Richard Dumbrill (musicologist)

Richard Dumbrill is a musicologist known for his work on the history and archaeology of musical instruments, particularly those of the ancient Near East. He has specialized in researching and reconstructing ancient musical traditions through archaeological finds, textual analysis, and experimental reconstruction of instruments. His research spans diverse geographical areas including Mesopotamia, Egypt, and the Mediterranean.

Dumbrill's contributions extend to the study of musical notation, tuning systems, and the social context of music in ancient societies. He is an advocate for interdisciplinary approaches, incorporating archaeology, philology, acoustics, and ethnomusicology to gain a comprehensive understanding of ancient music. His publications include books, articles, and contributions to edited volumes, and he is a frequent speaker at academic conferences on music archaeology. He has also been involved in collaborative projects involving museum collections and instrument reconstructions.