The Apotropaic Function of Music Inside the Sanctuaries of Asklepios

Music obviously played a strong role in ancient Greek ways of healing the human body. However, although scholars have studied some aspects, there still is no comprehensive enquiry on the relationships between music and sounds in Asclepios’ sanctuaries. The purpose of this paper is first to combine all the sources on the soundscape of famous and minor sanctuaries, and secondly to give some new perspectives on the specificity of Asclepian soundscapes. Is there any relationship between environmental sounds, anthropic sounds and cultic music, especially paeans? We may find some clues in the texts related to the cult of Asclepios but also in the archaeological evidence, because some votive offerings have been unearthed, like votive ears and musical instruments. By examining the soundscape of Asclepian sanctuaries, I would like eventually to ask especially whether the link between the musical performances and sounds could be understood as apotropaic.