum within.
Sistrums from Kenya
 These African sistra are made out of branches, wire, and flattened steel
bottle caps. I first found them in a UNICEF store in San Diego in Balboa
Park, where they were being sold to raise funds for the organization. It was
the first time I had been able to buy a sistrum “off the shelf” and I was
delighted with them, returning often to buy more.
They take a variety of forms; this one is very dimensional, using a
naturally three-pronged branch. I like it because the “beam” of energy it
seems to send out is so large and round.
Like all sistra made of these materials, it has a fast action and a good,
bright shishing sound without being “clangy”.
By comparison, this simple split-twig version has a flatter beam of
energy. It is much more of a precision instrument for aura cleansings and
healings. Because of the relatively large number of disks on a short piece of
wire, the sound is a quick “brup-shish”.
This sistrum also has the advantage of being relatively light, making it
easy to use for longer periods. Occasionally, a double-ended version is made
which is shaken by gripping it in the middle between the two triangular ends.
I recently saw a similar Ethiopian sistrum made with a clay frame,
rather than twigs, with disks packed so tightly in three rows that they could
hardly move.
 M inoan Clay Sistra The first time I
encountered an all-clay sistrum, I had no idea what it would sound like. The
musical tone of this one was a surprise. Certain types of clay, including that
used by the ancient Minoans, naturally lend themselves to a bell-like tone that
is akin to the sound made by a Tibetan singing bowl rather than the clattery
sound I expected from clay disks strung on a wooden dowel. The original of
this example is on display at the Archaeological Museum of Heraklion and it
can be obtained from the gift shop at the National Archaeological Museum in
Athens and occasionally at other museums in Greece. At present, it’s shown
in their advertisements to “keep your memory of Greece alive” by bringing
back a reproduction or two. This sistrum design is now also being produced
in bronze.

Inspired by the clay sistrum depicted above, this modern polychrome

example from Crete also has a pleasant ringing sound. I found it in a
handcrafts store across from the Heraklion Museum. I can’t help it; the clay
sistra always keep me gentle. I expect the clay disks to crack, but in high-
fired clays this is probably the last thing I have to worry about.

This one is about 12” long and is outfitted with a handy adorned cord for
hanging or carrying. I confess I do think of it as the “tennis racket sistrum”.
The best-sounding Minoan-style sistrum I have is one made by a master
potter in Heraklion who is also a musician. He provided a hollow handle with
an aperture at the top of the handle where it becomes the base of the frame.
With the hard-fired Cretan clay disks, it emits a ringing sound almost like a
crystal glas being struck, and is the closest I’ve heard a sistrum come to the
sweet sound of a stream running over smooth pebbles. I would never have
expected it from a sistrum of clay.

W ood-framed Sistra

This is a nice hardwood-framed sistrum, called by various other names. I first

found it described as a khartal, but there are many other terms that describe it.
These are used in Indian temple ceremonies and dances.

This is another example of a khartal-type sistrum. Like the narrow

Kenyan sistrum above, this one has an excellent, fast action ideal for use in
sistrum purifications.

The smooth hardwood handle is a pleasure for the hand, and the brass
disks have a bright sound. Different examples of the same design differ
greatly in sound; some are relatively sweet while others are definitely
“clangy”.

Remember, in doing healings or purifications, it can be painful to be

cleansed with a sistrum that is too “clangy”. If you have no choice but to use
one this way, be considerate and lighten up a bit around the ears, moving
your arm away from the person’s head.

These are also seen with tin-plated jangles, but I like the gold-tone
brass jangles with the smooth brown hardwood. It’s what I call a good “purse
sistrum”, small enough to slip into a bag.

