Re: re Babylonian tuning

Lou Harrison was the first to bring my attention to the Babylonian tablets.
Likewise to John, he determined that it pointed to the cycling of fifths.

An interesting recent development has been Ben Hume's builindg a Sumerian
Aulos based on the measurements of an actual model. What was fascinating was
that it had a clear 6/5 minor third for its minor scale. It was a JI tuning
in both our estimations, quite contrary to the later Babylonian Pythagorean
tuning basis.

The Greek connection is wild. Not only is the Aulos common to both (though
the Sumerian version is softer), there seems to be a common aesthetic based
on the admittedly curious example between the Ancient Greek predilection for
small ratio JI and the Sumerians.

If the Sumerians are Turks, as Turks believe, this would be an interesting
objection since the Turks use extended Pythagorean and are likely to have
used it for millenia.
No one can be certain from where the Sumerians originally lived before
arriving among the Hurrians in southern Mesopotamia.

The Hurrians have their descendants in Georgians, Chechens, and Kurds...maybe
even the On Ogur Hungarians.

Johnny Reinhard
AFMM