(Fwd) Horns used as sounding instruments

[georgejayne]

Dear David Lubman,

I can't help you with horns but we do have in the UK a unique Neolithic site
in Wales. The excavation revealed a bone flute, made from Ovis (sheep).This
instrument was C14 dated to 3020+/-80bc and the earliest in Britain.
Outlined below is the description of the monument where the flute was found.
I am not sure what chord it is in - but probably C.

Take care,

George Nash,
University of Bristol
UK.

12. Penywyrlod, Talgarth
NGR SO 1505 3156
Monument Classification: BRE 14
Not to be confused with Penywrlod [BRE 1], Llanigon, this monument stands on
a small rise overlooking Mynydd Troed. Partly hidden by tree cover,
Penwyrlod was discovered during quarrying and excavated in 1972. Much of the
chamber and passage plan at the southern end of the mound remains intact.
The mound, one of the largest in the area, is a Œhybrid¹ type of the later
Severn-Cotswold design. Originally, Penwyrlod possessed two extended horns
and a false portal at the southern end. These are no longer visible.
However, three chambers with disturbed capstones, and the remains of two
passages, can be clearly identified. The chambers and passages open out
towards the Black Mountains and, to the west, the Brecon Beacons. However,
the internal architecture, that is, the arrangement of chambers and
passages, appears to be influenced only by the Black Mountains.

Standing 260m above sea level, on the crest of a ridge above the Afon Llynfi
valley, the monument is clearly valley aligned, even though the orientation
is directly towards Mynydd Troed. Also worth noting is that the monument is
inter-visible with three other nearby tombs - Ffostyll North (3) and South
(4) and Pipton (8). All are similar architecturally and appear to share an
affinity in terms of landscape topography and valley alignment.

Prior to excavation, the northern section of the grass-covered mound had
been heavily quarried. This had destroyed one side chamber, exposed another
and revealed a false portal and central chamber lying beyond the main axis.
Quarrying also revealed the original outline of the mound, which
incorporated substantial revetment walling at the north-eastern end and
along the south-eastern horn of the forecourt. Excavations at both ends of
the axis suggested the mound measured 52m x 22.5m. A total of six
excavations, mainly on the revetment facing north-east, exposed three
side-chambers, a central chamber (access to which may have been from the
north-east) and the north-eastern horn. The central chamber comprised two
orthostats (still visible today) in-filled with earth and sandstone. The
excavation report (Britnell & Savory 1972) suggests these were tilted
inwards to support a large capstone(s), the entire structure then being
covered by a rubble cairn. The north-eastern chamber had been almost totally
destroyed; only a single orthostat remained that appeared to form two
separate compartments measuring 2m x 1.2m and 1.6m x 1m. The latter was
entered from a passage between two revetment walls. Fallen uprights
indicated a second chamber, measuring 2.85m x 1m x 1.3m, on the
north-eastern side. A slab sealed the chamber, giving the impression of a
false entrance, a feature commonly found within the Severn-Cotswold region.
The third excavated chamber lay at the terminal end of the mound and
revealed an entrance with supporting revetment walls.

Much disarticulated human bone was recovered from chambers two - where long
bones were piled against the foot of the side-walls - and three ñ the
remains from which possibly formed part of an ossuary deposit (RCHAM(W):40).
A flint knife, a possible bone flute and many animal bones accompanied the
human remains. Several fragments of Abingdon ware were recovered from within
the same chamber area, beneath the entrance.
George Nash
Orchard Cottage,
Weobley Marsh,
Herefordshire,
HR4 8RP.

Tel. 0044 1544 318 512
Mob. 07947 558 402
Website:http:www.georgenash.freeserve.co.uk

Center for the Historic Environment,
Department of Archaeology,
University of Bristol,
43 Woodlands Road,
Bristol,
England.

----------
>From: Alice Choyke <h13017cho at helka.iif.hu>
>To: BONETOOLS at LISTSERV.IIF.HU
>Subject: (Fwd) Horns used as sounding instruments
>Date: Tue, Oct 14, 2003, 9:17 pm
>

>------- Forwarded message follows -------
>Date sent:              Mon, 13 Oct 2003 12:59:21 -0700
>From:                   David Lubman <dlubman at ix.netcom.com>
>Organization:           David Lubman & Associates
>To:                     bonetools at listserv.iif.hu
>Subject:                Horns used as sounding instruments
>
>Dear Sirs/Madams:
>
>I am an acoustical scientist in California (USA) studying the ancient
>history of the "shofar".
>
>I seek evidence from the archaeological record of the ancient use of the
>horns of herd animals for sounding, perhaps by shepherds, and especially
>in the middle east.
>
>I am aware that the word "shofar" is derived from the Assyrian
>"shapparu" which I understand to be a wild goat of the ibex family.
>
>I speculate that animal horns found mundane uses by shepherds for
>calling over long distances for many hundreds of years before they
>became the ritual instrument we know today.
>
>I will be most grateful for scholarly references and opinions.
>
>Sincerely yours,
>
>David Lubman, FASA
>Acoustical Consultant
>14301 Middletown Lane
>Westminster, CA USA 92683
>714.898.9099
>
>
>
>------- End of forwarded message -------