The Coptic Sistrum

 T he Coptic Sistrum is still used by the Coptic
Christian church, where the priests play it. This example is from Ethiopia but
the Coptic Church began in Egypt, and still has many adherents there and in
Egyptian communities around the world. The fretwork design is typical, and
can also be seen on the round-topped “Coptic Crosses” which are widely
used and seem to be directly derived from the ancient Egyptian ankh.
This is a view of the same Coptic sistrum laid flat. As you can see, the wires
and jangles are roughly made. Still, it is a very satisfying sistrum to play.
Some examples have ivory handles instead of metal. One example I’ve
seen had a handle made from a large brass shell casing, a good example of
recycling and possibly an ideal material for a sistrum intended to use to
protect or ward off negative influences. However, I would hesitate to use
such a martial sistrum in a healing rite. Since Coptic sistra are generally all
metal, these have a soft but slightly tinny sound. Most examples available
these days are relatively rough. While the color is silver, most of the modern
examples are made of an alloy, which may or may not contain any silver at
all.

A Native American Sistrum

Sistra are used by a number of Native tribes, including the Yaqui who made a
sistrum from deer horns. Its origin is unknown, though some believe it came
to the Yaqui from Egypt via the Moorish conquerors of Spain, and then with
the Conquistadores – though I have never seen a picure of a conquistador
with a sistrum! Others suggest ancient contact across the Atlantic between the
ancient Egyptians and the predecessors of the Aztecs and Mayans. This
modern example is by an artist named White Deer. It has only bells, not
disks, and so it has a sweet, high sound that is very appealing. The beads at
the top of the leather ties also contribute to the sound.
B ast-Handled Sistrum

This popular modern design from Sacred Source is made in India. The
handle is a lioness (Bast could take both the form of a cat and the form of a
lion) made of metal impregnated resin. The frame is copper, and the disks are
tin-plated. It’s a good, durable, fun sistrum, with a strong sound.
Note the wooden spacer beads, which slow down the action a little bit
and also temper the sound by preventing the metal disks from directly hitting
the metal frame.
My First Sistrum

This is the first sistrum I made, using a piece of driftwood

with a natural cat-head shape in the wood for the handle and cutting the
copper frame from a piece of sheet metal. The disks I also fabricated, first
making squares of the right approximate size and then grinding them down
into circles. The disks on the top bar are smaller than those on the bottom two
rows, which I have not found in any existing ancient example. I still
remember how warm the metal felt as the friction from the tools heated it up
as I formed it.

All together the disks total 13, the number of lunar months in a year, again an
innovation of my own. I first used this ritually during my own ordination as a
priestess of Isis with the Fellowship of Isis. It’s lost an ear in years of fervent
shaking, but I love it just the same.
Bronze Roman-style sistrum Bronze is a
traditional metal for sistrums and provides a special tone to the sound. This
diskless sistrum creates its sound by the bars hitting against the side of the
frame. The bronze feels especially nice in the hand., and it is very close to its
ancient predecessors.T

Modern Egyptian Sistrum

This Hathor-headed sistrum is made in Luxor, Egypt. The handle is a cast
resin and the frame and disks are of bronze. The disks are hand-forged. It’s a
fairly heavy sistrum with a powerful sound. With few ancient Egyptian-style
sistra made in Egypt, this one is especially precious.
Sterling Silver Sistrum

This lovely sterling silver sistrum by artist Linda Iles was inspired by the
mention of similar small silver sistra found in graves in Britain.

Its small size makes it perfect for travel, but recently, Linda was stopped at
airport security for carrying a “cheese slicer”, which they apparently felt was
an unlikely necessity for an hour-long flight. While carrying mine, I was once
ordered to unzip my purse so an inspector could get a better look at my odd
metal “abacus”./
 This is a lovely reproduction of a Hathor naos-style
sistrum. The bars and disks are concealed within the naos, but it still emits a
very good sound. It’s produced in a turquoise resin, but it can also be painted
to resemble a bronze original.

These are loose reproductions of the Tut sistrum. The loop

is of bronze and the handle is hexagonal. The originals had
sharp square diamond shaped disks, but this has round
disks.
These sistra are based on Graeco-Roman originals and use
a turned wooden handle with a brass superstructure and
disks.
8: Sistrum Tales

Ancient writers describe the sound of the sistrum in many different ways.
Apuleius, writing in "Metamorphoses", has his alter ego Lucius describe
them as producing a "shrill tinkling noise" when a mixed array of bronze,
20
silver, and gold sistra are played in a procession . One modern priest of Ptah
was fortunate enough to hear an ancient one played, and he described it as "a
cross between a babbling brook and wind chimes".
Few people on earth have had the pleasure of listening to the sounding
of an ancient sistrum. One of them is the psychic debunker and stage
magician James Randi, who as an eleven-year-old-boy grew fascinated with a
sistrum on display at the Royal Ontario Museum.

