Location: Divje Babe Cave, Slovenia
Attribution: Possibly Neanderthal
Material: Bear femur

Discovered in the 1990s, this flute-like artifact features holes resembling those used for producing music. If confirmed as a flute, it would suggest that Neanderthals possessed musical traditions. However, some scholars argue these holes might be from animal activity. The Divje Babe flute continues to be a point of archaeological debate. Before this time, it’s reasonable to assume ancient humans made simpler instruments ranging from wood flutes to two sticks used to bang on rocks and stumps.