c. 1200–1000 BCEReputable sourceWell documented
The Samaveda and the Roots of Indian Music
On the timeline · around c. 1200–1000 BCE · Prehistory & Antiquity
What happened
Among the sacred Vedas of ancient India, the Samaveda — its name meaning 'Melody Knowledge' or 'Song Knowledge' — set verses from the Rigveda to melodies to be chanted in ritual. Its priests sang using a small set of notes, and its markings for pitch are among the earliest systems for recording melody anywhere.
Why it matters
The Samaveda is regarded as the fountainhead of the Indian classical tradition. The seven-note framework and the practice of elaborating a melody would grow, over millennia, into the raga system that still defines Indian music today.
Sources
- World History Encyclopedia. The Vedas · Reputable source
Related timelines
- History of Writing → — One of the oldest ways of recording sound