History Of The Flute

 The most historical flute ever discovered was found Divije Babe, in Slovenia about 43, 000 years ago. The flute dates back as an orchestral instrument that is very common in bands, orchestras, and others of that sort. The first flute had from two to four holes, which is suspected as a fragment of a femur of a juvenile cave bear. In 2008 another was found dating back to about 35, 000 years, but, it had 5 holes instead also, it was in the shape of a 'V' this flute was found near Ulm, Germany. The flute dates back approximately 42, 000 to 43, 000 years ago. Surely, you realize the flute is a very old and traditional orchestral instrument.

An ancient Greek playing a 'V' shaped flute.

The flute was found near the oldest human (caveman) carving in history. Which in turn suggests that the flute was around when humans colonized Europe. In 2004 paleontologists discovered an approximately 19 cm flute with 3 - holes, which was made from mammoth tusk in the Geißenklösterle cave near Ulm, in the southern German Swabian Alb (found in 2004). In the same cave a decade earlier, two flutes made from swan bone. (Circa 36,000 years ago).

A bone flute with 3 holes.

A playable. 9, 000 year-old Gudi (bone flute) was discovered in a tomb in Jiahu as well as 29 defunct twins. The instrument was created from wing bones from a red-crowned crane with 5-8 holes each. The oldest flute is known as the 'chi' flute, which was discovered in the Tomb of Marquis Yi of Zeng at the Suizhou site, Hubei province, China, dating back to 433 B.C. during which was the Zhou Dynasty. This flute was wielded from lacquered bamboo, which surprisingly is a great material in which creates a sharp and precise sound, yet is seemingly delicate.

A selection of bone flutes ranging in the amount of holes and size.

Flutes have been revealed in records such as a Sumerian-language cuneiform tablet which in fact dated back to 2600-2700 B.C. The Bible, in genesis cities Jubal as the "father of all those who play the ugab and the kinnor".  Resulting in Jubal being credited with both discovering and inventing the flute.

In conclusion, flutes have been revealed to have been in existence since the dawn of time. Flutes have most likely been found in caves (or tombs in Chinese flutes' case), which is rather odd considering is it possible that cave-people could have been playing flutes as the first of our kind? Until my next post.