“It was a sistrum, a hand-held Egyptian musical instrument made of copper

or bronze, a sort of rattle that was carried by priests and priestesses devoted
to Hathor or Isis, during temple ceremonies. It consisted of a frame with
several thick wires placed loosely through holes and bent at the ends to
prevent them from falling out. Shaking that instrument was said to produce a
melodious tinkling noise. I had often passed that pedestal and pressed my
nose to the glass, wondering what the instrument would sound like when
shaken.
Some Egyptian god or other must have taken an interest in me on one
particular day when a number of workmen were moving about the cases and
pedestals in the Egyptian Room. I showed up in the doorway just as two of
the workmen were carefully lifting the glass cover from the top of the
pedestal. They carefully placed it aside on a padded table, where an assistant
began busily cleaning the glass. Well, this was an opportunity that I would
probably never be presented with again. Being rather bold for my age, I
approached the now-uncovered sistrum on the pedestal and gave it a much
closer look. The workmen appeared somewhat bemused at my interest and I
took full advantage of that fact.
I bravely asked if I might handle the artifact if I wore a pair of the rubber
gloves that I saw nearby. Much mumbling ensued, and my request was
understandably denied. But that watching Egyptian god obviously put in a bit
of influence for me at that moment, as a museum official showed up looking
very authoritative, and asked what all the fuss was about. By now there were
a few people standing in the doorways and becoming interested in this minor
drama. I repeated my request, and the man — who turned out to be an
assistant curator —told me that if I were very, very, careful, I could handle
the wonderful sistrum. I’m sure that the ground shook at that moment, though
I don’t remember.
I slipped on the gloves, which were far too big for me, and with an
audience of some 30 people who had come from nowhere to witness this
event, I reached up and gently lifted the instrument from its cradle. I was
holding in my hands a genuine treasure of ancient Egypt, one that priests had
revered and had used in their ceremonies thousands of years previously. I
noticed that the transverse wires were moving slightly as I turned the rattle
from side to side, and the obvious occurred to me and to everyone else at the
same instant. A woman among the spectators whispered to me, “Shake it.”
Now, I don’t have any idea of the figures involved here, that object
certainly had not been sounded in many, many, years, but I certainly felt that
the right moment had arrived. I glanced over at the assistant curator, who
barely raised his eyebrows at me and shrugged a bit. I needed no more
encouragement. I raise the sistrum above my head, and in that absolutely
silent room, I shook it.
A sound filled that room, a sound that had been heard in the temple of
Isis many centuries before, amid the aroma of incense and the life-sounds of
worshipers of a god about which we know almost nothing, to which we
cannot relate, and who is now lost in the back pages of history. As the sistrum
sang out, I’m sure that not a person in the room took a breath. I shook it
again, this time with a little more confidence, and I stopped just as the
assistant curator was about to raise his hand in caution. I stepped back to the
pedestal and replaced the instrument — with a slight assist from one of the
workmen. The now-polished glass cover was instantly raised by the workmen
and carefully lowered over the artifact, a couple of screws were tightened
quickly, and everything was as it had been.
To my utter amazement, a small wave of applause began to build in the
crowd. There were smiles everywhere, and I know that Sir Ernest Macmillan
never bowed to a more pleased gallery. The magic of that small moment had
been appreciated, and I had shared this experience with what was perhaps
my very first audience.
I never got over the delight that came my way on that occasion, and I
might very well — with some justification — blame my entire show business
career on that rush as a simple metal rattle from ancient Egypt made me into
a star, if only for a moment."

When I approached James Randi for permission to quote him here, I

wasn't sure of the reception. His skepticism for things psychic or New Age is
well known but he kindly granted me permission, perhaps despite any
misgivings. I think Hathor smiled on him -her young son, Ihy, was said to be
her sistrum player and it sounds as if the young James filled that role
admirably. It's a pleasure to know that the love of sistrums can make for
unexpected allies.
Incarcerated Sistrums

I’m not sure who first referred to ancient divine statues in museums as
“Goddesses in Captivity” but there are also many sistra in captivity, to be
sounded rarely, if ever. If you are in the area, these collections are worth
stopping by to see and be sure to tell the sistra just how lovely they are.

