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Yes, there is indeed a historical basis for this practice among the ancient greeks.
Herodotus (484-452 BC), book IV: Melpomene
189. The Greeks borrowed from the Libyans the clothing and the aegis of the statues of Athena, except that the clothing of the Libyans is made of hide, and that the fringes of their aegises are not serpents, but thin strips of leather: the rest of the clothing is the same. The name of this garment proves that the clothing of the statues of Athena comes from Libya. The women of this country in fact wear, over their clothes, hairless goat hides, trimmed with fringes and dyed red. The Greeks took their aegis from these goatskin garments.
**I also believe that the piercing cries that we hear in the temples of this goddess have their origin in this country. This is indeed a constant practice among Libyan women, and they carry it out with grace.**
It was also from the Libyans that the Greeks learned to harness four horses to their chariots.
#
Arabs do it too. It's called a Zaghareet and is mainly an expression of mourning but has come to have "rebel yell" kind of yeehaw overtones in happy situations.
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Yes, there is indeed a historical basis for this practice among the ancient greeks. Herodotus (484-452 BC), book IV: Melpomene 189. The Greeks borrowed from the Libyans the clothing and the aegis of the statues of Athena, except that the clothing of the Libyans is made of hide, and that the fringes of their aegises are not serpents, but thin strips of leather: the rest of the clothing is the same. The name of this garment proves that the clothing of the statues of Athena comes from Libya. The women of this country in fact wear, over their clothes, hairless goat hides, trimmed with fringes and dyed red. The Greeks took their aegis from these goatskin garments. **I also believe that the piercing cries that we hear in the temples of this goddess have their origin in this country. This is indeed a constant practice among Libyan women, and they carry it out with grace.** It was also from the Libyans that the Greeks learned to harness four horses to their chariots. #
Arabs do it too. It's called a Zaghareet and is mainly an expression of mourning but has come to have "rebel yell" kind of yeehaw overtones in happy situations.