Sacred Sites International

Sacred Sites
The Newsletter of Sacred Sites International
New Findings on the Acoustical Dimensions at Sacred Sites
By Amanda Chi and Nancy Becker
1
When we think of acoustics, it is easy to
imagine music and possibly even acoustic
instruments. Acoustics, however, is a scientific
field devoted to studying sound waves. This
interdisciplinary field is also being applied to
archaeology. Researchers from a variety of
disciplines are now exploring the role acoustics
2
played at ancient sacred sites around the world.
Archaeologists specializing in archaeoacoustics
are investigating how sound enhanced ancient
sites including natural and built sacred places.
Continued on 2
Sound at Sacred Sites
Introduction: Pages 1-2
European Prehistoric Caves:
Pages 2-4
Chichen Itza, Mexico: Pages
4-5 :: Chavín de Huántar,
Peru: Pages 5-6
Theater of Dionysis, Greece:
Pages 6-7 :: Stonehenge,
England: Pages 7-8 :: Notre
Dame de Chartres, France:
Page 8
Sacred Sites International www.sacred-sites.org Volume XXVI & XXVII, Number 1/2, Fall 2013 Winter 2014
Prehistoric instruments, from upper left - flute, whistle, bullroarer, idiophonePrehistoric instruments, from upper left - flute, whistle, bullroarer, idiophone
KathyKing2010

;
2
1
qualities of a variety of sacred
places, from Mayan temples to
Gothic cathedrals. The role
acoustics often plays is an
integral, yet subtle one in the
way a culture participates in
nature, festivals, religious
processions and rituals.
European Prehistoric Caves
Some of the earliest examples
of the relationship between
space and sound can be found
in the prehistoric painted caves
located throughout the
European continent. These
caves often contain dramatic
paintings of herds of animals
such as bulls, horses, deer and
a few hybrid human-animal
figures. The remains of
prehistoric instruments have
also been discovered in a
number of caves and it has been
theorized that one of the cave
paintings may even depict an
instrument being played. (See
2
drawing below)
There have been notable
discoveries of prehistoric
flutes, whistles, bullroarers
and idiophones (depicted on
cover) in caves. Flutes dating
from 42,000 and 35,000 years
ago have been found in French
caves such as the one at
Isturitz in the French
Pyrenees, depicted on the
cover. Another significant find
of a near complete prehistoric
flute was made at a prehistoric
German cave, Hohle Fels,
found in the Ach Valley near
Ulm. The instruments were
usually made from the bones
of birds, cave-bears or
mammoths and they were an
average length of 8 inches with
3-7 holes and would have been
held like a clarinet. (Depicted
at left) (Science Daily: Music
Went with Cave Art in Prehistoric
Caves.)
The role acoustics often plays at sacred sites is
an integral, yet subtle one…
Prehistoric Flute
Hohle Fels Cave, Germany
The field of study includes
the exploration of how
instruments and human
voices interacted with
sacred spaces, affording
archaeologists a deeper
understanding of the
cultural and religious
practices embraced by
people thousands of years
ago. Archaeologists and
technologists including
sound engineers are using
sophisticated equipment to
record and monitor sound
at sacred sites.
Through the collaboration
of scientists and experts in
human history, researchers
have been able to uncover
how sound may have been
used to enhance the sacred
"The Little Sorcerer" from Trois Freres Cave, France

;
3
Castillo Cave in Puente Viesgo, Spain
Cracks in the walls of caves & painted symbols may have been places
where prehistoric shamans accessed the spirit world.
1
Other artifacts may provide evidence of the
types of activities that took place in the caves
and their relationship to music - markings on
the cave walls and bones embedded into
fissures and cracks in the walls imply types of
shamanistic activity. Jean Clottes and David
Lewis-Williams explored these ideas in their
book, The Shamans of Prehistory: Trance and
Magic in the Painted Caves. The authors
suggested that crevices in the walls of caves,
often enhanced with painted symbols might
have been places shamans used to access the
spirit world through the openings in the walls.
Images of figures that are half man and half
animal, found in approximately fifteen
prehistoric caves, are theorized to be shamans
and their spirit helpers. Some researchers
2
believe that the bison-headed man found in
the French prehistoric cave, Les Trois Freres,
is playing a flute. (See drawing on bottom of
page 2) This image could link music to
shamanistic practices and rituals. (Pfeiffer, The
Creative Explosion, pp. 180-182)
One researcher examining the relationship
between sound, music and meaning in
Paleolithic caves is Iegor Reznikoff, a
professor of Philosophy at the University of
Paris. Reznikoff discovered that the most
acoustically resonant place in prehistoric
caves correlates with locations having the
densest concentration of paintings. He noted,
in addition, that musical sound reaches a
deep emotional place because it is “more
primitive in our consciousness than the level

