Just when they were developed is not known, however it had to be after the advent of the [[Bronze age]]- indeed the modern form is still made of an alloy of copper and tin. Where is also not known but they are thought to have originated somewhere in central [[Asia]] before spreading both east into [[China]] and west and south into the Indo-European lands and the ancient [[Middle East]]. They were known in the pre-classical and classical civilisations of the Middle East and [[Mediterranean]] and appear, usually as part of the array of instruments, in the [[Bible]]. The ancient cymbals were smaller than the modern versions. | Just when they were developed is not known, however it had to be after the advent of the [[Bronze age]]- indeed the modern form is still made of an alloy of copper and tin. Where is also not known but they are thought to have originated somewhere in central [[Asia]] before spreading both east into [[China]] and west and south into the Indo-European lands and the ancient [[Middle East]]. They were known in the pre-classical and classical civilisations of the Middle East and [[Mediterranean]] and appear, usually as part of the array of instruments, in the [[Bible]]. The ancient cymbals were smaller than the modern versions. |