Archaeologists were surprised by a 4000-year-old find discovered in Oman

Archaeologists were surprised by a musical instrument found in the Sultanate of Oman, which is about four thousand years old, reports Fox News.

During archaeological excavations in the territory of an ancient settlement called Dahwa, scientists discovered a pair of copper discs. After careful analysis, experts determined that these were ancient cymbals - a percussion musical instrument, dating back to the period between 2200 and 2000 BCE.

Both round plates, with a diameter of 138 millimeters, turned out to be identical. In the center of each is a relief elevation with a small hole. The thickness of the plate walls is only 1.5 to 2 millimeters, which indicates a high level of skill of ancient metallurgists. Over the past four thousand years, the objects have undergone corrosion and partially fused together, but despite this, they have been preserved in surprisingly good condition.

This find is unique for the entire region. According to archaeologist Khaled Douglas, it calls into question existing scientific theories regarding the origin and development of musical instruments in the Middle East.

According to researchers, the cymbals could have been used in religious rituals and temple ceremonies. Their discovery points to the important role of music in cultural exchange between ancient civilizations that inhabited the Persian Gulf area.

Archaeologists emphasize that this discovery is especially valuable because ancient musical instruments rarely survive in good condition to the present day.