Earliest music instruments found

Courtesy of the BBC: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/s...

One of the flutes has been fashioned from mammoth ivory 'Oldest musical instrument' found German 'Venus' may be oldest yet. Researchers have identified what they say are the oldest-known musical instruments in the world.

The flutes, made from bird bone and mammoth ivory, come from a cave in southern Germany which contains early evidence for the occupation of Europe by modern humans - Homo sapiens.

Scientists used carbon dating to show that the flutes were between 42,000 and 43,000 years old.

I'm not sure they are flutes.

Maybe the "earliest kitchen drawer handles" ever.

Oh, and I guess drums don't count as instruments (we knew that already)

Maybe the "earliest kitchen drawer handles" ever.

They look more like handles for roasting marshmallows over the open fire. The holes are for cooling..

All this proves is some guitar player buried those evil spit filled tubes.

But can I get a mammoth bone nut blank?

Yes... After hours round the back of the museum. Knock three times and ask for Joe....

In related news, Zamfir's earliest ancestors found.

....do they come in orange?

Can't y'all see the TRU-ARC tm inscription on the side? Told you Prot was old. 9.5 radius I believe.

Yes they do, it's a custom shop order but you'll have to build your own time machine.

Didn't they know that Ivory use is illegal?

Is this where we start the debate over which is better --- mammoth ivory or mastodon ivory? And whether berry juice or giant sloth drool makes a better finish?

Back when Rolling Stones meant something quite different... but the PAF version kicked the others into cocked hat...

are they SURE they're 42,000 years old? they could be from the Custom Shop.

Is this where we start the debate over which is better --- mammoth ivory or mastodon ivory? And whether berry juice or giant sloth drool makes a better finish?

Now THAT's funny!

how can that be if the earth is only 6000 yrs old

I got a box of 'em in my collection.

Didn't they know that Ivory use is illegal?

Yeah.. Now the U.S. Govt. will swoop in, take the Ivory by force, and destroy it so it cant be traded. Wait, it doesn't say Gibson on it... Oh Thank God

I don't know about mammoth tusk nuts but you can get mammoth tusk picks.

www.dugainpicks.com

Perfectly legal too since mammoths aren't actually 'endangered'

Yes they do, it's a custom shop order but you'll have to build your own time machine.

how can that be if the earth is only 6000 yrs old

Cool Find, Strummerson! - Thanks for the link!

I'm curious about what these two flutes were like. They practically look playable now. Like I wonder what notes they made, - what they were capable of. And what are those little stem things for?

It's curious that these two are so similar that they look virtually like the same one. So apparently it was a specific type that at least one person made to certain specifications. That's interesting!

And the article about them was interesting. Like how they suspect that music would have been a cohesive force in early man's societies that must have help keep them united, - which also helped them to survive difficult times. - I wouldn't hurt to have more of that nowadays!

Here's another bit of vintage gear, the oldest fragment, part of a bridge, no less, from a stringed instrument. It was found on the island of Skye, Scotland, from at least 2,300 years ago.

http://www.youtube.com/watc...

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/u...

how can that be if the earth is only 6000 yrs old

I was waiting.......

You sure those two holes aren't a bowl and a carburetor