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2,000-year-old musical instrument found in Vietnam: researchers

Researchers say they have discovered a 2,000-year-old stringed instrument in southern Vietnam.

The find was published Tuesday in the archaeological journal Antiquity. Artifacts were found at the archaeological site of Go O Chua, Long An province, southern Vietnam.

According to the researchers, the instrument is crafted from deer antler and dates back to the pre-Oc Eo period of the country along the Mekong River.

“The stringed instrument, or chordophone, is one of the earliest examples of this type of instrument in Southeast Asia,” said lead researcher and graduate student Fredeliza Campos from the Australian National University in a statement. a press release.

More than 600 bone artifacts were analyzed by Campos and her collaborators when the instrument was discovered.

“It fills the gap between the earliest known instruments in the region — the lithophone or percussion — and more modern instruments,” says Campos.

“It’s about 35cm long and has a hole at one end for a pin, which is important for winding. It also has what looks like a bridge to support the rope.

“There is no other explanation for its meaningful use.”

No other artefacts like it have been found at the site, which suggests to the researchers that it was made by experts who may have been musicians themselves.

“It’s clear that music played an important role in the early cultures of this region. The striking similarities between the artifacts we studied and some of the string instruments still being played suggest the sound. Vietnamese traditional music has its roots in prehistoric times,” added Campos.

The researchers believe that the instrument may have been played in a manner similar to contemporary Vietnamese instruments such as the K’ný.

“K’ný is a single-string bow instrument that is uniquely controlled by the player’s mouth, which also acts as a resonator. It can play a wide variety of sounds and tones, much more than with the scale you usually hear on the piano,” said Campos.

DOI


Reporting for this story was paid for through the Meta-sponsored Afghan Journalists in Residence Project.



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