[ Narrative of the Operations and Recent Discoveries Within the Pyramids, Temples, Tombs and Excavations in Egypt and Nubia and of a Journey to the Coast of the Red Sea, in search of the ancient Berenice; and another to the Oasis of Jupiter Ammon / Giovanni Battista Belzoni ]
Researches and operations in Egypt, Nubia, &c. / Giovanni Battista Belzoni
Travel of Giovanni Battista Belzoni
Al Maymun - Egypt (Meimond)
Title
Bedouin dance at an Arab festival (original source)
Short description
Arriving in Meimond, Giovanni Battista Belzoni witnessed a Bedouin dance with 30 men lined up in a single row, rhythmically clapping their hands to provide some accompaniment to their song, and in front of them two armed women.
Text on source
In the evening we arrived at Meimond ; and, hearing the tambourine, went to see an Arabic feast in the village (See Plate 30.) We were introduced in front of the spectators. The performers consisted of about thirty men, all in a row, clapping their hands in concert, so as to form a kind of accompaniment to their song, which consisted of three or four words ; and with one foot before the other keeping a sort of perpetual motion, but without changing their positions. Before the men were two women with daggers in their hands, also in continual action, running toward the men and then returning from them with an extraordinary motion, brandishing their daggers, and waving their garments. In this they persevered for such a length of time, that I wondered how they could support the exertion. This is a sort of Eedoween dance, and is the most decent of all that I ever saw in Egypt ;—but no sooner was it ended, than, in order I suppose to please us, they immediately began another, in the fashion of the country, which fully compensated for the extraordinary modesty of the first: but we returned to our boat more disgusted than pleased with it.
English translation
Folios/Pages
p. 143
Date
1817 03 circa
Observations on the events description
The dots on the map indicate the places where sound and music events were described. They don't represent travel stages.
Participants
No other participants in this event description.
How to quote
Murarotto E., "Bedouin dance at an Arab festival (original source)" (Event description), Echos. Sound Ecosystems in Travelogues. Published 2025 01 04.doi: 10.25430/echos.travels.21
This work is licensed under CC-BY-SA 4.0 
