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Prehistoric Times
As it seems,
the transverse flute was
the last of all flutes
to be invented. Probably
it was first built
by nomads
in central Asia.
It travelled
to Europe together
with goats and sheep.
The first appearance
probably occured at the end of
the stoneage and remained
a rarity through antique.
It might also been
developed in different
regions at the same time
independently.
For that the following examples
for findings
referring to flutes
are not easily
classified. They are only
fragments building
no idea of the whole.
The very first flutes
of prehistoric ages
were made of animal bones.
Unfortunately it is not
possibly to reconstruct
how the found flutes
were played.
Nor can one be sure
the instruments were
purposely built.
Often only
parts of the flutes
were found.
The first written
evidence is found in
chinese poetry
(Schï-djing).
The sign
tschï is said to
mean the flute. At
the beginning of the
3rd century a. d.
this sign
is clearly assigned to the flute
in an encyclopedia.
There it is said to
have already existed in the
first millenium b. c.
But it is not clear
whether the sign
had the same meaning
through all these
years.
Even an Indian tomb
(Stupa Sanchi)
of the first millenium
a. d.
shows reliefs of
flutes.
These are played to the
left. Reliefs on a
temple on Java show
the first known pictures
of flutes played to the
right.
The Greeks
probably were not aware
of the transverse flute.
Only in the hellenetic epoch
turned up a new word
meaning the flute:
Photinx.
The earliest picture
on which a flute is
clearly to be seen is an
etruscian relief
from near Perusa.
It was made in the second
or first century b. c.
It seems that the Etruscans
loved the flute very much,
as there are a lot of
illustrations made in
that period .
There are also
some coins showing pictures
of flutists.
One of them
coming from the
city of Baniyas
(formerly Caesarea Panias)
and being mint
in 169 after Christ.
The cause for the widespread
illustrations of flutes
in that region is god Pan.
A grotto near the city
was dedicated to him.
The Romans knew the
flute by tradition from
the Etruscans.
The latin word "tibia"
means both shin
and windinstrument
pointing out the
early history of
the instrument.
Last update: 17.02.2010
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