Final answer:
Songs in early cultures prior to the invention of writing likely served as a means of communication, storytelling history preservation, spiritual rituals and social cohesion. With music's nonverbal nature and emotive power it performed a key role in establishing group identity and unity in early societies.
Step-by-step explanation:
Before the advent of writing, songs played a multifaceted role in early cultures. Music artifacts, such as woodwinds and percussion instruments found in archaeological sites, suggest that music was intrinsically linked to the daily lives of ancient peoples. Songs and music served several purposes: they were an essential means of communication, a way to tell stories and preserve history, a vehicle for expressing spirituality in rituals, and an instrument for establishing group identity and social cohesion.
Considering that humans have buried their dead with ritual objects since 50,000 years ago, it is plausible to speculate that music, given its emotive power and nonverbal nature, might have been involved in these ceremonies. Similarly, as the Greeks used stories in oral culture to educate and guide behavior, it's likely that songs held mnemonic power to aid in the transmission of cultural principles, history, and religious beliefs. The universal language of music, capable of conveying emotions like happiness, sadness, and fear, undoubtedly served as a tool for fostering a sense of wholeness and unity within early societies. On a social level, ethnomusicology studies reveal that the creation and use of musical instruments were deeply ingrained in the social hierarchy and cultural practices of early civilizations. This shows that music had a prominent place in the social fabric of these societies, influencing politics, religion, social status, and the shared experiences of a community. Given music's omnipresence in modern life as an extension of ancient traditions, we can surmise that its roots in prehistory were profound and complex.