;
Sacred Sites International www.sacred-sites.org Volume XXVI & XXVII, Number 1/2, Fall 2013 Winter
345
Continued…
of speech.” (Reznikoff, On
Primitive Elements of Musical
Meaning)
Steven Waller, Ph.D., an
independent scholar, did
acoustical research using
percussive sounds before
painted herds of bison and
horses found in cave and at
other rock art sites. The
resulting echoes suggested a
galloping herd of animals.
Paleolithic percussion
instruments made from hip
and shoulder bones were
discovered near Kiev
according to John Pfeiffer in
his book, The Creative
Explosion.
We can be fairly certain
music was played in
prehistoric caves and that
other vocal and percussive
sounds would have been
produced there. Visionary
singer, Susan Elizabeth
Hale, the author of Sacred
Space, Sacred Sound, set out
to discover first-hand the
effects of vocal music at
Lascaux. She had to request
special entry to sing in the
cave’s Hall of the Bulls
because the cave is now
closed to the general public.
Once there, she stood and
sang before the painting of
bulls and heard her voice
“being reflected back by the
bison – no longer just [her]
voice, but the bison’s voice,
the voice of the cave itself”
(Hale, 2007, p.33). She
observed that the sound
reflected off the painted
walls was louder than the
sound from the unpainted
walls, supporting Reznikoff’s
findings.
While the physical attributes
of sound, such as volume, can
be measured, the relationship
between sounds and its effect
on a visitor’s psyche is
something that can only be
inwardly felt. It is the
environment of the cave, the
acoustics, and most
importantly the connection
that a human being feels with
the space that makes the cave
sacred.
Chichen Itza, Mexico
Chichen Itza, located on the
Yucatan Peninsula in Mexico,
is a vast Mayan-Toltec sacred
complex. The site’s name
means “at the mouth of the
well” referring to the two sink
holes or cenotes nearby. One is
known as the Sacred Cenote
and was featured in Mayan
ceremonies in which objects
and humans were sacrificed
into the cenote as part of the
worship of the rain god,
Chaac.
The sacred ceremonial site,
dating as early as the 5thCCE
through the 14thCCE, reflects
both the culture of the Maya
and the Toltec who invaded
the area, and is closely tied to
the vision of the renowned
Maya astronomers.
The Mayan calendar of 365
days is built into the principle
temple, a step-pyramid,
dedicated to Kukulkan, the
feathered serpent god. Each of
the temple’s four staircases
has 91 steps and the final
crowning platform provides
the 365th stair.
The temple was oriented to
take advantage of the spring
and autumn equinoxes when
it is possible to observe a
creeping shadow, a symbolic
manifestation of Kukulkan,
descending the central
staircase to join the serpent’s
head at the bottom of the
stairs.
Since 1998, acoustic scientists
have been exploring the
relationships between sound
and the sacred purpose of the
Temple of Kukulkan.
Kukulkan, being a feathered
serpent god, draws close
comparisons to its Aztec
counterpart, Quetzalcoatl,
whose name is derived from
the quetzal bird.
David Lubman, an acoustic
engineer, has been
investigating the relationship
Chichen Itza Cenote
RaymondOstertag2006
4

;
67
of Kukulkan to sound, resulting in his
controversial claim that hand claps
reverberating on the steps mimicked the call of
the quetzal bird. He reasoned that since the site
was built by Mayan master astronomers and
dedicated to the Featured Serpent God, it likely
would have demonstrable acoustic
manifestations tied to the god. (Ball, Nature)
Nico Declerq, a physicist and mechanical
engineer, working at Ghent University in
Belgium in 2002, made further investigations
into the use of sound at the site. He found that
the sound of the footsteps of visitors on the
pyramid steps resulted in sound reverberations
like the sound of rain falling into water. His
theory was that this could be tied to the
worship of the rain god, Chaac. (Declercq.
Acoustical Society of America)
Due to the significance and importance of the
two gods, Kukulkan and Chaac, and the
sophistication of the Mayan and Toltecs’
knowledge of sacred architecture and
astronomy, it was not difficult for researchers
to believe that the temple of Kukulkan was
built to have an acoustical dimension that
would enhance its ceremonial purposes.
Chavin De Hu ntar, Peru
Another acoustical research project is being
conducted by Stanford University on the
archa
sacred ceremonial site located in the Peruvian
Andes at the confluence of the Monsa and
Wacheksa Ruvers. This complex was built and
used between 1500 and 300 BCE and is
considered a major pre-Columbian site that pre-
dated the Inca culture. The site consists of
immense temple structures, pyramidal
platforms, courts and plazas.
Today, the ceremonial center is home to the
Conservation Project. As a branch of that
project,
Computer Research in Music and Acoustics
(CCRMA) and Archaeology/Anthropology
have delved into archaeoacoustics, in order to
further understand how people once lived and
worshipped.
Miriam A. Kolar, PhD candidate and lead
researcher, has been studying the role of the
local Strombus galeatus conch shell found in the
area and its relation to the ceremonial space it
occupies. Her dissertation specifically examines
Photoby:KateMcGahan
Temple of Kukulkan, Chichen Itza, Mexico
5

