Listen to the ancient instruments that a strange human ancestor created that date back 60,000 years.
A Neanderthal flute from Slovenia that is the oldest musical instrument in the world helps to unlock the mysteries of our distant ancestors. It is a treasure of worldwide significance. Experts feel that this artifact, which was discovered in the Divje Babe cave in Cerkno, demonstrates the musical prowess of the Neanderthals.
Masterpiece Created from the Orchestra of Nature
The masterpiece features four well placed holes and was painstakingly carved from a young cave bear's left femur. Following musical tests, scientists were able to demonstrate that these holes' size and location were not merely accidental markings but rather deliberate choices made specifically to produce melodic sounds.
Of all archaic instruments, only the Divje Babe flute has the recognizable Neanderthal stamp. This discovery reframes our knowledge of Neanderthals, indicating their sophisticated spiritual and aesthetic qualities comparable to our own. It is astonishingly 20,000 years older than comparable objects made by anatomically modern people.
A Historic Find at Divje Babe
Ivan Turk's meticulous digs in the Divje Babe cave, a prehistoric center tucked 230 meters above the Idrijca River beneath the northern border of the ebrelje plateau, resulted in the ground-breaking discovery of the flute in 1995. Initially inhabited by cave bears, the location saw brief periods of time during the last ice age when Neanderthals and then modern people lived there. The flute was discovered within layers that had been in place for an astounding 60–50 thousand years, close to an old hearth.
The flute's age, which ranges between 60,000 and 50,000 years, was established using electron spin resonance on bear teeth. This epoch is known as the Old Stone Age or Paleolithic. The flute's legitimacy was furthered by the discovery of Neanderthal-made stone tools nearby. This finding confirms the Divje Babe flute's status as a unique item that is 20,000 years older than all other flutes combined.
What the Oldest Instrument in the World Sounds Like
The flute has a distinguishing feature: it was made by a Neanderthal. Around 200,000 years ago, Homo sapiens neanderthalensis, which later spread to West Asia and the Middle East, began in Europe. These prehistoric people were named after the Neanderthal location in Germany, where their fossils were initially discovered in 1856, and they were well-equipped to resist arctic conditions. They unexpectedly vanished around 40,000 years ago, giving rise to a variety of ideas.
A cave bear's femur with four perforations was used to make this ancient instrument, which was made with simple tools that have since been recreated in contemporary research. The Neanderthals carved a hollow into the bone using a sharp stone instrument, then punched a hole through it with a bone punch. Any hypothesis that these holes are just accidental markings or animal bites has been disproven by numerous examinations and experiments.
The Divje Babe Flute: Echoing Ancient Artistry
The Divje Babe flute, which represents the musical prowess of the Neanderthals, is the oldest known musical instrument in the world. Neanderthals are now seen as creative, emotionally sophisticated humans capable of artistic expression, dispelling the preconceived view that they were simple, ape-like creatures.
A precise reconstruction of the instrument is made using the shape, mouthpiece, and CT scan results of the preserved bone, revealing its varied melodic potential. It is ergonomically created for a right-handed musician and performs musically better than previous Paleolithic musical instruments that have been recreated.
