The presence of breasts is a clear indicator of this figurine’s sex, which, along with the hairstyle and facial features, allows us to identify it as female (fig. 1).
Fig. 1 – Cypro-Archaic female tambourine player.
Identification of the sex based on the facial characteristics
(The Trustees of the British Museum. CC BY-NC-SA 4.0)
In contrast, male figurines are typically distinguished by the presence of a beard, the absence of breasts, and a pointed cap. Additionally, facial characteristics and objects associated with traditionally male activities, such as weapons, play a crucial role in determining sex.
When these clear markers are missing, identifying the sex of a figurine can be challenging. This is precisely the case for some tambourine players, who have sometimes been identified as male due to the absence of breasts or distinct facial features. However, unlike the lyre or flute, tambourines and drums appear to have been primarily female-associated instruments. For this reason, some scholars have classified the same samples as females, while others have highlighted the difficulty of making a definitive sex identification.
Among musician figurines, tambourine players form the largest group, with approximately 115 known examples, the vast majority – if not all – representing female figures. The gestures and postures of these figurines further support their identification as women. They may depict either the individuals who dedicated them or, more likely, priestesses responsible for performing music in temples and sanctuaries, or maybe special attendants during rituals.
Tambourines and drums were, indeed, popular instruments among women in Cyprus, especially associated with rituals linked to fertility, childbirth, and regeneration. Scholars emphasised that the sound’s rhythmic repetition enabled interaction, motivated group works, and also guided many activities, including harvesting, weaving, running into battle, pacing in parades, dancing, and even breathing. Additionally, since most musician figurines have been found in sanctuary contexts, this provides further evidence supporting their identification as women responsible for performing music during religious ceremonies.
Regardless of whether these figurines are identified as bearers, priestesses, or special attendants, their importance lies in the fact that they serve as a medium for attesting to women's participation in the social and religious spheres of Archaic Cyprus. Moreover, they help highlight a female activity, i.e. playing the drum, that might otherwise have remained hidden.