Researchers Decode World's Oldest Music, From 60,000-Year-Old Neanderthal Flutes to Mesopotamian Hymns
Using instruments, clay tablets, and cultural traditions, archaeologists, historians, and musicologists are piecing together the sounds of ancient music. The earliest known artifact is a bone fragment from a cave bear, estimated to be 60,000 years old, discovered in Slovenia in 1995, featuring holes that align with the diatonic scale. In 2008, twelve pieces of a flute made from a griffon vulture bone, dating back 40,000 to 53,000 years, were found in Germany. Australia's Aboriginal culture, recognized in 2011 as over 58,000 years old, preserves the didgeridoo. Additionally, 25 bone flutes from China's Jiahu Cun site date back 8,000 to 9,000 years. Ancient Egypt illustrated musical instruments around 3000 BC, while the Nippur N 3354 tablet from Mesopotamia (circa 2000 BC) contains diatonic scale instructions. The Hurrian Hymn to Nikkal, dating to about 1400 BC, represents the earliest known written music.
Key facts
- A 60,000-year-old bone fragment with four holes, found in 1995 in Divje Babe cave in Slovenia, is the oldest tangible evidence of a possible Neanderthal flute.
- The Hohle Fels flute, made from griffon vulture bone and dated 40,000–53,000 years ago, is the best-preserved Aurignacian instrument.
- Australia's Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people were confirmed in 2011 by Professor Eske Willerslev as the oldest continuous culture on Earth, with over 58,000 years of history.
- China's Jiahu Cun site produced 25 bone flutes, 8,000–9,000 years old, with seven holes and a six-note scale.
- The Nippur N 3354 tablet from around 2000 BC contains instructions for music in thirds using a diatonic scale.
- The Hurrian Hymn to Nikkal, dated to around 1400 BC and found in 1950s Ugarit, is the first record of written music.
- Caral-Supe in Peru yielded 32 carved bone flutes from 3000 BC.
- Ancient Egyptian tomb paintings depict flutes, harps, and sistra, with harp images dating back to 3000 BC.
Entities
Artists
- Bob Fink
- Eske Willerslev
- Hans-Jochen Thiel
- Lewis Burns
- Michael Levy
- Norman de Garis Davies
- Lancelot Crane
- Hugh R. Hopgood
- Seikilos
Institutions
- University of Tübingen
- The MET
- Wikimedia Commons
- Neanderthal Museum
- The Collector
- National Museum of Slovenia
- Prehistoric Museum of Blaubeuren
- Classic FM
- An Inspired Pencil
- Dino Era
Locations
- Divje Babe
- Slovenia
- Hohle Fels
- Germany
- Australia
- Kakadu
- Northern Territory
- China
- Jiahu Cun
- West Africa
- Central Africa
- Egypt
- Nubia
- Mesopotamia
- Nippur
- Sumer
- Iraq
- Ugarit
- Syria
- Caral-Supe
- Peru
- Andes
- Europe
- Africa
- Asia
- Americas
- Sumeria
- Tralles
- Aydin
- Turkey
- Ur