Seriously - Ignore my previously flippancy:-) I should think that social gatherings came before ritual and therefore singing or music at those would have preceded ceremonial music? Work songs probably even earlier.

The order in which people prioritise there lives on the most basic level is 1) Food and drink 2) Shelter and 3) Companionship. Only once those basics have been filled will they consider anything else. So, harvesting and hunting - Yes, but only if they can share it with someone else so point 3) will have had to have been filled as well.

Makes me wonder if the first songs were communications to attract other people to join the social group or tribe? I suppose we will never know but it is a very interesting topic - Thanks for starting it.

Oh - It may be wise to drop the 'folk' bit otherwise we will get into all the shennanigans of what is folk music!

Cheers

DeG