Ancient Musical Artifacts: From Neanderthal Flutes to Sumerian Lyres

The Divje Babe flute, crafted from a cave bear femur around 50,000-60,000 BC, represents the oldest known instrument, possibly created by Neanderthals. Another significant find, the Hohle Fels flute made from vulture bone in Germany, may be the earliest human-made flute. Among stringed instruments, Sumerian harps called the Lyres of Ur date to approximately 2500 BC, with two harps and nine lyres discovered at Ur. The oldest written music includes a tuning interval and scale for the hymn Lipit-Ishtar A from around 1950 BC in Sumeria. The Hurrian Hymn Text H6, a zaluzi-prayer to the goddess Nikkal from Ugarit in northern Syria around 1400 BC, features notations for singing and a 9-stringed lyre called the sammum. The Seikilos Epitaph from around 100 AD, found in Tralles near Aydin in Turkey, is the oldest complete melody with notation. Percussion instruments include the Mousterian Skiffle, a mammoth bone with grooves from around 60000 BC, and the Alligator Drums of neolithic China, dating from 5500-2350 BC. These artifacts illustrate the deep historical roots of musical expression across civilizations.