Rosicrucian Museum, San Jose, California.

This collection of Egyptian artifacts is well worth seeing anyway, but
they usually have five or six different sistra on display at any given time,
most of them of the faience -naos style with the double Hathor head.

Metropolitan Museum, New York City, New York

Again, this splendid collection is a must-see, if only (only?) for the
small Temple of Isis displayed in a huge hall. It was rescued from the
flooding caused by the Aswan Dam, a project backed by the late Jacqueline
Kennedy Onassis, who later lived in an apartment nearby where she could
look down on this illuminated temple at night. The collection of sistra
includes a beautiful early alabaster-handled one as well as many bronze
diskless examples. You’ll also find a couple of animal-adorned sistra from
other cultures on display.

Oriental Institute, Chicago, Illinois

The Oriental InstituteI collection includes a sistrum with a small
sistrum-carrying image of Bast inside the naos, making it a sistrum within a
sistrum.

The British Museum, London, England

Numerous bronze sistra are tucked away in various cases. They also
have an unusual Etruscan sistrum made out of ivory.

Naples Archaeological Museum, Naples, Italy

This museum has the finds from the Temple of Isis at Pompeii,
including sistra and a major black and white marble statue of Isis holding a
sistrum.

Heraklion Archaeological Museum, Heraklion, Crete,

Greece
This museum has a clay Minoan sistrum found at the cemetery of
Phourni near Archanes and a sistrum-bearing marble Roman statue of Isis
retrieved from the Temple of the Egyptian Deities at the city of Gortyna in
the southern portion of the island. The museum also has the famous
“Harvester Vase” on display, a Minoan vessel showing a man shaking a
sistrum while accompanying a procession of harvesters.

Agios Nikolaos Archaeological Museum, Agios

Nikolaos, Crete
This museum includes a startling display of five clay Cretan sistra,
similar to the one found in a grave at Archanes and now on display at the
Heraklion Archaeological Museum. These don’t seem to have been scarce on
Crete. Most appear to be unadorned, but one has a row of white stripes along
the side of the loop. A must for the true sistrum fan – they even depict two of
them on a postcard.

Traveling Museum Shows Egyptian exhibits often include a sistrum

or two. The traveling Tut exhibit recently visiting various locations around
the globe has one of the pair of large sistra found in Tut’s tomb. This large
example has diamond-shaped disks and an octagonal gilded handle.

My Quest for Philo's Sistrum

My own best sistrum tale begins when I met a young archaeologist

named Pericles at the Temple of Isis on the Greek island of Delos. He told us
he was there to pray for the success of a paper he had just completed, and as I
shared my interest in Isis he told me of the remains of grave goods of a
priestess of Isis, including a sistrum, which were in the Archaeological
Museum on Mykonos. She had once been buried on the island of Delos, and
later exhumed and moved in ancient times to the island of Rheneia across the
channel. Now she had again been disturbed and her treasures moved to the
museum.
Unfortunately, by the time we got back from Delos, the museum was
closed and would also be closed the following day, our last there. I had to see
these items, and the goddesses of sistrum luck smiled on me, too - I met a tall
Greek man carrying some rolled mats up an alleyway behind the museum. I
had no idea who he was but I was moved to speak with him and ask about the
museum opening hours. As it happened, he was Dr. Samson, the director of
the museum. I explained my problem. He agreed I could come back the next
morning and he would let me view the collection.
In the morning, I set off boldly from Ornos Beach where we were
staying, disdaining the handy bus. In my excitement, I completely
miscalculated the distance - instead of converting kilometers to miles, I had
calculated them as if they were short Chinese li. So much for
internationalism. The bus zoomed past me when I wasn't even halfway to
town. I arrived at the Museum breathless and sweating. Unfortunately, when
I finally arrived, he had just left. No one at the museum spoke much English
or any other language I knew, and my tourist Greek was not up to the
challenge. But I had the director's name, which happened to be Samson.

