Bones

The Bones is a type of percussive instrument known as a “concussion idiophone,” which refers to me being made of up of similar objects that make a sound when struck together. Bones also called the “rhythm bones,” which gives you a clue to the role I play in music.

Archaeologists have excavated bones (as instruments) from graves and tombs in prehistoric Mesopotamia and Egypt, and also discovered images of musicians playing the bones on Greek pottery. There is also evidence of the bones being played in the Roman Empire and ancient China. More recently - that is, in the 18th and 19th centuries - it came to North America with Irish and English immigrants, who used the bones as a way to keep a steady beat for their jigs and reels.

Its original versions were made from animal bones, usually the rib or shin bones of sheep, cows, and sometimes horses. It is often slightly curved, reflective of the natural shape of these bones, and I typically measure between 5 and 7 inches in length. While modern bones are still made from animal bones, you can also find ones made from wood and plastic. A variety of woods can be used, such as cherry, mahogany, walnut, and maple, with different woods producing different tones as is seen in other wooden instruments.