;
6
archaeological psychoacoustics, which shows
how the sounds made from the shells affect
human auditory perception as the acoustics
reverberate off the galleries of Chavín.
Using volunteers from the project and
recordings of the shells, Kolar has conducted
experiments to research psychoacoustics.
Proof that the shells were instruments are
found in stone reliefs that show a Chavín
individual holding the conch shells in his hand
(Kolar, Stanford). Twenty of these shells were
found at the site, beautifully decorated and
intact enough to be played.
At the Circular Plaza of Chavín De Huántar,
priests in a ceremony that befitted the religious
nature of the space would play the shell called
a pututus, The calls of the pututus would draw
religious participants to the Circular Plaza in
order to hear the words of the oracles. Using a
bouquet microphone array, Kolar has been
able to record the acoustic measurements of the
pututus as its trumpet-like sound reverberates
off the walls, thus amplifying the priests’ calls.
Furthermore, the intake of hallucinogens from
the San Pedro cactus would intensify the
experience for the ritual participants. As Kolar
describes, “there was theater going on.” (Boyle,
NBC News)
Theater of Dionysus, Greece
The science of acoustics is easily apparent at the
Greek Theaters dating from the 5th and 4th
BCE, where we can see and hear the theaters
being used, experience their use of sound and
realize the importance of these structures to
Greek culture.
Greek theaters are commonly associated with
political oratory and dramatic presentations,
however, they are also connected with religious
rituals through the cult of Dionysus in Athens.
The Great Dionysia festival, also called the City
Dionysia, held at the beginning of Spring, was a
celebration in honor of Dionysus, the god of
fertility and wine, who is also the patron god of
drama. The festival consisted of processions,
drunken revelries, sacrifices and most
importantly – the theater. The institution of
dramas “crystallized out of ritual miming,
singing and dancing that told and retold
traditional myths about the Athenians’ gods and
heroic ancestors” (Cartledge, 1985, p.122). Four
days of the festival were allotted for the
performance of dramas as a competition
amongst various playwrights. Some of the most
famous were Aeschylus, Euripides and
Sophocles. Dramas and comedies would be
performed at the Theater of Dionysus, which
Photoby:MiriamKolar
Stone-relief of Chavin person holding shells Photoby:JirlHuopaniemi
Stombus geleatus (conch) shell trumpet

;
7
held up to 17,000 theatai or spectators. The
theater consisted of three main elements: the
skene (stage), the orchestra, and the theatron,
which seated spectators (Collignon, 1886, p.89).
Despite such an enormous crowd, all
performances were held without the use of
modern-day microphones or speakers.
The design of the theater was built in such a
way that a single voice could be carried to all
17,000 individuals in attendance. The
importance of sound in the Dionysiac
celebration is also seen in the use of the
orchēstra, where the Chorus acted, danced and
sang to the music of the aulos, a double fluted
instrument (Cartledge, 1985, p.123). They
contributed and oftentimes narrated the
storyline, but their role in sound appeared to
amplify the musicality of the theater.
The architecture and acoustic design of Greek
theaters was so successful that the Romans
adopted it and the monumental structures
continued to be focal points for religious
theatrical festivals.
Stonehenge, England
The role acoustics plays at theaters is easily
apparent, however, people rarely think of
sound when it comes to Stonehenge, a site
shrouded in mystery and associated with
religious rituals and astronomy. The ancient
standing stones located on England’s Salsibury
Plain, have been a source of fascination for
archaeologists, scientists and tourists.
A three-year research project was conducted by
the University of Salford’s Acoustics Research
Centre and their colleagues from the
Universities of Huddersfield and Bristol
resulting in a recreation of what the aural
experience inside Stonehenge would have been
in approximately 2100 – 2000 BCE.
It was impossible to gather all of their evidence
from the Stonehenge that stands today because
stones have been moved or are missing, so
researchers traveled to a full-sized replica of
Stonehenge located in the state of Washington,
U.S.A. This reproduction, known as Maryhill,
was dedicated in 1918 and completed in 1929 as
a monument dedicated to the memory of
soldiers whose lives were lost in WWI. At
Maryhill, researchers discovered that because of
Stonehenge’s design, a sound coming from the
center of the circle would not have echoed from
an original destination, but would have been
diffused by the surrounding stones. The
resulting effect would be a resounding echo
coming from all different directions.
Stonehenge, England
Photoby:Wigaf

