I'm skeptical of the claim that the oldest bowed instruments started in the 10th century but that's what the source said. We will probably never know what the oldest is or how old it really is. I think it would be more proper to say that bowed instruments had a sudden bloom of popularity in Central Asia about that time because such an instrument fit their lifestyles so well and word traveled fast along the Silk Road.

I'm sure someone will still claim it's Celtic. Reminds me of the Asatru people who pronounced Kennewick Man to be Nordic. He's Nordic in the same sense that I'm Thor Hyerdahl.