What is the oldest brass instrument?

Written by

Kara Rogers

Fact-checked by

Britannica Editors

Last updated

Oct. 2, 2026 •History

Perhaps surprisingly, conch shells and animal horns are considered some of the oldest brass instruments. Although made of natural materials, these early instruments were played by vibrating the lips to send air into and through a hollow opening—the defining characteristic of a brass instrument. Sound in modern brass instruments, such as French horns, trombones, and trumpets, is produced when the player vibrates their lips against a metal mouthpiece, moving air through the instrument’s tubing. Natural...