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Archaeologists discover the most ancient musical instrument

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Archaeologists discover the most ancient musical instrument


13.10.2017

© Institute of Archaeology and Ethnography of Siberian Branch of Russian Academy of Sciences Scientists conducting archaeological excavations in Altai made a unique finding, RIA Novosti informs. They managed to discover possibly the most ancient musical instrument in Eurasia.

According to Deputy Director of Siberian Branch of Russian Academy of Sciences Vyacheslav Molodin, it is a kamus (a mouth harp) made of stone. It was found by the expedition working in the lower Katun river under the guidance of Valery Borodovsky.

The scientist has explained that kamus exists today too. It is widely used by peoples of Tuva, Altai and Siberian Tatars. Modern kamus is made of metal. Discovery of the stone musical instrument proves that they were popular in the ancient times.

It dates back the Scytho-Sarmatian period, which is the beginning of the first century A.D. The instrument represents a stone base divided by three stripes. Vibration makes the central strip to produce a distinctive sound. 

These tools were popular among Asian population, first of all. This may be called an ethnographic feature of contemporary inhabitants of the South Siberia. It means that it appeared much time ago.

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