B y repeatedly invoking his name, I gradually

was allowed past the outer gate, then into the entry hall of the open display
area. In the process, I came to a greater understanding of the Egyptian
afterlife, as literally every doorway needed Samson's name applied - much
easier than the Egyptian underworld, which would have required a different
name for every lintel, support, and threshold. I simply kept using "Samson"
as frequently as possible, almost to the point of madness. "But yesterday,
when I met Samson, Samson said that he, Samson, would let me in to his,
Samson's museum, so I could see the sistrum Samson said was on display."
He was my name of power, the word which granted freedom of movement in
his realm. I was finally allowed in the outer display area, where large stone
steles lined the walls, while another authority was consulted. I edged closer to
the museum doors. Finally, a pleasant young woman from Thessaloniki came
to me, asking all of the same questions I had answered three times before.
She decided to speak to the guard and allow me in for a few moments.
 I finally made it into the museum
and to the far corner where the grave goods of the priestess were displayed.
The museum lights were turned off, and the room was gently lit with Greek
sunshine coming through the windows that were set high up in the walls. I
sped by the other cases with regret. Every piece seemed to come alive in the
gentle golden light, freed of the harsh florescent lamps which normally
burned above, stripping everything of their shadows and true colors. Finally,
there, in a case on a glass shelf, was the sistrum. With it was a rounded pair
of bells, some earrings, and other bits and pieces. Alas, for me no one was
opening cases - the doors to the museum were luck enough! I held my little
finger up against the glass where a tiny golden ring was inscribed with
"Philo" - which they believe was the name of the priestess. I wondered if that
was truly her name, or the name of someone she loved. Did she wear it while
shaking the sistrum, praising Isis? I was sure she did. What was her worship
of Isis really like, separate from all of the speculations as we try to peer back
over two thousand years? Would she be as interested in the sistrum I carried
now, unceremoniously tucked into my backpack, as I was in hers?
After I had finished my reverent moments in front of the case, the
museum worker came and said that I had to leave now, and I made my way
back out into the courtyard. Just at that moment, Samson himself arrived. He
had been supervising the beginning of an excavation, which had now been
delayed for the day due to the high winds that rake over Mykonos in the fall.
He promptly insisted that I return inside of the museum and look around as
long as I liked, a second chance I gladly accepted. But he couldn't understand
my fascination with anything so late - his field of expertise was in the earliest
Cycladic art and the site holding most of his attention was a pre-historic one.
 We were in two widely separated worlds, a foreign woman chasing
after the relics of the worship of a foreign goddess, and a Greek named for an
ancient Greek hero, applying his strength to the excavation of an even more
distant past, but also extending that strength to me and allowing me my
moments with Philo’s sistrum. Between us was the archaeologist Pericles,
named for the founder of Athens, a Greek of the time when Isis first reached
those shores, who like his ancestors found this exotic goddess, with sistrum
raised high, . a reliable answerer of prayers.

May your own quest for the perfect sistrum bring you many blessings!
About the Author
A student of the sacred sciences since childhood, deTraci Regula
explores the mystical through writing, travel, and art. She is the author of
“The Mysteries of Isis” and the creator of the Sacred Scarab Oracle She has
been a Priestess of Isis with the Fellowship of Isis since 1983 and has
traveled, with sistrum in hand, to sacred sites around the world.
Appendix: Making Your Own Sistrum

There are many ways to make a simple sistrum. There are only four essential
parts – a handle, a frame, wires, and disks or bells. If you have access to
wood- and metal-working tools, a visit to your local home improvement store
can turn up materials for handles, brass washers for disks, and wire for the
bars. But you can still make a simple sistrum without having to learn to use a
drill press or band saw!

One of the easiest ways to make a sistrum at home is to fashion a handle and
frame using Fimo or Sculpey bakeable clay. This is best for small sistra about
4 inches in height. The sistrum will be strongest if you form it out of a single
lump of clay rather than forming the frame and handle separately. If you’d
like an Egyptian faience-type look, combine turquoise clay with a small
amount of chartreuse or light green clay. You also have the option of painting
the sistrum after you’ve baked it.

