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Prehistoric music

From HitStory, the pop encyclopedia of School of Rock · Genre

Prehistoric music · In caves in the Swabian Jura, in southern Germany, archaeologists found flutes made of swan bone, vulture bone and mammoth ivory. The finds from the Geißenklösterle cave are about 42,000 years old and are among the oldest musical instruments in the world. They were made by the first modern humans in Europe, who also carved figurines in the same caves. Nobody knows what their music sounded like, but reconstructed flutes show which notes were already possible then.

Listening

Listening tip. This is a modern improvisation on a reconstructed Ice Age flute, not a surviving melody. Hear how few notes the instrument has, and how the player still builds a melody with breath and repetition.

See also

Categories: Genres