December
06
/ 2025
Archaeologists have played shell trumpets from Neolithic Catalonia, revealing they were highly effective for long-distance communication and possibly among the earliest musical instruments in Europe. The groundbreaking acoustic study demonstrates that these modified conch shells could produce sounds reaching over 111 decibels, comparable to a jet engine at close range, making them powerful signaling devices for communities living 6,000 years ago. The research, published in the journal Antiquity by archaeologist and professional trumpet player Miquel López-García and his colleague Margarita Díaz-Andreu from the University of Barcelona, examined 12 large shell trumpets recovered from Neolithic settlements and mines across Catalonia in northeastern Spain. These instruments, crafted from Charonia lampas (pink lady) sea snails, date to between the late fifth and early
