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31 Mar 12 - 01:41 PM (#3331656) Subject: Oldest string instrument found From: michaelr Archaeologists and music experts believe they have found the remains of the earliest stringed instrument ever found in Western Europe – dating to more than 2,300 years ago – at the excavation of Uamh An Ard Achadh (High Pasture Cave) on the Island of Skye. |
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31 Mar 12 - 02:51 PM (#3331687) Subject: RE: Oldest string instrument found From: GUEST,leeneia Interesting! Thanks for the link. |
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31 Mar 12 - 03:00 PM (#3331689) Subject: RE: Oldest string instrument found From: Lonesome EJ very interesting! |
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31 Mar 12 - 03:15 PM (#3331693) Subject: RE: Oldest string instrument found From: McGrath of Harlow Looks like a broken five string bridge to me. |
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31 Mar 12 - 03:47 PM (#3331705) Subject: RE: Oldest string instrument found From: JohnInKansas The broken off top of the piece could possibly have added a couple of notches, so it could represent a 5 or 6 string bridge. The apparent size of the notches suggests a fairly heavy string, and for a good sound, even to prehistoric standards that might be expected**, a fairly long string would have been necesary to be compatible with the implied string diameters. Conclusion: It's a bridge off a 5-string stand up bass. Next question: Where's the %@$@#! banjo for the lead player? ** Development of a "sophisticated" instrument of the kind suggested by the piece would have been unlikely unless a "pleasant sound" was produced, so unless the diggers can come up with a bow the strings would have to have been long enough to "sound" (at relatively low tension) with some "strength" when plucked (or whacked hard?). The multiple notches - if they're in fact for strings - suggest a multi-tonal "music" although speculating about harmonic relationships between multiple strings in that time is something of a stretch until additional evidence can be produced. Maybe there's a juke box back in the back of the cave somewhere, so that someday we'll hear their recordings? John |
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31 Mar 12 - 03:50 PM (#3331707) Subject: RE: Oldest string instrument found From: Brian May Oh for Heaven's sake don't tell them that on the Martin website, they're convinced that the oldest stringed instrument was made in USA in 1833 . . . Marvellous, music settles the savage soul, always did and still does. Have fun |
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31 Mar 12 - 04:57 PM (#3331726) Subject: RE: Oldest string instrument found From: katlaughing I really enjoyed the sound of the one they made which they surmise might be similar to the original. Thanks, very interesting! |
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31 Mar 12 - 05:21 PM (#3331738) Subject: RE: Oldest string instrument found (in Western Europe) From: Lonesome EJ I imagine the tune that accompanied the piglet sacrifice had more minors in it than the tune he was demonstrating, though. |
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01 Apr 12 - 11:40 AM (#3332049) Subject: RE: Oldest string instrument found (in Western Europe) From: GUEST,BanjoRay JohnInKansas's theory that it's off a string bass ia interesting. High Pasture cave where it was found is near Loch Slappin' on Skye. So that tells us what it sounded like! Ray |
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01 Apr 12 - 06:08 PM (#3332222) Subject: RE: Oldest string instrument found (in Western Europe) From: GUEST,Ebor_Fiddler What date is it? |
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01 Apr 12 - 06:28 PM (#3332233) Subject: RE: Oldest string instrument found (in Western Europe) From: Don Firth Somewhere around 300 B.C. Don Firth |
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03 Apr 12 - 06:22 AM (#3332917) Subject: RE: Oldest string instrument found (in Western Europe) From: banjoman Looks like the bridge of my old Windsor Banjo which was lost in Scotland about 50 years ago. Seriously, anything with notches could be from a musical instrument, like wise could be from an early carding (combing)machine used to prepare wool for weaving. |