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Early Man-Made Trumpets

Humans have been making artificial trumpets out of metal and other materials, such as clay since the Bronze Age[5].

Some of the ancient trumpets from around the world include the following:

Photograph of a Man Playing an Alphorn

Man Playing an Alphorn

Wood, Alps

Photograph of an Etruscan Cornu

Cornu

Bronze, Etruscan Civilization

Photograph of a Reenactor Playing a Roman Cornu

Reenactor Playing a Roman Cornu

Photograph of a Carnyx

Carnyx

Bronze, Ancient Celtic Cultures

Photograph of a Bronze Age Lur

Bronze Age Lur

Bronze, Northern Europe (Scandinavia)

Photograph of a Neverlur

Wooden Lur (Neverlur)

Birch, Scandinavia

Bronze horn (Gjallarhorn or 'hollering horn').

Bronze horn (Gjallarhorn or "hollering horn")

ca. 899-700 B.C.
Påarp, Sweden

Photograph of Tutankhamun's Death MaskKing Tutankhamun's TrumpetsPhotograph of A Mannequin of Tutankhamun

Ancient Egyptians created trumpets out of metals. Two such trumpets were found in the burial chamber of King Tutankhamun (died ca. 1323 BCE[7]). One was made of silver and the other was made of a copper alloy presumed to be bronze, but it has not been verified[8].

In 1939, BBC radio broadcast bandsman James Tappern playing the trumpets worldwide.

Photograph of Tutankhamun's Bronze Trumpet and its Wooden Insert.

Tutankhamun's Bronze Trumpet
and its Wooden Insert

Photograph of Tutankhamun's Silver Trumpet and its Wooden Insert.

Tutankhamun's Silver Trumpet
and its Wooden Insert

Photograph of the Bell of Tutankhamun's Silver Trumpet.

Bell of Tutankhamun's
Silver Trumpet

Photograph of James Tappern Playing One of Tutankhamun's Trumpets

James Tappern Playing
One of Tutankhamun's Trumpets

Recording of James Tappern Playing
One of Tutankhamun's Trumpets