Supplies Needed:

2-3 packages of polymer clay

1 2” of wire for the sistrum bars. This wire should be no

thicker than you can bend and cut easily with whatever scissors, pliers, or
other tools you may have on hand.
Small brass washers and/or small bells. Since the frame is not metal, and
does not add appreciably to the sound of the sistrum, I recommend including
a bell or two to enhance and sweeten the sound of your sistrum. Other small
metal charms can also be added.
W ooden beads – optional. You may want to put on wooden
beads so that the metal disks do not hit the clay frame directly.

Instructions:
Depending on the type of clay, you may need to massage the clay into a lump
so it is easily workable.

Form it into a cylinder shape about four inches long and about ¾” of an inch
thick. Flatten one end of the cylinder to about the width you want for the
frame that holds the wires and disks. Working from the center of this flat
area, move the clay to the sides and top of the frame, gradually forming an
open area in the center.

If you like, you can sculpt a small cat, cow, or other animal into the top of the
sistrum loop. Smooth the frame as desired.

Take a piece of wire and use it to create the holes for the bars. Rotate the wire
a few times so that the hole is bigger than the wire, allowing for some minor
shrinkage during the baking process. The number of holes you need depends
on the size of your sistrum frame and also on the size of your disks and bells
– they should be spaced apart widely enough so that they can move freely.
Finally, form the handle or just leave it in its cylinder shape. You may also
want to inscribe hieroglyphs or other symbols in it – these can be picked out
with gold paint or another color after the baking process.

If the clay has become too soft to hold detail, or if it wants to bend out of
shape when you place it on the baking pan, place it in the freezer for a few
minutes to firm it up.

Bake the sistrum according to instructions on the package. Let it cool.

Cut your wires to an appropriate length, allowing for a ½’ bend on each side
where the wires emerge from the frame. Add the disks and bells and bend the
wires so that they stay in place. Your sistrum is ready for consecration and
use – enjoy!
Selected Bibliography

Andrews, Carol Amulets of Ancient Egypt, British Museum Press,

London 1994

A puleius of Madauros The Isis Book (Metamorphoses,

Book XI) trans. and with commentary by J. Gwyn Griffiths, E.J. Brill, Leiden,
1975.
De Garis Davies, N. An Alabaster Sistrum Dedicated by King Teta.
The Journal of Egyptian Archaeology, Vol. 6, No. 2 (Apr., 1920)
Lesko, Barbara The Remarkable Women of Ancient Egypt B.C. Scribe
Publications, Berkeley 1978
Nur el Din, Abdel Halim The Role of Women in The Ancient Egyptian
Society S.C.A. Press, no date
Fischer, Henry G. “The Cult and Nome of the Goddess Bat.” Journal of
the American Research Center in Egypt 1, 1962 (pp. 7-18)
Plutarch, On Isis and Osiris, trans and with commentary by Griffiths, J.
Gwyn Griffiths, University of Wales Press, 1970.
Regula, deTraci The Mysteries of Isis, Llewellyn 1996
Reynders, Marleen Ssst and Shm Names and Types of the Egyptian
Sistrum . Egyptian religion: the last thousand years by Willy Clarysse,
Antoon Schoors, Harco Willems. Peeters Publishers, Leuven 1998
Roberts, Alison, Hathor Rising: The Power of the Goddess in Ancient Egypt. Inner Traditions
International, Rochester VT 1997
Teeter, Emily and Johnson, Janet H, editors The Life of Meresamun: A
Temple Singer in Ancient Egypt Oriental Instirtute: Chicago 2009
Witt, R.E. Isis in the Graeco-Roman World. Cornell University Press,
lthaca, New York 1971.
Zabkar, Louis V. Hymns to Isis in Her Temple at Philae, Brandeis
University Press, Hanover and London: 1988.
Wilkinson, Sir J. Gardner A Popular Account of The Ancient Egyptians Their
Life and Customs
I was unable to consult Bernardin Bacchini’s De Sistrorum figuris ac
differentia ad illustriss. D. D. Leonem Strozza, ob Sistri Romani effigiem
communicatum, ctissertatio, a work dating from 1691 which may be the
earliest document devoted to the study of the sistrum.
Internet sources:
Randi, James A connection with the very distant past
http://www.randi.org/jr/07-16-2000.html. Excerpt used by permission.
O'Connor, David Eros In Egypt from Archaeology Odyssey Sep't/Oct
2001
http://www.ot-studies.com/Documents/eros_in_egypt.htm
Vironov, Jo Hirons A Rattle for the Goddess Jo Hirons Vironov
http://www.danu.co.uk/ne/74/sistrum.html
-- Sacred Space: The Iconography of the Sistrum
Original details on the Coins:

