504 Construction of Ancient Mexican Terra-cotta (May, 
1~3 (Plate xvii), and the four-holed Tezcucan flageolets,’ whose 
musical instruments probably attained the highest degree of per- 
fection known to the Nahuatalacs. 
Karl Engel, in his “ History of the most ancient Musical Instru- 
ments,” demonstrates that among ancient nations of the Eastern 
continent, wind instruments were gradually improved in construc- 
tion and power of sound. He mentions a pipe found by Captain 
Willock in the ruins of Babylon (Bis-Nimroud), as follows: “It 
resembles somewhat the flageolets and whistles of clay found in 
Mexico and Central America.” The pipe in question, Fig. 12 
(Plate xvi1), copied from Engel’s work, “ is about three inches in. 
length, and has only two finger-holes, placed side by side, and 
consequently equidistant from the end at which it is blown. The 
opposite end has no opening, the instrument, in this respect, rè- 
sembling a whistle. If both finger-holes are closed it produces the 
note C; if only one of them is closed it produces E; and if both 
are open it produces G. Besides these notes one or two others 
are obtained by some little contrivance ; thus by blowing with 
unusual force the interval of a fifth G may be raised to that of a 
sixth A, but the fixed and natural notes of the instrument are 
only the tonic, third and fifth. It is remarkable that the third 
which is obtained by closing the left finger-hole, is about a T 
ter tone lower than the third which is obtained by pt 
right finger-hole. Perhaps it was intended for the minor io 
This is, as far as I am aware, the oldest musical instrument h 
erto discovered which has preserved its original condition, yet 
is constituted of so fragile a material that were it to fall peor 
hand to the ground, it would most likely be destroyed 
But its notes cannot have been clearer two thousan@ 
than they are at the present day. The shape of mage This 
appears to be intended to represent the head of an am , 
interesting relic, described by Engel, is not unlike perar 
pitch-pipes, and like the Mexican pipe shows how = ; 
the { 
; found nest 
1 The four-holed flageolet of terra-cotta, shown in the pet aaa we are” 
city of Tezcuco, and is probably of Aclolhuan origin, 4 people T he A 
suppose were much more advanced in the arts than their bloot * Fig. 4 oe 
; ai late, 
An examination of the external contour of this instrument in eE e 
XIX), will show that the barrel or body of the flageolet 1s much i 
The i 
elongated than that of the pitch-pipe, Figs. 5-6, (Plate DA Fig. 3k (Pi 
struction shows an increased expansion underneath the sount” i see 
. xIx). 
XIX). and marked contraction at the bell end, Fig. 7 F (Plate XIX) 
