Music is a universal language, with each cord and note evoking different feelings in people. Although we may never know when music was created, some of the earliest instruments date back 40,000 years.
Data: oldest.org
The discovery of the oldest instruments suggests that modern humans who settled in Europe 45,000 to 42,000 years ago, already had musical traditions. Here is a list of the oldest musical instruments.
Age: 4,000 to 10,000 years
A lithophone is any instrument made of rocks that produces musical notes when struck. Although found worldwide, one of the oldest known examples was found in Vietnam, dating back to 1000 BC or earlier.
Age: 20,000 years
A bullroarer is a piece of wood attached to a string. It is used in rituals in many cultures past and present, the oldest version of the Bullroarer was found in Ukraine, dating back to about 18,000 BC.
Age: 20,000 to 50,000 years
These were flutes made of vulture wing bones. Fragments of 20 different flutes were found in Isturitz Caves in Southwestern France. The flutes were made by several different cultures living in the area.
Image: wikimedia.org/BastienM
Age: 35,000 to 40,000 years
The flute made of Griffon Vulture bones was found in Hohle Fels Cave in Germany. Of all the ancient flutes, the Hohle Fels flute bears the closest resemblance to the modern-day flute.
Image: wikimedia.org/Tomatenpflanze
Age: 43,100 years
The flute made of a cave bear femur was found in Slovenia. While some archaeologists believe that Neanderthals made it, others believe modern humans did. Some are doubtful that it was even man-made.
Image: wikimedia.org/Petar Milošević
Age: 42,000 to 43,000 years
Three flutes, two made of Mute Swan bone and the other of Mammoth Ivory, were found in Germany. The flutes are linked to an archaeological culture, Aurignacian, associated with the earliest modern humans in Europe.
Image: wikimedia.org/José-Manuel Benito
The oldest and the most natural musical instrument is the human voice. It is believed that humans have been making music with their voices and instruments since the beginning of their existence.
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