The sistrum (rattle) is a musical percussion instrument first used by the ancient Egyptians, commonly used in musical practices in ancient Greece, and often depicted in visual arts such as sculpture and pottery. Made of clay, wood, or metal, the instrument provides rhythmic accompaniment to other instruments, especially during religious ceremonies and festivals. Played by rocking the instrument like a rattle, the sound is produced by a movable object on a horizontal rod or by the free movement of the rod itself against a frame.

Originally from Egypt, the instrument first appeared in the Old Kingdom and was closely associated with rituals honoring Isis. In fact, in Egyptian art the goddess and her priestesses were often depicted holding a sistrum. In Egypt, this instrument came in two forms - an oval hoop or a temple shape. In Greek culture, the sistrum was shaped like an elongated hoop and was used in ceremonies, sacrifices, festivals, and funerals. The earliest example dates from Minoan Crete (c. 2000-1900 BCE) and was made of clay with two fixed wooden horizontal rods and three clay movable discs that struck when they hit the hoop The sound is produced when the side of the frame is shaped. However, the clay versions were probably not intended for playing (their sound yield was low) but to represent the instrument in a funerary setting. The fact that many sistrums and similar instruments were found in graves suggests that people believed music was part of the afterlife. Clay versions of sistrums may also have been used as children's toys.

There are surviving examples of bronze artefacts, mostly found in burial contexts. An interesting example dating from the second half of the 2nd century BC is found in Attica. This sistrum has four bronze bars of decreasing length that slide in and out of the basket. The top of the hoop is a shaped dog and the bottom of the handle has a shaped bull's head. The handle itself is carved into a cluster of six oroi to resemble a pillar, with a carved capital letter on top connecting the handle to the hoop.

In Greek art, dancers in *** are sometimes depicted holding a sistrum. A famous example is the Harvester Vase from the Hagia Triada of Minoan Crete (1500-1450 BC), which depicts a sistrum player at a harvest festival***.