The Oldest Complete Song Ever Found

The Seikilos epitaph is the world’s oldest surviving musical composition that is fully intact. While older fragments exist, this ancient Greek melody is the only complete song with musical notation ever discovered.

Carved into a stone pillar during the first century, the inscription acts as both a poem and a musical score. It features a melody written in a system of notation that predates modern musical scales. The lyrics serve as a poignant message to enjoy life while you can, reminding us that sorrow is fleeting. It is truly remarkable that this humble gravestone has kept a piece of human melody alive for nearly two thousand years.