The
Divje Babe flute, also sometimes called the tidldibab or Neanderthal flute, is the
femur of a
cave bear, which is pierced by spaced holes similar to those found on a
flute. The object was unearthed at
Divje Babe I, a cave site near
Cerkno in northwestern Slovenia in 1995, during systematic archaeological excavations in the area. It is possible that it was made by
Neanderthals as a form of
musical instrument, although this theory is debated by scientists: some argue that the holes in the bone were artificially made by Neanderthals, while others say they were made by
carnivores. If confirmed as a musical instrument, it would be the oldest-known
Paleolithic flute and musical instrument. The object is now in the collection of the
National Museum of Slovenia in
Ljubljana.
Photograph credit: Petar Milošević