Posted on Thursday, June 25 2009 @ 13:35 CEST by Thomas De Maesschalck
German scientists have found 35,000 years old flutes in the Hohle Fels cavern in southwest Germany, these flutes are the oldest musical instruments found to date. The flutes were made from a vulture's wing bone, measuring 20cm long with five finger holes. More info
at BBC News.
The researchers say in the Journal Nature that music was widespread in pre-historic times.
Music, they suggest, may have been one of a suite of behaviours displayed by our own species which helped give them an edge over the Neanderthals.
The team from Tubingen University have published details of three flutes found in the Hohle Fels cavern in southwest Germany.
The cavern is already well known as a site for signs of early human efforts; in May, members of the same team unveiled a Hohle Fels find that could be the world's oldest Venus figure.
