When was the first musical instrument made?

It is difficult to pinpoint the exact time when the first musical instrument was made as the history of music and musical instruments spans back to prehistoric times. However, archaeological evidence suggests that musical instruments have existed for tens of thousands of years.

Here are some of the oldest known musical instruments:

1. Flutes: Archaeologists have found bone flutes carved from bird bones and mammoth ivory that date back to around 40,000 to 35,000 BCE. These flutes, discovered in Europe, are considered some of the oldest musical instruments in the world.

2. Percussion Instruments: Percussion instruments, such as rattles, scrapers, and drums, are also believed to be among the earliest musical instruments. Drums made from animal skin stretched over a hollowed-out wooden body have been found in archaeological sites from various cultures and regions.

3. Stringed Instruments: Stringed instruments like lyres and bows are believed to have developed sometime between 15,000 and 10,000 BCE. Evidence of early stringed instruments has been found in archaeological sites in Africa and Asia.

4. Wind Instruments: In addition to flutes, other wind instruments like trumpets and horns made from animal horns and shells were also likely used in ancient times.

It's important to note that while these instruments are the oldest known, there might have been earlier instruments that did not survive or were not preserved well enough for us to discover today.