The Origins of Music: Preface - Preface

the thickness of the bone could be fairly large (4mm).With a thinner cut

edge (e.g.,bone wall around 2mm thick),blowing was easier to perform

and the range of tone was significantly greater than with thicker cut

edges,with which it was possible to produce only some lower tones.We

could produce sound in such a way in all the reconstructions,at both

proximal and distal ends.Blowing on the distal part of the bone,however,

it was necessary to close the semicircular notch with plasticine or a finger.

A sharp cut edge (thickness 1 to 2mm) can be created fairly quickly and

simply by removing the spongiosa at the metaphysis.A musical instru-

ment of a number of ranges and tonal possibilities is thus obtained.If

the spongiosa is not completely removed,the range of tone is reduced,

and producing sound from the flute is more difficult.

If one of the (partial) holes at the edge is used as a simple mouthpiece

with a cut edge (compare with figure 15.9a),we get a very widespread

type of folk instrument,a notched flute (e.g.,the South American Kena

or Japanese shakuhachi).Specifically,the shallow notch at the wider

distal end lends itself to this by the very shape and the manner of the

254 Drago Kunej and Ivan Turk

Figure 15.7

Photograph of the proximal part of the bone in reconstructed bone flutes from (a) fossil

bone of an extinct cave bear,(b) fresh bone of a modern brown bear,(c) plaster,and (d)

metal.

Fig.15.7(a) Fig.15.7(b)

Fig.15.7(c) Fig.15.7(d)

a b

c d