Overview
- Researchers examined 12 Neolithic horns recovered from five clustered sites along the Llobregat River in Catalonia, and eight were still playable.
- The loudest instrument reached 111.5 decibels at one metre, a level comparable to a trombone or car horn according to the study measurements.
- Construction analysis found deliberate modifications, including apex removal to form ~20 mm mouthpieces and small perforations likely used for carrying straps.
- Acoustic trials showed some horns could produce up to three distinct notes and harmonic overtones, with performances conducted by lead author and professional trumpeter Miquel López-García.
- The instruments appear across farms, mines, and a mountain cave over roughly 1,500 years before vanishing around 3600 BC, with the reason for their disappearance still unknown.