From 1400 BCE to the national anthem of the U.S.A.: How a rhythm was preserved and modified while traveling the globe.

In 2026, the United States celebrates its 250th anniversary, yet the cultural history of the national anthem is much older. The anthem shares a part of its rhythm with the oldest known musical score in the world, dating back to 1400 BCE. The same rhythm resurfaces in the finest Ancient Greek and Roman poetry, in popular culture across the globe today, and in the Rig Veda—a monumental Bronze Age collection of hymns that have become a holy scripture to more than a billion Hindus. Reconnecting the dots between these musical echoes reveals an astonishing history that stands as an incredible testimony to the power of music to unite people. At the same time, this history also begs for an interpretation: How can it be that a rhythm has been preserved unchanged, for as long as we can look back in time, while also inspiring the birth of new branches of music?