Panpipes Alberta, Canada 1982 Bamboo, plum wood, beeswax, reed 25,6 x 30,3 cm Canadian Museum of Civilization, Canada

The flute has existed in various forms wherever people have made music. Depictions of the flute can be found in India, Egypt and China.

The Greeks and Romans had several kinds of flutes. The panpipes, an older style, were made of several tubes of staggered length. Legend says, they were invented by the God Pan and later turned into a symbol of pastoral life by poets.

The flute played a very important role during feasts, weddings, public games, dances and sacrifices. Some cultures, including the Lydians, used the panpipes to guide warriors into combat.

In Rome, flute players formed a special guild; they participated in public ceremonies, public or private festivals and funerals.