Coin 1: Hadrian, AR Denarius, 134-138, Rome. HADRIANVS AVG COS III P P Bare head
right. AEGYPTOS Egypt reclining left, holding sistrum in right hand and resting left arm on basket,
ibis or stork at feet. RIC II, 297 (C). Ex Twelve Caesars. Courtesy Zachary Beasley of BeastCoins.
Coin 2: Hadrian, AR Denarius, 134-138, Rome. HADRIANVS AVG COS II P P Bare head
right. ALEX_A_NDRIA Alexandria standing left, sistrum in right hand, snake in basket in left hand.
RIC III, 300. Ex Gorny & Mosch, Auction 115, Lot 1608, March 2002. Courtesy Zachary Beasley,
BeastCoins.
Coin 3 Autonomous Issue, AE4, 4th Century, Rome. ISIS FAR[IA] Draped bust of Isis right, wearing
hem-hem crown topped by lotus flower. [VOTA P]VBLICA Anubis standing facing, head left, sistrum
in right hand, caduceus in left. Vagi 3393. Ex Harlan Berk, Ex Venus Galleries. This piece is an
example of the Festival of Isis series, produced during nearly all of the 4th century. ANVBIS: Egyptian
god of the Underworld
INDEX
Alexandria 79
Amon 1
Anubis 1
Australia 31
Baat 10
Barcoo Dog 30
Bast 1, 8, 10, 17, 19, 51, 58, 81, 88
Bes 9
cats 5
chant 44
Coptic Christian Church 27
crepitaculum 2
Crete 29
Delos 100
Dendera 5, 7
djed 36
Egypt 4, 5, 7, 8, 9, 13, 23, 25, 26, 27, 29, 30, 55, 56, 78, 79, 82, 86, 96,
97, 108, 109, 110, 121
Egyptian bells 13
Ethiopia 28
Four Sons of Horus 75
Hagia Triada 29
Harpokrates 9
Hathor 1, 2
House of the Sistrum 7
Ihy 8, 11
India 25
Isis 75
Isis
titles of isis 74
Isis Pharia 78
Israelites 27
khartel 17
King David 27
lotus 24
Manly P. Hall 21
mena'aneim 27
Mexico 25
Minoans 29
Museums with sistrums
Metropolitan Museum 6
Mykonos 100
naos shrine 8
Nebet Hotepet 33
Nehemet-awai 8
Nephthys 4, 9, 10, 22, 72, 75
Nut 9
Old Testament 26
Osiris 10
Plutarch 17, 22
priestesses 11
Rome 11
seistron 22
sex 33
Sistrum
blessing objects 57
used for purification 60
Sistrums
and sex 34
looped sistrum 4
naos sistrum 2
snakes 2
Stele of Piye 6
Stones
alabaster 5
amber 28
lapis lazuli 6
Sumeria 26
Tefnut 2
Teti, King 5
Tutankhamen 20
Typhon 22
Wadjet 1
Yaqui Indians 25
zills 15
Welcome to Isis-House Publishing

Isis-House Publishing is dedicated to its quest of making available

Manuscripts and other materials related to the Goddess Isis and other Ancient
Deities for the enjoyment and edification of all. We publish books by ancient
and modern authors in all traditions of the Goddess. We also offer books that
delve into the ongoing encounters between ancient goddess traditions and our
modern culture in all of its multi-faceted glory. We at Isis-House seek to
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as a living, growing spiritual path, with a balanced commitment to preserve
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In Love and Light

Justin Howard, Co-Publisher
deTraci Regula, Co-Publisher
May, 2009

Isis-House Publishing
P.O. Box 16690
San Diego, CA 92176
619 379 7317
www.IsisHousePub.com
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Created with the solitary Witch in mind, Embracing Isis is a user-friendly

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For both new seekers and experienced practitioners, Embracing Isis is filled
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 A Note on the Type

Sounding the Sistrum is presented in Nyala, a digital font

named for a type of gazelle, a sacred animal to both Isis
and Hathor, two goddesses of the sistrum.

