SPECIAL ISSUE: The intersection between psychology and the human history studies
Tracing the Minds of the Ancients through Prehistoric Musical Instruments
2022 Volume 65 Issue 2 Pages 215-230
Details
2022 Volume 65 Issue 2 Pages 215-230
The purpose of this paper was to examine the state of mind of ancient people that made music possible from the perspective of cognitive archaeology, based on materials related to prehistoric musical instruments excavated in Japan and other parts of the world. First, I will describe the findings from articles from around the world such as a 40,000-year-old Paleolithic bone horn excavated in southwestern Germany and clay bells, flutes, and bronze bells from the Jomon and Yayoi periods excavated in Japan. I will then explain the current state of research on the evolution of music. Based on these studies, the following three perspectives will be presented: (1) the production techniques and materials of musical instruments, (2) the sounds produced by musical instruments, and (3) the social conditions of the time when the musical instruments were used. Based on these points, I will discuss the process by which a mind for music is formed and developed.
