Instrument has five finger holes and two deep V-shaped notches at one end
Posted on 06/24/2009 5:20:09 PM PDT by bruinbirdman
Found in a German cave, suggesting humans were piping tunes from bone and ivory flutes more than 35,000 years ago, new research has shown.
Scientists discovered remains of the instruments in a German cave once populated by some of the first modern humans to settle in Europe after leaving Africa.
Instrument has five finger holes and two deep V-shaped notches at one end
The finds suggest that our oldest ancestors in Europe had a well-established musical tradition.
The most significant discovery was a complete flute made from a griffon vulture bone.
Measuring 21.8cm, with a diameter of about 8mm, the instrument has five finger holes and two deep V-shaped notches at one end.
Scientists also found two small fragments of two ivory flutes at the same site, Hohle Fels cave in the Ach valley in south-west Germany.
The flutes were uncovered close to a mammoth ivory "Venus" figurine whose discovery was widely publicised recently.
Carbon dating indicated that the flutes were more than 35,000 years old.
Dr Nicholas Conard, from Tubingen University in Germany, and colleagues reported the discovery in the journal Nature.
They suggested that by increasing the social cohesion of early modern humans, music may have contributed to the demise of the Neanderthals.
These were a separate species of early European human that were eventually replaced by our species, Homo sapiens, and became extinct.
The scientists wrote: "The presence of music in the lives of early Upper Palaeolithic peoples did not directly produce a more effective subsistence economy and greater reproductive fitness. Viewed, however, in a broader behavioural context, early Upper Palaeolithic music could have contributed to the maintenance of larger social networks, and thereby perhaps have helped facilitate the demographic and territorial expansion of modern humans relative to culturally more conservative
(Excerpt) Read more at telegraph.co.uk ...
Now I don’t know what to think about these ancient humans. Playing the flute 35,000 years ago — cool.
But another article said that 30,000 years ago they were eating Neanderthals — not cool.
Yep! For some reason those that left Africa knew something.
Cool!
[Now I don’t know what to think about these ancient humans. Playing the flute 35,000 years ago — cool.
But another article said that 30,000 years ago they were eating Neanderthals — not cool.]
Maestro. A little dinner music please!
That’s nothing, according to an African Studies professor, archaeologists have discovered a treasure trove of musical and scientific instruments in the Congo that are at least 40,000 years old. Included in the find are several unplayable CDs that are said to contain rap music, 2 rusted Tec 9’s and and a barely readable manuscript that appears to contain images of gang signals.
Playing the flute, eating Neandethals
Playing the fiddle, watching Rome burn
Eating Ice Cream while the country goes broke
Man hasn’t changed much over the years.
Why do these types of articles always make some completely unprovable ascertions on the social ramifacations of a find like a flute ?
Yeah, it’s a very interesting find but it’s a flute
Really isn’t that surprising they made them
Show me the first underwater city made by dolphins and I’d.be mighty impressed
Wonder how a “best of” album of 35,000 year old music might sound? Rock? Jazz? African? or Barry Manilow?
Mark for later
Neanderthal- tastes like chicken.
You had me going there for a minute until I realized they didn't get gang symbols until 33,000 years ago.
In Europe, cave art:
Somewhere else, ptetroglyphs:
"...helped facilitate the demographic and territorial expansion of modern humans relative to culturally more conservative and demographically more isolated Neanderthal populations."
Ah yes, those socially conservative neanderthals.
BTW, the article somehow misses the most interesting question -- which is, which musical tones do the flutes make? I wonder if they correspond with the diatonic or pentatonic tones of modern music.
I think you have an interesting point. That bull is truly beautiful.
I wonder if they correspond with the diatonic or pentatonic tones of modern music Close Encounters of the Third Kind.
yitbos
But ... but ... but ... I thought Cain invented instrumental music?!!???
The Bible says so!
I knew somebody would post that...
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