It is impossible to say exactly which musical instrument was the very first in the history of mankind. Not all information about the musical predilections of ancient people has reached our days, in addition, various musical instruments appeared in different regions of the world at the same time.
The oldest found musical instrument
An ancient Greek legend says that the first musical instrument was created by the god Pan, who walked in the forest by the river, picked a reed and began to blow into it. It turned out that the cane tube is capable of making enchanting sounds that add up to beautiful melodies. Pan cut off several branches of the reed and connected them together, creating the first instrument - the prototype of the flute.
Thus, the ancient Greeks believed that the first musical device was the flute. Perhaps it is - at least it is the oldest instrument recorded by researchers. Its oldest specimen was found in southern Germany, in the Holi Fels cave, where excavations of a prehistoric human settlement are being carried out. In total, three flutes were found in this place, carved from the tusk of a mammoth and having several holes. Also, archaeologists have discovered fragments that apparently belonged to the same flutes. Radiocarbon dating helped determine the age of these instruments, with the oldest dating back to 40 millennium BC. So far, this is the most ancient instrument that was found on Earth, but perhaps other copies simply have not survived to this day.
Similar flutes and pipes were found on the territory of Hungary and Moldova, but they were made in the 25-22 millennia BC.
Candidates for the title of the most ancient musical instruments
Although while the flute is considered the most ancient musical instrument, it is possible that in fact the first was made a drum or any other device. For example, Australian aborigines are sure that their national instrument called the didgeridoo is the oldest, its history goes back to the depths of the history of the indigenous population of this continent, which, according to scientists, is 40 to 70 thousand years old. Thus, it is possible that the didgeridoo is indeed the oldest instrument. It is an impressive piece of eucalyptus trunk, in some cases reaching three meters in length, with a hollow core eaten away by termites.
Since didgeridoo are always cut from different trunks with different shapes, their sounds are never repeated.
The oldest drums found date back as little as the fifth millennium BC, but scientists believe that this is one of the most likely candidates for the title of the first musical instrument. Its long history is spoken of as a wide variety of types of modern drums and their almost ubiquitous prevalence, as well as a simple and uncomplicated design that would allow even the most ancient ancestors of people to play melodies with the help of simple devices. In addition, it has been proven that in many cultures, drum music was a very important part of life: it accompanied all holidays, weddings, funerals, wars.
