Intriguing artifacts, specifically mollusk shells exhibiting unusual morphology unearthed at Neolithic excavation sites dating back six millennia, may have functioned as instruments for generating exceptionally loud acoustic signals, groundbreaking research indicates.
The experimental process involved a straightforward yet revelatory approach: simply employing the shells and directing air through them. The outcomes were astonishing, yielding a deafening blast recorded at an intensity of up to 111.5 decibels. This level of sound approximates the loudness of a vehicle horn or a heavy-duty cutting tool.
This imaginative investigation, spearheaded by archaeologists Miquel López-Garcia and Margarita Díaz-Andreu affiliated with the University of Barcelona in Spain, posits that inhabitants of the Catalan regions from which these shells originated might have repurposed them as a sophisticated method for transmitting signals over considerable distances.
The exoskeletons of substantial marine gastropods—classified as conch shells—have been frequently discovered at numerous archaeological locations, fueling speculation regarding their potential utility, whether for sonic or other purposes.
Previous experimental endeavors aimed at eliciting sound from these ancient mollusk casings have demonstrated that early human populations might have utilized them as primitive trumpets, with the oldest identified specimen of this nature dating back an impressive 17,000 years.
A substantial quantity of these shells has been retrieved from sites located throughout Catalonia, a region in northeastern Spain, with carbon dating placing them in the late 5th and early 4th millennia BCE. Archaeologists hypothesize that these particular shells may also have been instrumental in sound production, yet limited scholarly exploration has been dedicated to these specific artifacts.
López-Garcia and Díaz-Andreu undertook the initiative to rectify this research gap.
“It was a known fact that several Charonia lampas shells had been unearthed within a geographically confined area of Catalonia—specifically, in the lower basin of the Llobregat River and the transitional lowland zone of the Penedès district, situated to the east of Barcelona city,” Díaz-Andreu explains.
“Their apical portions had been removed, leading some scholars to propose their potential application as rudimentary musical instruments.”
The collaborative undertaking involved a meticulous physical examination of 12 conch shells sourced from five distinct archaeological contexts.
Subsequently, López-Garcia, who possesses professional proficiency as a trumpet player, endeavored to gently inhale through some of these specimens in an attempt to generate audible resonance.
Each of the 12 shells had undergone the removal of its apex—the uppermost conical extremity of the spiral structure. This modification is a prerequisite for transforming a shell into a rudimentary horn, as it establishes an aperture through which the individual can blow.
Furthermore, several of the shells bore trace evidence of biological inscriptions, indicative of the presence of other organisms, such as boring organisms and predatory gastropods.
This observation is of paramount importance: it suggests that prehistoric humans procured these shells subsequent to the demise of their original inhabitants, thereby acquiring empty mollusk casings.
Consequently, the shell itself constituted the primary object of value, rather than the enclosed mollusk, which could have served as a potential sustenance source.
Out of the total collection of 12 shells, only eight remained sufficiently intact for acoustic experimentation. Of these, two also featured small perforations that the researchers speculated might have been intentionally introduced to facilitate sonic modulation by the user.
López-Garcia succeeded in extracting sound from all eight shells, achieving sound pressure levels exceeding 100 decibels in seven instances—comparable to the auditory intensity of a motorcycle engine.
He also managed to produce up to three discernible tonal variations from two of the shells, although the higher the pitch, the less stable the resultant sound.
The application of conventional trumpet-playing techniques, such as acoustic manipulation via hand gestures and altering intonation through oral adjustments, also contributed to acoustic instability.
The act of obstructing the apertures on the two shells possessing them yielded no discernible impact, thereby confirming that these openings were naturally occurring rather than deliberately engineered for sonic modification of the conch’s output.
In summation, these collective findings imply that while the conch shells were capable of generating a limited repertoire of musical tones, their extraordinary volume strongly suggests their predominant function was for long-distance communication, utilized by Neolithic agriculturalists whose operational spheres likely encompassed extensive territories.
“The shell trumpets possess the capacity to generate high-intensity acoustic emissions and would have proven exceedingly effective for the transmission of messages across significant distances,” states López-Garcia.
“Nevertheless, their potential for melodic expression through pitch modulation cannot be disregarded, leaving open the possibility that these shells also served as musical instruments intended for expressive purposes.”
One might even speculate whether their ancient creators were attempting to address prevalent health conditions, such as sleep apnea.
