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How were early drums made during Neolithic times?
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percussion instrument
Flemish rommelpot friction drum; in the Musical Instruments Museum, Brussels.
During the Neolithic period, early drums were constructed from a section of a hollowed tree trunk that served as the shell. This wooden body was covered at one end with a membrane made from reptile or fish skin, which was then struck with the hands to produce sound.1
As these instruments evolved, various methods were developed to fasten the skin to the shell, including the use of pegs, nails, glue, buttoning through holes in the membrane, or neck lacing, which involved wrapping a cord around the membrane overlap. While early drums were typically single-headed, later developments included the creation of double-headed drums and the use of pottery to form the drum shell.1