The image of Isis above is from the title page of Isis,

published in Leipzig in 1819
Sing Ye of Sistra

To the sound of sistrums of papyrus

We once sought our holy Osiris
For a time turquoise green faience
With naos top let us play once
Hathor headed with broad cow ears,
Such sistra banished all our tears
And just when we were feeling lost,
We'd play the sistrum for joy of Bast,
And later in the Age of Bronze,
We set aside our clay and fronds
And with a rodded metal bell,
We did invoke the goddess very well

And in the rowdy tale of Apuleius

A triple sistrum he then gave us
And since medieval monks found the racy parts so nice,
He was copied very widely, not just once or twice
And in the ruins of lost Pompeii
By ash-struck clerics their sistrums did stay
Soon sistrums slept silent, without much hope
Except in the hands of priests of Ethiope.

But Shakespeare, ere Cleopatra stroked the asp

Did in her hands a sistrum dare to clasp.
And from the ancient sacred isle near Delos,
A priestess' sistrum rose, it was Philo's.
From the darkness where they did abide
Sistrums emerged once again at Isis' side.
From temples new their sound does ring,
Once again their spinning disks do sing.
1 Jo Hirons-Vironov, A Rattle for the Goddess, Northern
Earth, #73 1998
2 Lunsingh Scheurleer, Robert, Muziek voor godinnen:
twee sistra, Mededelingenblad Vereniging van Vrienden
Allard Pierson Museum Amsterdam, Amsterdam 56 Mei
1993 1-5.
3 http://www.hethert.org/nehemetawai.htm, accessed
11/29/2009
4 Hirons -Vironov, op cit.
5 H. J. Kantor - Plant Ornament in the Ancient Near East, Chapter II: The Swamp Plant
6 Gadalla, Moustafa Egyptian Rhythm; The Heavenly
Melodies, p 149. Unfortunately, the exact source of this
analysis is not cited.
7 Philip Gardner’s Blog: http://www.book-of-
thoth.com/blogs/philipgardiner/2006/10/spirals-symbols-
and-snakes_30.html accessed 10/30/2006
8 Sarah Heath Why Does my Cat….? Bantam, 1993
9 Carol Andrews, Amulets of Ancient Egypt, pictures two
of these.
10 Griffiths, J. Gwyn. Plutarch, On Isis and Osiris. E.J.
Brill
11 Reynders, Marleen, Names and Types of the Egyptian
Sistrum, in: Proceedings 7th Int. Congress of Egyptologists,
945-955. (fig., ill.).
12 www.uvm.edu/~fleming/permcoll/instruments/
spirit_rattle.html
13 http://www-
oi.uchicago.edu/OI/MUS/INFO/NN_Fal00/NN_Fal00.html,
my description and interpretation on 2nd sistrum.
14 Roberts, Allison. Hathor Rising, p 138
15 Benderitter, Thierry
http://www.osirisnet.net/docu/liseron/e_liseron.htm#
accessed 11/19/2009
16 O'Connor, David Eros in Egypt Archaeology Odyssey
Sep't/Oct 2001.
17xiiFrom the Swan University website, access June 5th,
2005. http://www.swan.ac.uk/egypt/infosheet/Sistra.htm
Abdel Halim Nur El Din The Role of Women in the
Ancient Egyptian Society. p 109 S.C.A. press, Egypt, no
date.
18 Most of these epithets are from Zabkar's Hymns to Isis
in Her Temple at Philae, Brandeis University Press,
Hanover and London: 1988.
19 The photos and information are kindly provided by
Zachary Beasley of BeastCoins, For additional details on
these coins, please see the note on following the
bibliography .
20