This also meant that a
conversation held within
Stonehenge could be heard
anywhere within the structure.
(Fadenza, Acoustics Research Center,
University of Salford, website)
Stephen J. Waller of Rock Art
Acoustics conducted a separate
project, hypothesizing that the
interfering sound waves of two
flutes playing a C#, created a
pattern very much akin to the
rocks at Stonehenge. As the notes
are played simultaneously, sound
waves emanate from the flutes
that intersect one another creating
a slightly higher pitch as an
observer circles the source.
Waller conducted his experiment
by setting the two flutes in the
center of a circle. As he walked
around the originating sound, he
heard changes in pitch at different
moments “as if there was
something blocking the sound.”
(Boyle, NBC News) After mapping
out the patterns, he saw that they
mirrored the placement of the
giant rocks at Stonehenge. While
there may be no evidence of a
direct connection between the
sound waves of Stonehenge and
its sacred roots, the sacred site is
home to a display of acoustical
phenomena.
Notre-Dame de Chartres, France
Many modern religious buildings,
unlike some of the prehistoric
sacred structures already
discussed, have been designed
primarily with sound and music in
mind. The art of music and
singing as a form of religious
praise is ever present in the
Catholic tradition. This is
especially true at the Gothic
cathedral of Notre-Dame de
Chartres in France, which was
built starting in the 12th Century
on through the 13th Century.
Mystical singer Susan Elizabeth
Hale, visited the cathedral and
tested its acoustic design. She
noted that the cathedral was built
over underground water that feeds
the sacred spring located in the
crypt below the main sanctuary.
Some researchers have found 14
underground streams that
converge directly beneath the High
Altar where the priest would
conduct Mass, notably Blanche
Merz and later Bonvin & Trilloux
in their book, Église Romane: Lieu
d’energie: pour une géobiologie du
sacré.
Hale believes, that the water
functions as a natural microphone
to amplify sounds within the
cathedral, particularly the human
voice. In fact, after Hale sang in
Chartres, the next day a Belgian
couple approached and informed
her that her voice “filled the entire
cathedral.” (Hale, 2007, p.188. She
sang again in the Chartres crypt
and with the combination of sound
and the sanctity of the space, some
observers were overcome with
emotion. While physical aspects of
a space may enhance and project
volume, it is the spiritual use of the
space that
adds value and emotion for
people experiencing the sacred
place.
Sacred places are not simply
something we see and experience
physically, but also spaces that
can be enhanced by what we
hear. Studying past and present
cultures now involves recreating
what others may have
experienced aurally when the
sacred sites were built.
All of these sacred spaces were
built without the use of modern
technology, yet they contain
amazing acoustical properties.
We must be mindful, however, of
the potential technology has to
destroy these sites. Lascaux had a
modern ventilations system
installed, for example, and that
badly impacted the natural
environment through the
introduction of harmful bacteria
transmitted by the workmen.
Visitation is highly restricted
requiring special passes solely for
researchers. Susan Hale also
observed microphones and
electrical wiring run throughout
Chartres cathedral, noting that
amplification often renders the
natural acoustics of the structure
obsolete.
Crowds of tourists at a single
location can also disturb the
setting and tone of a site such as
Stonehenge, which also has
restricted access. These problems
may affect the physical nature of
sites, but they can also disturb the
religious and sacred aspects as
well. Therefore, it is important to
preserve sites for their cultural,
visual, aural and spiritual values.
__________________________
Amanda Chi is a recent Classical
Studies graduate of Emory
University. Nancy Becker is co-
founder of Sacred Sites International.
Photo:ÉgliseRomane:Lieud'energie
Map of Underground Streams at Chartres
8

Sacred Sites International

Recommended

Recommended

More Related Content

Similar to Sacred Sites International

Similar to Sacred Sites International (20)

Sacred Sites International